5 Ways to Add Newness Into Your Tennis Game

As I’ve stated before, one of few silver linings of the COVID-19 global pandemic is the fact that the game of tennis, which allows for social distancing, has welcomed many newcomers. Beginners of all ages around the world are trying their hands at learning the game. But, what about those of us who are tennis veterans to a certain degree? How can we incorporate “newness” back into our game? If you’re interested in freshening up your tennis game, consider these five, fun ideas that can broaden your perspective and change up your approach:

1. Test out the latest eco-friendly tennis balls. Triniti Tennis Balls are touted by Wilson® to last four times longer than regular tennis balls and are “the first performance tennis ball with 100% sustainable packaging.” So, if you buy them, you’ll help the environment and save money on ball purchasing over time, but, your ears may miss hearing the routine “popping” sound that occurs when opening a traditional can of balls at the start of a match. Watch this Tennis Express video to learn more about the benefits of these new Wilson balls.
   
2. Play fantasy tennis. If you haven’t already done so, you can extend your involvement in the game of tennis by joining players and fans across the globe in competing in fantasy tennis online or via mobile app. First read this beginner’s guide to fantasy tennis, and then check out a site like DraftKings Fantasy Tennis or FanDuel to get started. Also, if you’ve never served as a tennis team captain in real life before, playing fantasy tennis is a neat way that you can have the chance to build your own team and compete.
   
3. Try yoga for tennis. Several of our Pro Tips bloggers have highlighted the physical and mental benefits that tennis players can experience on-court by incorporating the practice of yoga into their off-court exercise and wellness routines. If you want to add yoga to your training mix, check out this “Yoga for Tennis Players” video by former professional tennis player and former Irish Fed Cup team captain Yvonne Doyle or this yoga practice video that includes specific whole body movements that mimic different aspects of the tennis game.
   
4. Track your personal tennis stats with a tennis tracker app. Professional sports teams have historically analyzed statistics and metrics to improve overall team performance (remember MoneyBall?). With the advent of sports analytics, however, data analysis at the individual level is coming into the forefront across different sports, including tennis. So, are you tracking your personal tennis results data to gain insights into your game and to help you see areas for future improvement? If not, get started tracking with an app like Smashpoint.
   
5. Listen to a tennis podcast. Tennis podcasts are a great way to get tennis tips and insights from tennis professionals, amateur players and, even, fans. And, access is tremendously easy with a smart phone. Besides serving as a podcast host myself, I really enjoy learning and listening to a variety of tennis podcasts. If you want to jump into the podcast listening game, give an ear to our Love-Love Tennis podcast, and check out these podcast suggestions by Tennis.com.

Trying new approaches to your tennis game means innovating your tennis game, and that’s an idea to love-love.