Thursday, January 19, 2012
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Margaret Court congratulates Sam Stosur on US Open victory
Margaret Court was the last Australian woman to win the US Open in 1973 and today she congratulated Sam Stosur on her first grand slam win.
The reigning Australian US Open winner admits she didn't stay up to watch the match but was quick to review the play when she woke to the news that Stosur had won the title."Looking at the replay, Williams' legs weren't going that well and she looked pretty nervous and tight," Court told ABC's Russell Woolf.
The straight sets match, 6-2 6-3, was a surprisingly easy win for Stosur's first grand slam victory.
Serena Williams, who already has 13 grand slam titles to her name, was defaulted a point in the first game of the second set which gave Stosur the game.
"Sam just got the best of her and wasn't going to let her in."
Margaret Court was busy in 1973 winning the US, Australian and French Opens not to mention giving birth to her first child the year before.
Court says there's nothing stopping Sam Stosur from taking another grand slam title in the future.
"Sam has the all-round game and if she doesn't beat herself there's no reason why she shouldn't win a few more."
Times have definitely changed since Margaret Court took the honour 38 years ago.
Sam Stosur picked up $US1.8 million ($AU1.7 million) for her US Open and is expected to pocket millions more in endorsements.
"I think I won $6000 for the first prize so a big difference today."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
The Tennis Court, Dimensions And Surfaces
Tennis courts are standard in dimension, but vary widely in surface material. Tennis rules dictate the length, width, and placement of the lines on a tennis court. Tennis courts have a variety of surfaces and can be either outdoors or indoors. In this article, we will introduce the basic dimensions and aspects of the tennis courts and discuss the different types of tennis court surfaces.
The rules of tennis dictate that tennis courts be 78 feet long from baseline to baseline. A net, 3 feet high in the middle, divides the court into two equal halves. Tennis courts are 36 feet wide from doubles sideline to doubles sideline, and 27 feet wide from singles sideline to singles sideline.
Unlike the dimensions of a tennis court, the tennis court surface can vary in character. The different surfaces have different characteristics that affect the style of play. Common surfaces for outdoor tennis courts include grass, red clay, green clay, and hard courts. In addition, indoor tennis courts often have hard surfaces or synthetic, carpet-like surfaces.
The very first tennis courts were made of grass. While the number of grass tennis courts has decreased in recent years, some remain, and the world's most prestigious tennis tournament, The Championships at Wimbledon, is still played on grass tennis courts.
Grass tennis courts are considered a fast surface because the ball moves quickly through the court when it bounces. Typically, the ball stays low and close to the ground. Because of the speed of the court and the unreliability of the bounce, historically players playing on grass tennis courts prefer to volley the ball out of the air whenever possible.
Red clay and green clay are the two types of clay, or slow, court surfaces. Red clay tennis courts are made of natural clay or crushed red brick. The French Open is played on red clay courts. Green clay, the more common type of clay court in the U.S., is made of Har-Tru, a mixture of crushed stone, rubber, and plastics. Clay courts are considered slow because the ball bounces more slowly off the court. Typically, players playing on clay tennis courts prefer to hit balls off the bounce from behind the baseline.
Hard courts, the most common court surface in the U.S., are another fast court surface. Hard courts are made of asphalt or concrete coated with a thin sealer and special paint. Some types of hard courts have more extensive, rubberized coatings. The ball bounces high off hard tennis court surfaces and moves through the court quickly. Because the ball has a reliable bounce and the ball moves quickly off the court, players can employ a variety of tactics. Generally, aggressive play is preferred.
Finally, tennis players also play indoors, especially during the winter, on indoor tennis courts. Indoor tennis court surfaces are made of concrete or a synthetic or plastic material that mimics grass. Indoor tennis courts are generally the fastest tennis court surface of all. At the professional level, hard serves, volleys, and powerful ground strokes dominate matches on indoor tennis courts.
For more information on tennis try visiting http://www.TennisQuestions.com, a website that specializes in providing tennis related tips, advice and resources to include information on the best tennis court.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Get Fit With Tennis - Get a Backyard Tennis Court
Having a backyard tennis court is much better than having to go to the local courts everyday. With a back yard tennis court, tennis lovers can play any time a partner is available. With the high gas prices of today, constructing a tennis court in the back yard proves to be economically feasible.
Overview
Having a back yard tennis court is fun for the entire family. It doesn't matter if there is a tennis player in the family or not. The fact is that the sport provides a wonderful forum for exercise. Being that the game can be played with four players, a family of four can very easily enjoy a game of tennis on their own court.
When making the decision to embark upon tennis court construction, it must be realized that this is an important and a wise investment. It is also important to realize that there is tennis equipment involved and that the court and the equipment need to be maintained well. Tennis courts can be beautiful in a back yard if they are maintained properly
Benefits
A backyard court gives a family a good workout and allows them to spend quality time together. Because of the fact that so many individuals are encountering health issues due to inactivity and many are battling obesity, adding something such as a back yard tennis court can help reverse the effects brought on by these issues.
A backyard court also makes for a great place to get together with friends and have a good time. Individuals can have barbecues and play a good game of tennis or have matches in the back yard. The possibilities are virtually endless. However, most of the benefits lie in what having a tennis court can do for the overall health of the entire family.
Tennis court construction
Tennis court construction isn't as involved as it may look to some. It is good to have the area fenced in so that the tennis balls do not fly into a neighbor's yard or into another area where they don't belong. Fencing also keeps out intruders. You can use a privacy fence and you can even get a green vinyl cover to put around your tennis court.
There is also the fact that the concrete has to be poured at 4 inches. The compressive strength should also be 3,000 psi. Also, the water to cement ratio needs to be no more than.40 with a 6% air content. This is to give the concrete the right feel. Having the right feel is important to tennis court construction and to the overall game play because having concrete with the right air content makes for a lesser impact on the knees. The next step is to paint the concrete green or red. Many individuals use both of these colors. There is also the fact that the lines have to be painted onto the court. A tennis court is not a tennis court until it looks like one.
Some individuals even put stone retaining walls around their backyard court that only sits about two feet off of the ground. They do this to keep such elements as water out and to keep animals out. This is great at keeping the court in tip top shape.
And then of course there is the net. A tennis net is your last step. It is not hard to acquire and is quite affordable. They come in one height, so you don't have to worry about any particular measurements or anything of that sort. After the net is put in place, you now have yourself a backyard court.
Tennis equipment
When a family is going to have a backyard court, it is important to have tennis court equipment. Tennis equipment consists of such items as windscreens to put around the court, the tennis net, trash cans for everyone to throw their trash, water coolers, net posts, tennis ball machines for solo games, tennis ball baskets to carry around all of the balls, and benches so that others can watch.
Players can also include numbers if they really want to feel as if they're in a real match. They can even invest in tennis ball mowers to pick up the tennis balls faster. If a person doesn't want a tennis ball basket, they can have a tennis ball cart. There are so many different types of tennis court equipment that can be used to make playing more enjoyable.
It is more or less up to the individual what type of tennis equipment they invest in. This is because different individuals have different levels of experience. Some also view it as a simple workout and others want their tennis court to look like it belongs at a professional match. There is nothing wrong with that. It is a hefty investment, but worth it to those who really want that game feel.
Love the game
It is hard to not love the game of tennis. It is exciting because of that adrenaline rush that comes about when the ball is returned. It also makes individuals feel really good after a game. That's because the workout is incredible. And to think that it is possible to have a backyard tennis court is even more exciting. This means no more waiting for other players to get done at the court. Public courts usually have just a few courts open at a time, which means people have to wait for others to finish. Having a backyard tennis court fixes that problem.
Swati is a freelancer, a work from home mom, who loves to write. She is a postgraduate in English and an MBA. She has written on practically every niche on the web. She writes articles, blogs, web pages, reports, press releases, product descriptions, eBooks, sales letters and newsletters. Visit Swati's blog now if you need content for your business or personal needs.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Building Your Own Backyard Tennis Court
Stress is the common problem these days for many people due to the changes in life style and the aggressive career goals. Many of us forget the stress built within us while chasing our dream of earning money to have a better life. To get peace of mind while we fight with this aggressive life style, many of us choose various relaxation methods. Playing games is considered as the best option since it relaxes the mind in a very enjoyable way. Tennis is one of the favorite games for many people which gives a complete body workout and helps in maintaining the body health as well. The game not only relaxes the mind, but also gives a stretching relief for the body.
Tennis being one of the most popular games around the world, individuals begins playing the game pretty early. As a result, more and more people line for playing. However, with the lack of space, most have to go through long queues and endless waits before they get a change to hit the tennis ball around the court. Public tennis courts are a few in number and so if you too are tired of waiting or never seem to find an empty court, you could consider building a backyard tennis court.
A backyard tennis court is a great solution for every tennis buff. And converting the backyard into a tennis court is a really cool idea as well! Whether you go for a grass court or a concrete court, you will have plenty to choose from and your dreams of having a backyard court could become a reality in no time. It is always great to have a play area at home, where you can spend considerable time of your day in the game and get the stress relief as well.
If you are lucky to have a backyard that's big enough to house a court, you should immediately begin looking at data as to how to build a backyard tennis court. It is no secret that some of the most fames tennis stars of recent times had always enjoyed the services of a backyard court while growing up. From Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and the great Andre Agassi, everyone grew up playing tennis at the backyard tennis court. So if you too want to give support to your children who show immense talent in the sport, consider building a backyard court.
Planning For Backyard Tennis Court
For a grass backyard tennis court, what you need is a flat surface. If your backyard is big enough to hold a 78 by 36 feet tennis court, nothing like it! However, if you have a smaller backyard, go for a court that's 27 feet wide. That would serve as a good singles court. Once you have the space,
? Get rid of all the obstructions huge stones, pebbles, bushes, debris, junk, etc.
? Reverse the soil with the help of a spade or shovel. This will help expose the fresh soil from underneath and will also help trim out all the extra, dead and dry grass.
? Rent a roller and take it around the playing surface. This will help harden the playing surface and make it level as well. You can hire a roller from the local hardware shop.
? Once you have leveled the ground, sprinkle grass seeds and with proper watering, you will see fresh, new grass appearing in no time, just the perfect beginning for your very own backyard tennis court.
? After the grass grows to a height of 19 mm, which is the height required for playing, you could start marking the area with the help of spray paints.
? The next step would be to a buy the net and install it. Take care while installing the net. Fix two poles on the adjacent sides to which the net will be tied. The net needs to be absolutely straight and uptight. Once equipped with the net, you will have successfully transformed your regular backyard into a sprawling court.
Construction Of The Tennis Court
While a grass backyard court is simple to set up and maintain, for areas where grass does not grow easily, concrete backyard tennis courts are the preferred choice. Concrete tennis courts are also heavy-duty, can be looked after easily, and are anti fracture. However unlike a grass backyard tennis court, constructing a concrete backyard tennis court is not very simple and therefore it is recommended that you consult an expert for it. There are a lot of construction firms that specialize in backyard tennis courts and it will do you good to seek their services. Before consulting the experts for the construction, you will need to collect a lot of information like the area space details, any other affecting factors like water, electricity etc... and most importantly your budget. Based on your inputs for the construction of the court, the construction companies give the plan and the estimation for making the backyard tennis court. It is suggested to consult with more than one consultation firm to make the your dream backyard tennis court.
For Tennis Career People
If you want your child to grow up and take tennis up as a profession, it is highly recommended that you get a backyard court. If you have the space and the resources, definitely go for it. A lot of the top tennis coaches of the country have always suggested that for a player to flourish later on, it is important that training begins early. And what better place to train than at home! Setting up a well planned tennis court at home will give flexibility for you and your children to practice the game anytime in the day. You can find a lot of tennis coaches available for training the players at home and give great tips to excel in the game. Having a backyard tennis court is always an added advantage to get an effective training from a home training tennis coaches.
Factors To Consider
While building a backyard tennis court, you should, however, be cautious about a few things. The neighborhood you live in could play a very vital role. If you have nice, friendly and supportive neighbors, then well and good! But if your neighbors are troublesome and like picking arguments, you may have to face a lot of problems. A lot of complaints are heard from neighbors of people who have backyard courts and how the light and the sound from the backyard tennis disturb them. Sometimes, if you play at night, you may have to use floodlights, and that often causes a lot of problems for the neighbors. Also, the constant, monotonous noise that a tennis ball machine makes can be very annoying for the people around you. So before you install a backyard court, make sure you have the neighbors on your side and thereby prevent any future misunderstandings and obstacles.
Budget And Time For The Construction
Building a backyard tennis court may seem simple, but before you embark upon the project, you need to sort out important issues like your budget, the time you are willing to devote, and so on. Budget is a very important consideration and the overall look, design and sturdiness of the backyard court will depend on the amount of money you will spend on it. So sit down and chart out a budget carefully. See how much money you can spend and where you want to spend it. Also, building a backyard tennis court will take up a lot of your time. Be sure that you will be able to devote that much time to the project; else the project will get completed with numerous flaws. You will need to check with the construction firm for the construction methods they follow and how they deploy the planned project. You can check their previous experience in making such projects, find their delivery time and can estimate how well and faster your dream court can be made.
So build a backyard tennis court that will not only give you the opportunity to play tennis and remain fit, it will also be a great place where you can have complete family activities at anytime of the year! Having our own tennis court at home gives lots benefits in having a joyful time with the family together at the play area, enjoy the game and have a wonderful time together!
Swati is a freelancer, a work from home mom, who loves to write. She is a postgraduate in English and an MBA. She has written on practically every niche on the web. She writes articles, blogs, web pages, reports, press releases, product descriptions, eBooks, sales letters and newsletters. Visit Swati's blog at http://swatibanerjee.wordpress.com now if you need content for your business or personal needs.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Serena back on court
Serena Williams says she is back on court training after a series of health problems that included dangerous blood clots in her lung.
"Look who I spotted on the court. Her first day back... " the 13-time grand slam champion said in a posting on her Twitter account.
She also posted a picture of herself in mid-serve, wearing a bright pink body suit that gleamed in the sunshine.
Williams has not played a top-level match since last year's Wimbledon final.
Shortly after that triumph, she cut her right foot on broken glass at a restaurant last July.
She required two operations on her foot, and in February suffered a pulmonary embolism that led to an emergency procedure in Los Angeles.
Williams, 29, has not said when she will return to the WTA tour.
She would need to be ready by June 20 to defend her Wimbledon title.
-AFP