Lesson Two
Backhand Chip
In Lester’s second lesson, the Coach started off with a question about doubles positioning:
“In doubles, which court for the stronger player? Ad court or deuce court?”
“Ad court,” Lester said.
“Why?”
“Because,” Lester said. “If your team is behind 30-40, and you lose the ad court point, then you lose the game. If your team wins the ad-court point, then you’re back to deuce, with another chance to win the game.”
“Good answer,” the Coach said. “And your opponents will feel dumb for not winning the point when they had the opening.”
“Psychology?” Lester said.
“You got it,” the coach said.
*****
The drill on Day Two was not high balls—maybe the coach forgot—instead, the drill was hitting various targets with the slice backhand, which triggered Lester’s memory of Gene Land—his first tennis hero, only one year older, but light years ahead of Lester in the world of tennis—Gene Land, a seeded player in the Tri-State Open who owned the first slice backhand that Lester had seen.
Oh those glorious memories.
Today’s targets were big (a yellow tennis ball tube angled across the service line) and small (a triangle of six orange traffic cones).
If he knocked a cone down, Lester earned ten points.
If he hit the yellow tube, he got five points.
If his ball scraped an orange cone, he got 3 points.
On his fifth backhand slice, the ball made a perfect arc and slammed hard, knocking down an orange cone.
Thrills coursed through Lester’s body. The winter sun felt less dangerous, more benign.
Leaving the cones in place, the Coach had Lester serve.
In 30 seconds of serving, his serve nailed 4 orange cones.
Before he knew it, the lesson was over.
To cap off the lesson, the Coach noted jotted three points:
- Make sure your back foot swings over on your serve.
- Make sure you guide the forehand with your palm.
- Make sure you turn your shoulder as you set up to hit the backhand slice.
*****
In the next Iron Man doubles, Lester’s serve did not miss. Because of the lesson—targeting—his aim was better.
Hitting the ball in a match, Lester now had to admit—the coach was a cagey guy.
Read More about Lester Elder’s Quest for Ultimate Tennis in Robert Ray’s new book called
Play or Die: Senior Tennis and the Art of Spin
