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TENNIS OVERVIEW
History: A 13th century French game played with a sheepskin ball and bare hands was probably the
earliest ancestor of modern tennis on record. A racket and net were added to the game 200 years later,
and the English took up the game with enthusiasm. It evolved into “royal” tennis and courts were built at
Hampton Court, Windsor and Whitehall. It was very popular among the British aristocracy. The rules
became quite complex. What survives today as a direct descendant of this pastime is “real” tennis.
In the late 19th century in England, a different form of tennis called lawn tennis had evolved. This was
basically what we know today as modern tennis. In 1877, the first Lawn Tennis Championships were
played at Wimbledon, governed by rules very much like those of today. Lawn tennis was part of the
program at the first eight Olympic Games (1896-1924) . Tennis was a demonstration sport at the 1968
Mexico City and 1984 Los Angeles Olympiads. It became an Olympic medal sport again in 1988 in
Seoul, Korea. The present world governing body for tennis is the International Lawn Tennis Federation
(ITLF).
Synopsis: Tennis is played with a racket and ball on a court divided by a net. It can be played by two
people (singles) or four people (doubles). The object is to propel the ball over the net in such a way that it
bounces in court and beats any attempt by an opponent to return it.
Tennis is played by both men and women on a great variety of court surfaces. The size of the court varies
depending on whether a singles or doubles match is being played, but the height of the net is constant.
Each player has a special racket to hit a hollow rubber ball with. Play begins with a service, each player
serving in turn for one game. The opponent returns the ball across the net so that it falls within the other
player’s court. The ball is allowed to bounce only once after being struck, and a rally is broken when a
player allows the ball to bounce twice, causes the ball to hit the net, land outside the court or misses the
ball. In these cases where a rally is broken, the opponent gains a point.
Other Background Sources:
See the Rand McNally Illustrated Dictionary Of Sports, pages 62-5, for most basic definitions of tennis
terms and some good history and illustrations.
See The Rule Book, pages 368-75, for the best review of the technical rules of various forms of tennis.
There are some good illustrations and court dimensions.
See the Guinness Book of Sports Records, Winners and Champions, pages 309-25, for a lot of very
interesting facts about tennis and its most famous players and moments.
TENNIS DICTIONARY OF TERMS
See the Rand McNally Illustrated Dictionary of Sports, page 62-5, for most basic definitions.
Other Definitions:
“A Player”: A good advanced player
“B Player”: Intermediate - advanced
“C Player”: Beginner/intermediate
3.5: Intermediate player classification
4.5: Advanced player classification
Add-In: Server’s advantage after deuce
Add-Out: Receiver’s advantage after deuce
Alley: Space between singles sideline and doubles sideline
American Twist Serve: A type of service where the ball is hit with some top spin and some slice
causing the bouncing ball to jump up and to the side
Approach Shot: A shot that one hits before coming to the net and after which he/she advances to the net
Australia/Canadian Doubles: Two players versus one player (single player may hit into doubles alley
and the two partners must hit into the singles portion of the court)
Backhand Smash: A high backhand hit hard (from above head level)
Bagle: To bagle an opponent is to win a set by a six to zero margin.
Baseliner: A player who usually stays on the baseline and rarely comes to the net
Cannon-Ball Serve: Flat and very hard (i.e., no spin)
Clay: A type of court surface, red or brown clay, considered a “slow” surface. Players tend to stay back
and have long grueling rallies. Players plant their feet and slide into shots.
Davis Cup: The world’s premier international team competition. It is contested on a best of five matches
basis by the men’s teams (4 singles and 1 doubles). The Cup was first played as a challenge match
between the U.S. and Great Britain in 1900. It was initiated by an American, Dwight Davis.
Dead Ball: A ball that has lost its air pressure and, consequently, does not bounce normally
Dink: A ball hit without a full stroke and hit softly
Dinker/Hacker: A person who hits easy, often with a lot of spin, and does not stroke the ball (often a
very wristy player)
Down the Line Shot: Along the sideline
Drop Shot: A shot that is good, but lands very short (often an effective shot on clay courts). A ball hit
softly with backspin so that it just clears the net and lands close to the net with a low bounce
Drop Volley: A drop shot hit from a ball that has not bounced
Even Court: The right side of the court
Face: Hitting surface of a racket
Grand Slam: To hold at the same time all four of the world’s major championship titles:
1.
Wimbledon
2.
U.S. Open
3.
Australian Championship
4.
French Championship
Hack: A poor player who sometimes wins a match
Hold Service: The server wins the game
Hook: A player who makes poor line calls. A cheater
Juniors: Ages 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 16 and under, 18 and under
Kick: A serve that bounces high
Liner: A shot that hits the line (counted as good)
Lob Volley: A lob hit from a ball that has not bounced
Love Game: No points obtained in a game
Masters: Ages 45 and above
Odd Court: The left side of the court
Open Tournament: Where amateurs and professionals are both invited to compete against each other
Perfect Set: 24 straight points
Player: A very good player
Push: A ball hit without a full stroke and hit softly
Pusher: Does not put much power forth when hitting the ball
Put Away: A shot, also called a kill or a winner, hit so well that no return is expected. An easy shot hit
for a solid, decisive winner
Rally: A long series of shots in which both players are able to keep the ball in play
Reverse Twist: A serve with side spin delivered in the opposite direction of the slice serve
Round Robin: A type of tournament in which every person plays every person and the results are
tabulated
Rubico: A type of court surface like clay, but green and coarser
Rush the Net: A style of play in which a player hits an approach shot and runs toward the net to be in a
better position to win a point
Slice Serve: A serve with side spin
Striker: The receiver of the service
Sweet Spot: An area of the strings usually located slightly below the center of the racket face. When the
ball contacts the sweet spot, vibrations transmitted to the hand are minimal.
Tank: To lose a match intentionally
The Tour: The circuit, a series of tournaments
To Volley: Slang for going out and hitting some tennis balls with someone but not necessarily playing
any games
Tree: When player’s game peaks
USTA: United States Tennis Association. They sanction most major tennis tournaments
Wimbledon: The most celebrated of the world’s major tennis championships. It was first played in
1877.
Wood-Shot: A shot that hits the wood or metal of one’s racket
Zone: Playing above one’s ability
VISUAL SKILLS IMPORTANT FOR TENNIS
Visual Acuity: Both static and dynamic visual acuity are important in the fast-moving, visual sport of
tennis. The target is in motion, the athlete is in motion, and the opponent is in motion. This introduces
some very complex visual equations for the brain to compute and solve in very short reaction times.
Peripheral Vision: This is a very essential skill for superior performance in a game like tennis. This is
especially true for doubles when the players must be aware of where their partner and his/her rackets are,
to avoid collision and injury. It helps in picking up lob shots when running backwards while looking over
your shoulder, and in knowing where the boundary lines are.
Depth Perception: Necessary for accurate shot placement, evaluating the defensive positions of the
opponent and judgment of whether a ball hit to you will land in or out of bounds. Thus, you decide
whether to play the ball or not. It also assists in judgment of the speed of the opponent’s shot. Billie Jean
King rates depth perception as the highest attribute for a young tennis player, even above court speed or
eye-hand coordination. This visual skill can be quickly diminished, however, by extended near work
prior to a match. Students, computer programmers, or business executives play much poorer tennis after
work than on weekends.
Eye Motility: Eye tracking ability is important in tennis. Quick, accurate saccades are needed to rapidly
survey the changing locations and movements of the opponent and the ball in relationship to the net,
boundary lines, etc. Studies have shown that if the head has to move to aid in eye tracking, not only is it
less efficient, but balance is thrown off too. The ultimate goal regarding this visual skill and tennis is to
track the ball until it actually hits the racket, not flinching on impact.
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination: All are helpful to performance for a tennis player. The eyes lead
the body and the visual system guides the motor system.
Visualization: This could be very useful for a tennis player, particularly when serving the ball. A tennis
player has a 30-second time limit between the end of one point and the service for the next. This is
enough time for some quick visualization. The rest of the game is so fast-moving, the player doesn’t have
time to think and visualize using the five-step technique. He or she must simply react. Subvocalization,
thought by some to be a form of visualization, actually distracts from it! Not only does it take longer — it
is not as efficient. Therefore, don’t give yourself a “pep talk” while playing tennis — visualize instead.
Speed of Recognition Time: This is quite an important and useful visual skill for a tennis player. Bill
Tilden’s serve was once clocked at 163.6 mph. This doesn’t allow much time to react. Even more
normal rally shots come very quickly. A good player needs to detect the speed and spin on the ball as
quickly as possible in order to make the proper return. He must pick up the ball as it comes off the
opponent’s racket. The opportunity to make that proper return shot only presents itself for a fraction of a
second.
Speed of Focusing: This is also important in tennis because the ball and the other player are moving
quickly and one has to be able to shift focus from near to far or to intermediate targets rapidly throughout
the contest while general body stamina is running down due to heavy exertion.
Glare Recovery Speed: This is quite important for tennis players because most play is outdoors and
under bright sun conditions (at least on the professional circuit). So lob shots may get lost in the sun
momentarily, causing a dazzle to the retina. The player must recover very quickly before the next return
shot is imminent. A lot of tennis is played indoors these days, too. Here, bright overhead lighting can
cause some problems for the players.
Ability to See in Dim Illumination: Not usually an important factor for tennis players unless it’s an
outdoor tournament game near dusk before night lighting is turned on. Most games are scheduled at good
hours or under proper artificial lighting.
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance: This is important in tennis
because it’s a very fatiguing sport that requires a lot of running, jumping and constant concentration. Best
three out of five tournament matches can sometimes run 4 or 5 hours. In warm climates, this can be very
fatiguing.
Color Perception: Color is not terribly critical to a tennis player’s performance.
Eye Dominance: Of some interest probably, but not as critical a factor in this sport as it is in baseball
hitting, rifle shooting or archery. Studies with professional tennis players indicate they generally do
prefer strokes that correspond to their dominant eyes, however.
Fixation Ability: Fixation is critical in serving the ball, for example. The tennis player also has to focus
quickly on his/her target (the ball first, and then shift fixation to the smallest possible detail on the
opponent’s court where he wants his shot to land). Then he must execute the shot and follow through by
retaining fixation on that target spot after the shot is hit. In serving, staring at your fixation target too
long before hitting the serve can lead to more misses. The ability to center on the precise portion of the
opponent’s court where you want the shot to go diminishes with time. Therefore, tennis players should be
advised by their sports vision consultant to avoid staring. When balanced and ready, just center on the
target’s finest detail (first on the ball and then on that spot on the opponent’s court) and smoothly stroke
your serve.
This also has to do with how well you can eliminate undesired stimuli while fixating or centering on
desired stimuli. During a tennis match, if the crowd noise and movement, lights or other surrounding
distractions are not shut out, the concentration needed for success cannot be obtained.
Visual Memory: Past experience and the number of proper shots, depth, spin and speed judgments,
fakes, etc., on file in the visual memory, combined with good visualization techniques for serving, etc.,
could be a big factor in the steadiness and consistency of a tennis player.
Central/Peripheral Awareness: This is an essential skill for a tennis player whether on defense or on
the attack. The attacking player has to look directly at his target spot on the opponent’s court while being
peripherally aware of the opponent’s position and direction of movement. Also, he must be peripherally
aware of court boundary lines. The defensive player must concentrate centrally on the attacking player’s
court position and the likely direction the ball will come off his opponent’s racket. Meanwhile, he must
be peripherally aware of where the net and boundary lines of the court are, etc. These factors all hold true
for doubles, too. However, in doubles, the players have the additional complications of being
peripherally aware of where their partner’s body and racket are.
Spatial Localization: Knowing where you are relative to other objects is very important in tennis. It is a
fast-moving sport in which the athletes and target (the ball) are in constant relative motion. Obviously,
the boundary lines and net are stationary, but the player is usually hitting the ball in relation to these
stationary targets while he/she is moving laterally, vertically, transversely, or “all of the above.”
Also, there is evidence that a player with esophoria tends to see the world closer than it really is. Thus,
we might expect this player to hit generally short of the court placement target. Conversely, the
exophoric player tends to see the world farther away than it really is. Thus, we might expect this player to
place shots generally long of the court placement target.
VISION SCREENING/TESTING PROCEDURES INDICATED FOR TENNIS PLAYERS
Visual Acuity (Static and Dynamic)
1.
Normal Snellen
2.
Vectographic
3.
Autorefractor
4.
Record player with visual acuity disk at three speeds (33, 45, 75 rpm)
5.
Tachistoscopic Acuity
Peripheral Vision
Dicon, Synamed Fieldmaster, etc.
Depth Perception
1.
Randot - distance
2.
Stereo Circles - projected at distance
3.
Stereo Fly - near
4.
Randot - near
5.
Consider timing the testing on the Randots
Eye Motility
1.
Eye Track
a. This quantifies graphs on paper
b. Good for before/after studies
c. Athletes and coaches can see if progress has been made
2.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
a. Pursuits
b. Saccades
c. Rotations
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination
1.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
a. Normal use with the hands
b. Footboard use, which brings in the tennis player’s balance
2.
Strobe Light - Creates more visual noise, so the athlete has to concentrate more
Visualization
1.
No specific testing
2.
The principles can be taught and trained, however.
Speed of Recognition Time
1.
Tachistoscope
2.
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
Speed of Focusing
1.
Wayne’s near/far fixation module (in 30 seconds, a good score = 15)
2.
Flippers (for near only) +/- 2.00 D (2 seconds = normal response)
Glare Recovery Speed - Night-Sight Meter - by AAA (Triple A)
1.
Dazzle them
2.
Read the letters as soon as possible (time them)
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance
1. Ask the tennis player (or their coach) whether he/she is a consistent performer throughout the game.
2. Do a complete evaluation of all pertinent visual skills before and immediately after a match or hard
workout.
Fixation Ability
1.
Eye Track
2.
Dicon perimeter, which beeps when the subject loses fixation.
Visual Memory
1.
No specific testing
2.
The principles can be taught and trained, however.
Central/Peripheral Awareness
1.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator with “stick-ups” and gun you fire at the light
a. Mode 1 = 15 or greater = good
b. Mode 2 = 5 is pretty good
2.
Dicon or Synamed Fieldmaster
Spatial Localization
1.
Phorias
a. Base-In
b. Base-Out
2.
Brock String
3.
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
VISION TRAINING TECHNIQUES INDICATED FOR TENNIS PLAYERS
1.
Visual Acuity
Keep the tennis player in current glasses/contact lenses for best visual acuity if an Rx is needed. Soft
contact lenses are usually the lens of choice for this sport, but firm lenses and glasses are also used
quite frequently when soft contacts are ruled out for some reason.
2.
Peripheral Vision
a. Awareness of peripheral vision can be enhanced (see under central/peripheral awareness)
b. If a visual field defect is present, the tennis player can be counseled as to how to compensate by
orienting his/her game toward negating the weak point.
3.
Depth Perception
Stereopsis is the ultimate of good binocularity. So train binocularity (BI and BO reserves) and
stereo should improve with enhanced visual functions.
b. Red/Green Sports Tranaglyphs from Bernell can help build ranges.
a.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Eye Motility
Pegboard Rotators
Arneson Corrector (Audio Feedback mechanism)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
5.
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination
a. Wayne Saccadic Fixator
1)
Normal use with the hands.
2) Footboard use helps train the tennis player’s balance system in response to the visual
signals the athlete is getting off the board.
b. Strobe Light - The athlete has to concentrate more due to the increased visual noise. This might
be good for easy rallying or even practicing service techniques.
6.
Visualization
An example will be given as to how to use the principles of visualization for enhancing the tennis
player’s serve.
a. Analyze: Consider your best serves and where you’ve been placing them near the court
boundaries in your opponent’s court. Mix up the speed, spin and court placement to keep the
opponent off balance. See if your opponent’s defensive position is tending to overplay you in
any way that might yield you an advantage if you could surprise him/her with an unexpected
serve. This is like a baseball pitcher trying to keep the batter guessing and off balance. Work
toward the opponent’s weaknesses (forehand, backhand, etc.) if he/she has any.
b. Visualize: Precede your performance with a visual picture of the desired action. Select a
precise target in your opponent’s court where you intend to place your service shot. Maintain a
secondary awareness of this precise spot while you toss the ball into the air and go into your
fluid service motion routine. At this stage, see yourself executing the classic-service style as
though watching yourself on videotape. First, see yourself centering on the tennis ball as it
reaches the apex of its upward flight. After you see (in slow motion) your racket make contact
with the ball in the sweet spot of the racket center as the service moves into the follow-through
stage, visualize your concentration shifting toward that precise court target. Trace the trajectory
of the ball from your racket to the opponent’s court target. This is where you want to place that
service shot and you must lock onto it visually and continue your fixation until after the ball is
past that point.
c.
d.
e.
Center: Develop a solid awareness of the ultimate court placement target you want to hit with
your serve, but don’t stare at it for a long time before serving. Choose it quickly and secretly.
Fine centering in tennis actually has two phases. The first phase is locking onto the most
precise detail possible on the tennis ball (such as the seams) as it reaches the apex of the upward
toss. You must continue this fine centering until after the racket makes contact with the ball.
Then quickly the second phase of fine centering begins. This involves locking onto the
smallest, most detailed target possible on the opponent’s court to follow through toward.
Maintain this visual fixation until after the ball strikes the spot.
Execute: Now you actually physically perform the classic service motion you had previously
visualized yourself doing successfully, as if watching yourself on videotape.
Playback: Try to do this after all serves in practice sessions (both good and bad). Tennis is a
fast-moving sport in the rallying phases and largely a game of reactions. However, there is
sufficient time during services to collect one’s thoughts and employ the visualization five-step
technique. Good servers are made in practice — not in games. The playback portion of the
visualization sequence can be used extensively in practice to develop one’s serve. Playback is
revisualizing the complete sequence of hitting or missing your service target again, and
reviewing all the visual images you centered on. This will help reinforce whatever there was to
learn from that serve (good or bad) for future visual memory.
7.
Speed of Recognition Time
a. Train this visual skill with the same instruments used to measure or test this skill.
b. Instruments
1)
Tachistoscope (Targets = shapes, tic-tac-toe, numbers, letters, etc.)
2)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
c. Make progressions for your tennis athletes from easy toward most difficult.
8.
Speed of Focusing
a. Red/Green anaglyphic accommodative rock
b. Wayne Saccadic Fixator
c. Flippers
9.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Glare Recovery Speed
No specific training
Anti-reflection coatings if glasses are worn
On cloudy or hazy days, yellow tinted lenses will act as image enhancement aids.
Perhaps Vitamin A and B2 Therapy
1)
“A” therapy = 10,000 units/day
2)
“B2” (Riboflavin) = 2.5 milligrams/day
10.
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance
Use the five steps of visualization on all serves to enhance concentration and give the tennis player a
definite plan of attack for at least that part of his/her game. This is very helpful in pulling the player
through the competition even when he’s fatigued and at a low emotional level. It should help
provide consistency so the tennis player won’t be so erratic.
11.
Fixation Ability
Counsel the tennis player to fine-focus (center) on the smallest possible detail he can see on his
target (whether serving or rallying).
2. The shorter the amount of time he fine-focuses on his target, the more intense his focusing
ability will be.
1.
12.
Visual Memory
This is where the playback phase of visualization (Step 6e) pays big dividends. It helps you
build your frame of reference.
b. Later you can use this frame of reference to visualize the things you’ve done to succeed in the
past under similar circumstances.
c. The Memory Book by Jerry Lucas is a good reference book for understanding and applying
principles of visual memory more fully.
a.
13.
Central/Peripheral Awareness
a. Wayne “stick-ups” are good for training.
b. As you go about your day, just concentrating on how much detail you can gather from your
periphery without actually looking over at the details directly (with central vision) is great
training for this visual skill.
c. This skill isn’t something that is developed overnight. You have to work at it daily until you’re
good at it. The skill should transfer well to your tennis game, however. It will be particularly
valuable during doubles competition.
14.
Spatial Localization
a. Train with the same instruments and equipment you use to measure and test this skill.
b. Instruments:
1)
Brock String (in all 9 positions of gaze)
2)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
SPORTS VISION PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS RELATED TO TENNIS
Problems
Solutions
Safety Risks: Probably a tennis ball in the eye
(especially when rushing the net) is the most
serious eye injury a tennis player might encounter,
but in doubles competition, potential safety risks
for your eyes are also encountered from your
partner’s racket or body collisions. In addition, a
large number of eye injuries are sustained when the
ball ricochets off the wood of the racket and hits
the player in the eye.
These risks are “just part of the game.” Fortunately,
they are fairly rare. Quick reflexes and reaction
time are probably the best defense mechanisms for
preventing these kinds of injuries. Proficiency will
greatly lessen the risk of injury.
Vision Correction Needed: Playing a visually
dominant sport like tennis with blurry vision will
definitely decrease performance. It can also
decrease speed of reaction time. It is, therefore,
more likely that this player will be injured.
Contact lenses are usually best for tennis players.
Soft contacts are probably the lens of choice, if
possible. Sports straps on glasses are usually
needed if the player is wearing glasses or
sunglasses.
Contact Sport: Although tennis is not technically a
contact sport, collisions with partners in doubles,
collisions with their rackets, falls, and dives for
tough return shots are all possibly injuryproducing.
A player requiring an Rx should wear soft contact
lenses because they won’t be dislocated as easily as
firm lenses or glasses. Have an ocular emergency
first aid kit with the trainer so eye problems or
injuries can be dealt with swiftly and properly.
High Velocity Projectiles: A tennis ball can travel
at speeds of up to 163 mph, which is Bill Tilden’s
world record. This force can easily break noses
and create serious eye trauma as a tennis ball is
You cannot totally prevent this risk. The quicker
the tennis player’s vision system can process visual
information, the less likely he/she is to be injured in
this fashion.
small enough to actually compress into the orbit of
the eye.
Fogging of Glasses: This is a sweaty sport and
usually played professionally in sunny climates.
Drops of sweat on the back of the player’s glasses
can be a problem.
Anti-fogging compounds can be helpful. Have a
soft cloth on the sidelines to wipe off lenses during
breaks in play. Better yet, wear soft contacts if
possible. Headbands worn across the mid-forehead
to absorb sweat can be very beneficial as well.
Playing With Only One Usable Eye: Tennis is a
sport with a fairly high risk of serious eye injury.
Some visual skills will be reduced in a monocular
or amblyopic player.
The tennis player and the player’s parents should
be counseled that this sport is risky and why.
Racquetball-type goggles with polycarbonate
lenses should be strongly recommended in a
monocular tennis player’s case.
Wind: Tennis is an outdoor sport and wind can be
a problem. This can dry out the eyes or contact
lenses and blow dust or other foreign bodies in the
eyes. In addition, the trajectory of the ball during
rallies can be altered by gusts of wind.
Glasses or sunglasses can be somewhat helpful in
very windy weather. More concentration will be
necessary to compensate for the wind’s effect on
the flight of the ball during rallies.
Sun: Most pro tennis matches and tournaments are
outdoors in sunny, warm climates. Losing a lob
shot in the sun or tossing your ball into the air for
your service and losing it in the direct sun can be a
problem. Also, glare can be created with reflected
sunlight off the courts (especially on non-grass
surfaces such as clay, cement, etc.).
Sun visors with large bills can be helpful. It may
be even better to combine the visor with a good
quality pair of sunglasses (not the “over-thecounter” drug store types that may distort
peripheral vision and create headaches).
Rain: This can affect many recreational tennis
players in wetter climates. Rain on glasses (even in
just a light drizzle) can be problem.
Wear soft contact lenses or a broad-billed visor.
Join an indoor tennis club if you live a notoriously
wet climate but still love to play tennis.
Cloudy Weather: Not a huge problem in tennis, but Yellow-tinted lenses can be very helpful in enhancin wetter or cloudy, hazy climates, it can possibly
ing images in cloudy, hazy weather. They can help
decrease reaction time or acuity slightly.
in dynamic visual acuity and help promote faster
speed of reaction time.
Presbyopia: This can definitely slow down one’s
speed of focusing between distance and near, so
speed of reaction time will be a little slower in the
presbyopic player. However, the body is also
slowing down for other reasons as well.
It is most desirable to play tennis with one’s best
distance correction only, and no bifocals. This
means contact lenses or glasses for best distance
vision if any Rx is needed. Bifocal corrections in
tennis tend to create more problems than they solve
currently. Image jump and problems with balls hit
close to the ground are frequent complaints.
Does an Undetected Vision Problem Exist? Just
because a person is a good tennis player does not
guarantee that their eyes and vision system are
functioning at 100% top efficiency. Remember
that success is defined as “what you are compared
to what you could be.” If a problem does exist and
can be corrected or enhanced, perhaps you could
improve your game.
Have a complete vision examination about every
two years at least to rule out any visual problems.
PROTECTIVE/CORRECTIVE EYEWEAR FOR TENNIS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Goggles and glasses with polycarbonate lenses
Sports straps for glasses with polycarbonate lenses
Firm contact lenses - preferably gas permeable firm lenses if the player can’t be fit with soft
contacts; also colored lenses for easier location on the court if they are dislodged during a match
Soft contact lenses - the corrective method of choice for most tennis players
Good quality sunglasses for very bright days to reduce glare
Good quality yellow tinted lenses for cloudy, hazy weather or overcast days
Good absorbent head sweatbands to keep perspiration out of the eyes and off the back of glasses
Good broad-billed visor to further protect the eyes and glasses from the elements
MOST COMMON OCULAR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN TENNIS
1.
2.
3.
Corneal abrasion
Trauma to the globe from the ball, doubles partner’s racket, knees, head, etc., with subsequent
secondary complications.
Lacerations around the orbit, lids, or globe itself.
EMERGENCY FIRST-AID FOR OCULAR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN TENNIS
Trainers should be taught how to perform the following:
1.
Proper lavage and rinsing of an eye with a foreign body
2.
Instillation of ophthalmic drops
3.
Application of a proper lubricant to an injured eye prior to application of a pressure bandage.
4.
Handling of contact lenses (hard and soft) and removal of them from the eyes.
OCULAR SUPPLIES FOR THE TENNIS TRAINER’S FIRST-AID KIT
Sterile saline eyewash
Artificial tears
Q-tips
DMV (hard contact lens remover)
Fluorescein strips
Black light penlight
Regular penlight
Polysporin ointment
Oval eye pads
Dermacel tape 1”
Spare contact lenses for all players wearing
contact lenses (properly labeled)
Trial size bottles of storage/disinfecting solution
for contact lenses
Some butterfly tape strips to hold lacerated skin
areas together
Small mirror
Blue Ice
MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS
1. Do you tend to place your shots generally “short” of your target or “long” of your target?
2. If you knew your athletic income could be over a million dollars over the next 10 years, would you be
willing to remove any obstacles to improve your performance?
3. Vision is the dominant sense for tennis and most other sports.
4. Five times as much brain cortex is related to vision as all other senses combined.
5. As much as 80% of all information reaches the human brain through the eye gate.
6. 80% of optic nerve fibers connect directly to the cortex.
7. 20% of optic nerve fibers connect to balance and posture control centers in the brain.
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©1998 American Optometric Association