If you live in the South, chances are you play tennis outdoors year-round, as winter weather is pretty mild. Still, there are some teams in recreational tennis leagues that play on indoor courts. And if that’s the case in your league, you should keep these tips in mind before your match on those indoor tennis courts.
Now, if you’re like me and usually play tennis outside, you might think playing indoors is an easy transition. It’s just like playing outside but with a roof, right?
Well, not exactly. Indoor courts come with their own set of unique conditions that take some time to adjust to.
Indoor tennis tips that can help level the playing field.
Players used to playing indoors definitely have an advantage over those who usually play outside. But don’t worry. We’ve got you!
Roof
This is probably the most important tip for playing indoor tennis. The biggest change when playing tennis indoors is the roof – suddenly, there is one. The lob is now your enemy. Players unfamiliar with indoor tennis are nearly automatically intimidated by the ceiling height and often can’t measure the correct height on lobs. The highest point should be at least 35 feet, and honestly, most lobs (except the occasional moonball) don’t go that high anyway.
Indoor tennis tip: If you’re that intimidated, just do your defensive lobs when necessary. However, if you love to lob, go ahead and lob; just hit the ball hard but with more topspin. This should keep it out of your opponent’s reach while staying clear of the ceiling. The topspin will also bring the ball down faster so that your opponent will really have to hustle to get it back before they hit the back wall.
Faster Courts
Indoor courts typically play faster than outdoors. The actual court surface will be truer since the outdoor elements such as sun, wind, and other weather are not an issue in promoting court deterioration. This means that the ball will have a cleaner bounce, so it will get to you a little quicker.
Indoor tennis tip: Be prepared to step up your game with quicker backswings and follow-through.
Court Dividers
Along with the ceiling, many indoor courts may have dividers – walls of netting that separate the courts. These are particularly frustrating as this netting is only a couple of feet from the outside line of the alleys, making running out wide for a defensive shot nearly impossible.
Indoor tennis tip: Unless the obvious option is going down the middle or right at the net person, angle your shots as much as possible – especially when up at the net. Angle your overheads, too. You also need to be ready for your opponent to do the same to you.
Crappy Lighting
Lighting is also an important factor for indoor tennis. Outdoors, sunny is sunny, and overcast is overcast, but indoor lighting is totally different — and in most cases, it’s crappy. Usually, it’s too dark, but it can also be too bright (I’ve actually worn sunglasses during matches at one club). It can even vary from one extreme to another within the same facility.
Indoor tennis tip: The only thing you can do is get used to it, just like you do the sun and clouds. If it bothers you while serving, adjust your stance and/or the positioning and height of your toss. If playing doubles, make sure the stronger player serves first. And if both players are equal, have the one who isn’t as bothered by the lighting serve first.
Now for the last of our indoor tennis tips…
Noise
It’s a good thing and a bad thing. The external elements are greatly minimized, so there won’t be any loud music or honking from passing cars or occasional sirens blaring. But there will be unfamiliar sounds that get “magnified” by the metal roof, surrounding cement walls (sometimes partially covered in vinyl-coated drapes) and hard-court floor; sounds like high-powered air conditioning/heating fans that never seem to turn off; sounds like players talking on other courts, and the sound of not just your ball but pretty much every ball in play, as it hits a racquet and the court.
Indoor tennis tip: The only thing you can do here is keep your eye on the ball. That will help your ears pick out the sound of just your ball. It’ll also help you focus more on the game.
If you’re an indoor newbie or play indoors on rare occasions, these indoor tennis tips won’t guarantee a win, but they will help you adapt faster to the court conditions and give you a better chance.
Have you played on indoor courts? What was it about them that took the most getting used to?
