NetSports Tennis News #2

This past Term 2 break, NetSports hosted our Winter Holiday Program across the two weeks. Thankfully… Read more below…

Know Your Strings

Why do we need a tennis restring? Tight strings gives LESS power and more CONTROL whilst loose strings give MORE power but can be harder to control. So you need to be aware of what tension suits your game, depending on your game style. If you rely on spin and touch shots (drop shots, lobs etc) then LOOSE strings would be advisable. Current player examples on the ATP Tour who use loose strings include Benoit Paire and Adrian Mannarino. However if you rely on control and fast racquet head speed then the TIGHT string is going to be better for you. Current ATP players who prefer tighter strings include Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

We offer a 48 hour tennis restring service and can provide a great range of strings to suit all playing levels and budgets. We offer the 2 most popular strings on the market in the Luxilon Big Banger and the Rafael Nadal RPM BLAST plus we also offer a synthetic gut string option too.

Employee of The Term – Riley Thompson

1.) What do you enjoy most about coaching and working at Netsports?

Tennis has been a passion of mine from a young age. So, to be out on court coaching and developing other people’s love for tennis is something that I am incredibly grateful for. The team at NetSports have been a super welcoming and friendly from day one. It is an environment that allows everyone to be themselves, which brings the best out of all of its employees. I also really enjoy meeting and getting to know everyone that comes down to Malvern for coaching, court hire etc. The holiday program was so much fun too.

2.) Did you experience any barriers starting as a tennis coach, if so, what were they and how did you overcome them?

I was lucky enough to start coaching with my junior coach at around the age of 16 while I was still at school in Colac. He took me under his wing and made it very easy for me to transition into coaching.  As I was a pretty shy kid starting out, he gave me a lot of confidence and the skills to back myself in as a coach. Just believing in my ability to coach is probably the only barrier I had to overcome in the first few years.

3.) Why did you choose to work for Netsports?

After finishing my uni degree I was pretty keen to get back into something tennis related. I went for and interview with Mark and after meeting him and the team I thought that it would be a great fit for me! I have been here for about 18 months now and am loving every minute of it.

4.) What advice would you give to others wanting to play tennis and start coaching?

Go for it! Tennis is an awesome sport and you definitely won’t regret giving it a go. Tennis is such a diverse and accessible sport, so you can meet some pretty cool people along the way. I have many great memories and friendships that have started out on the tennis court.

3 Questions with Sumukh Karanth

1.) What is your most memorable tennis moment?

My most memorable tennis moment was watching Ash Barty, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer live on the same day at Rod Laver Arena. One moment that I can never forget in my life. As a young tennis player, all I dreamt of was watching popular tennis players live in a Grand Slam and I got to watch 4 of them on the same day.

2.) Who is your favourite tennis player and why?

My favourite tennis player growing up was Andy Roddick. The reason behind liking him was just the way he carried himself on and off the court. The style and mannerisms on the court made me to try copying the way he used to play. Started wearing a cap and a live-strong band after seeing him wear one. Changed from using different rackets to Babolat for life after watching him play with Babolat (Check the price here).

3.) Why would you encourage someone to learn tennis?

As tennis is predominantly an individual sport, there is so much to learn from it as it teaches you to deal with situations not just in the sport but in life as well. I can confidently say I have learnt more through playing the game of tennis than through school. The journey of a tennis player is not an ordinary one as very early in life it teaches you to be independent and every loss is a lesson in itself. Winning is good but losing got the better out of you each time.

2022 Winter Holiday Program

This past Term 2 break, NetSports hosted our Winter Holiday Program across the two weeks. Thankfully, Melbourne’s unpredictable winter weather held itself together for the duration of the program and we enjoyed six great days of fun in the sun. Our students focussed on forehands, backhands, smashes and volleys, perfecting their technique and learning new skills. Many fun games testing the children’s abilities brought with them cheers, giggles and friendly competition.

The Winter Program also marked the debut of our Holiday Colour Ball Competitions, where we had round-robin tournaments running for Red, Orange and Green ball students; a really exciting development for the Centre and a great way for the children to practice their skills in a match-play setting. We hope all the children enjoyed the program and are looking forward to spending their next holiday break at NetSports!