Tennis Science for Tennis Players

by Howard Brody

How does your opponent put that tricky spin on the ball? Why are some serves easier to return than others? The mysteries behind the winning strokes, equipment, and surfaces of the game of tennis are accessibly explained by Howard Brody through the laws of physics. And he gives practical pointers to ways players can use this understanding to advantage in the game.

Through extensive laboratory testing and computer modeling, Brody has investigated...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B001E6WI36
• ISBN13: 9780812212389
• Release Date: March 1987
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Read - Basic Tennis Advice

This book is fun to read if you can appreciate a scientific approach (graphs & formulae). This book takes some basic tennis advice used by instructors and scientifically proves them. It changed my perspecctive on certain aspects of the game. The advice that results from Brody's analysis is similar to what you'd get from a beginner's tennis class. However, the approach is interesting and insightful.

Finally, tennis facts.

There is so much misinformation in tennis! This book sorts through all the hype and confusion and gives true information on what makes a tennis ball go. From rackets to strings to strokes, this book shows what is important and what is not. For instance, why is it so hard to hit a hard shot from mid-court? Why do shots down the line go out so much? Should I serve hard or slow? How can I become more consistent at serving and groundstrokes? Should I crowd the net or stay back and get ready for a lob?This book finally gives answers to these perplexing questions.

A good resource

This book covers just about anything a budding physicist could wish to know. Although it came across as a bit technical, I enjoyed discovering the whys and hows of a sport that I've always loved. Basically, this is the only good source on such a specific subject that exists in any library.

A classic tennis book on tennis physics

This is a very readable book which will appeal to tennis aficionados who want to understand the "why's" of tennis. It is not really a "how to do it" sort of book. Sections in the book explain the physics of tennis strings and the tennis racket frame itself, as well as the physics of tennis strokes (e.g., why certain types of shots are more likely to go out or into the net).Some of the subject matter has since been explored in greater detail by the online tennis community, but this book nevertheless remains very informative and relevant to tennis players and coaches who like to tinker with their equipment and their game.

A Physicist aims the cold light of science at tennis

Confirms and refutes many nuggets of conventional tennis wisdom using physics and statistics.