Golfers and bowlers have always looked at their handicaps to see where they ranked with competitors and to track their own improvement. But for you and the millions of other tennis players, there has never been a universal, systematic method for gauging yourself against others or for tracking improvement. There is now-the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP).

The NTRP guidelines in Competitive Tennis will help you gauge your present playing level, determine the specific skills you need to improve, and coach you to climb up the rungs of the rating program's ladder.

Geared toward improving skills and technique in both singles and doubles play, Competitive Tennis contains 56 drills designed to help players progress to the next NTRP level. The NTRP ladder goes from the beginning 2.5 level to the intermediate 3.0 and 3.5 levels to the advanced 4.0 and 4.5 levels to the superior level of 5.0, just a few notches below the players on the pro circuit.

There are two ways to put the NTRP system to use:

1. You can unofficially rank yourself and track your own progress by using the rating criteria described in Competitive Tennis; or

2. You can visit a USTA-certified verifier at a designated site who will watch you play and give you an official rank. This enables you to play in an official USTA league or tournament and be matched up only against players of your own skill level. All of this information, including how to contact the USTA, is included in Competitive Tennis.

Each chapter in Competitive Tennis is devoted to one specific playing level, so as your game improves, you move on to the next chapter. The structure of each chapter is as follows:

1. NTRP Guidelines - helps readers identify their playing
level and the playing characteristics associated with it.

2. Objectives - identifies the skills readers need to develop in order to improve their game.

3. Keys to Success - outlines the shots and skills readers need to be successful at that level.

4. Practice Drills - provides practice drills for both singles and doubles play that develop the skills, shots, and strategies covered in the Objectives and Keys to Success.

5. Quick Tips - lists problems common at each level and the solutions readers should consider.

Additionally, Competitive Tennis contains 110 photos illustrating technique and more than 80 diagrams of drills and strategies, making it easy to add new skills to your game. This truly is the book that players need to take their game to the next level.

Average Customer Review: ( 6 customer reviews )
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If you buy several tennis books, this will be your favorite; if you buy only one, this should be it!

NICE TEMPLATE TO FOLLOW TO IMPROVE OR TEACHDec 13, 2001

This book attempts to take the player through systematic improvement and provides a template of sorts on what to work on.
It uses the National Tennis Rating Program to evaluate how to improve. For example a 2.5 player might work on consistency whereas a 3.5 player might be working on producing spin and developing elementary tactics. Graphics are reasonable but there are a few technical errors that may be inconsequential. Coaches and pros may find this book useful to organize their curricula.

Drills are explained wordy and could be presented better. Still it is a useful book and there should be more books like this that not just examine solely beginner, "textbook", or world-class strokes. One problem with using the NTRP system is that it places learning in separate discrete phases. Actual learning or playing doesn't occur this way but overlaps from level to level. Therefore, a reader who is 3.0 should not just practice the 3.0 material but also the 3.5 and 4.0 materials if he or she really wishes to improve. This, of course, doesn't mean that the 3.0 player will be as good as the 3.5 but is learning how to get there. As a well-known tennis professional, I would recommend this book to most people who are committed to long-term improvement.

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