Stretching, strengthening, and conditioning for the competitive tennis player

For an athlete to be competitive at the highest levels of tennis, he or she must possess an optimal level of flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular conditioning. He or she also must be at a maximum level in areas including upper and lower extremity selective endurance, isolated muscular strength patterns of repetitive activities, and agility. To achieve this, a great deal of time and effort must be spent off the tennis court strengthening the appropriate muscle groups and improving overall agility and pattern responses. It is hoped that these programs will allow the American junior tennis player to return to a level competitive with the rest of the world.