Tennis Tips From the Pros at Boca West Country Club

November 22, 2016 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff

Boca West Country Club, located in in Boca Raton, Fla., is renowned for its first-rate recreational activities. The number one residential country club in the United States is also the proud recipient of the 2013 USTA Outstanding Tennis Facility Award.

Adding cachet to the Club’s brand is the partnership with WTA rising star Christina McHale, who most recently captured her first career singles title at the Japan Open.

“My win at the Japan  Open was really exciting,” said McHale. “It was a tough week of very long matches and to come away with the title at the end was a great feeling. It took me a few years on the WTA Tour to finally win my first singles title, but it made all the effort and hard work my team and I have put in worth it. I'm already really looking forward to putting in some good work this offseason to get ready for next season!”

When asked for how she prepares for a match, McHale said, “I try to prepare the same for all my tournaments and not treat one any different than the other. I try and always give myself a process goal going into every tournament and that helps keep me focused on how I want to play versus getting caught up in results.”

McHale also stressed the importance of warming up and cooling down before a match, to avoid injuries and recover more quickly. Other tips from McHale include:

►Continuous work on endurance, power, agility and speed

►Develop and maintain a strong core

►Hydrate extremely well before, during and after a tennis match

“Fitness is a huge part of the game right now, so for an amateur, it's really important to develop good fitness routines with a strength and conditioning coach,” said McHale, as she added that Boca West has some exciting exhibitions planned this season.

John Joyce serves as Boca West Country Club’s director of tennis. In an interview with Joyce, he offered tennis fitness tips for all ages.

“Everyone needs basic correct swing patterns in order to have consistency with their shots,” said Joyce. “But for the amount of time most seniors have to put into the game, I believe more focus should be placed into doubles and positioning drills that you actually use when playing.”

In order to protect knees, shoulder and elbows, Joyce recommends:

►A proper warmup with dynamic flexibility exercises before playing.

►Strength training exercises for the legs, such as leg extensions, leg curls and lunges to strengthen the leg to help prevent knee injuries.

►Core strengthening exercises to help with back issues.

►Practicing proper techniques, which help prevent elbow and shoulder injuries.

When asked what’s new at Boca West, Joyce discussed enhancements to the very active tennis program, including placements for foursomes on a 70-inch screen on the tennis patio and game arranging six days per week for men, and four days per week for women.

Boca West’s reputation in golf is equaled by its $1.8 million Tennis Center. Early 2017 will mark the opening of Boca West’s $50 million new Golf & Activities Center. The new Center will include a restaurant gallery, porte-cochere, golf shop, activities ballroom and locker rooms. Fully dedicated to the racquet sport, there is a lighted stadium court and seating for more than 300, a U.S. Open Cushion court with four Pickleball courts, and four additional Pickleball courts currently under construction.

An award-winning community, Boca West is home to 6,000 residents (3,380 families) in magnificent residences, including townhomes, patio homes, villas, garden apartments and single-family homes. Boca West is the number one private residential country club in the country, and the number one private club, of all types, in Florida statewide. Boca West is a Platinum Club of America, Five-Star Private Club since 1997, and is proudly recognized as a Distinguished Emerald Club by BoardRoom Magazine since 2013. For more information, visit BocaWestCC.org.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Bethpage
Century

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