Tennis training aids
A tennis teaching aid comprises a stand and a ball ( 10 ) and a guide ( 12 ) mounted on the stand for rotation about an axis. The guide ( 12 ) extends around the ball ( 10 ) and defines a planar guide plane that is parallel to but spaced from a required path of a tennis racquet to hit the ball ( 10 ) with topspin. The majority of the ball ( 10 ) projects above the guide plane for contact with a tennis racquet so that a correct contact with the ball ( 10 ) is achieved when the racquet moves parallel to, but not in contact with, the guide ( 12 ) and the ball ( 10 ) is spinning about its rotational axis.
1. A tennis teaching aid comprising:
a stand;
a ball mounting connected to the stand;
a ball mounted on the ball mounting for rotation about an axis; and
a repositionable guide rotatably mounted on the ball mounting and extending around the ball and defining a racquet angle guide plane that exposes a majority of the ball above the racquet angle guide plane and is parallel to but spaced from a required racquet angle of a tennis racquet to hit and rotate the ball with topspin.
2. The aid according to claim 1 wherein the guide plane is planar.
3. The aid according to claim 1 wherein the axis is a horizontal axis.
4. The aid according to claim 1 , wherein an amount by which the majority of the ball is exposed above the racquet angle guide plane is adjustable.
5. The aid according to claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a thin member forming a closed shape lying in a single plane.
6. The aid according to claim 5 wherein the thin member is in the shape of a rectangle.
7. The aid according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the stand is adjustable.
8. The aid according to claim 1 , wherein the repositionable guide is rotatable about a horizontal axis to adjust an angle of the racquet angle guide plane relative to the ground.
9. The aid according to claim 4 , wherein the height of the stand is adjustable.
10. The aid according to claim 4 , wherein the repositionable guide is rotatable about a horizontal axis to adjust an angle of the racquet angle guide plane relative to the ground.
11. The aid according to claim 9 , wherein the repositionable guide is rotatable about a horizontal axis to adjust an angle of the racquet angle guide plane relative to the ground.
12. A tennis teaching aid comprising:
an adjustable height stand;
a ball mounting connected to the adjustable height stand;
a ball mounted on the ball mounting for rotation about an axis; and
a repositionable guide rotatably mounted on the ball mounting for rotation relative to the ground and extending around the ball and defining a racquet angle guide plane relative to the ball that exposes a majority of the ball above the racquet angle guide plane and is parallel to but spaced from a required racquet angle of a tennis racquet to hit and rotate the ball with topspin.