The warm-up serves an important purpose, so be sure to serve 'em up before you start to play. "For a recreational player, the serve is one of the most important shots," says tennis Hall of Famer John McEnroe. "If you can't get your serve in, then you can't hold serve. And if you don't hold serve, then you're in trouble. For a recreational player, go out and hit plenty of serves before a match. If you've got 10 minutes to get ready, then spend five or six minutes hitting serves. If you're serving well, then the rest of your game can flow."

There is usually an ebb and flow of events during the course of a match, but here are some warm-up tips that can help turn the tennis tides in your favor:

Cover the court. Warm up on both ends of the court. One end of the court may be more sunny, shady, slippery or windy than the other end, so try to warm-up on both sides of the court to become accustomed to changing conditions before the match begins.

Hit your best shot -- then hit all your shots. Many recreational players spend their entire warm-up time practicing only their best shots, whether they're groundstrokes from the baseline or volleys from the net. But, in addition to practicing your strengths, don't forget to hit some lobs, overheads and other transition shots, and approach shots that can help you make a smooth move from the baseline to the net. Remember, you may need to use them on a crucial point.

Step aside. Running around the court is a standard warm-up routine for many players. But did you know that in an average match, lateral movement is nearly as important as forward movement? To retrieve those fierce forehands your opponent rips into the corners of the court, practice your lateral movement by doing some sideways sprints before the match.

Visualize. To get yourself in the right frame of mind, as you being the warm-up try to imagine yourself playing the best tennis of your life. As you start stroking the ball, picture your forehands and backhands popping confidently off your racquet and landing deeply in the corners. And as you practice your serves, picture them hitting the lines, full of power and placement. The mental preparation for a match begins during the warm-up, not immediately before the first point, so use this precious time to focus on the task at hand.

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