Solo-Play Tennis Practice Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A portable apparatus and related method for practicing tennis, comprising: a frame substantially fixed in a substantially vertical orientation; and a mesh mounted to the frame, disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and pulled taut in relation to the frame to a user-determined tension; wherein: the structural combination of the frame, the mesh and the tension of the mesh in relation to the frame enables a tennis ball striking against the mesh to rebound from the mesh in the manner of a trampoline rebound; whereby: a user of the apparatus can practice tennis, alone, in any environment, with minimal noise, by hitting the tennis ball into the mesh, and thereafter successively hitting rebounds from the mesh back into the mesh, at will. This enables a person to practice tennis, alone, in any environment, with minimal noise, at will.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A portable apparatus for practicing tennis simulating playing tennis with an opponent, comprising:
 a frame substantially fixed in a substantially vertical orientation; and   a mesh mounted to said frame, thereby disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and pulled taut in relation to said frame to a user-determined tension; wherein:   the structural combination of said frame, said mesh and said tension of said mesh in relation to said frame enables a tennis ball striking against said mesh to rebound from said mesh in the manner of a trampoline rebound; whereby:   a user of said apparatus can practice tennis, alone, in a limited-space environment, with minimal noise, by hitting the tennis ball into said mesh, and thereafter successively hitting rebounds from said mesh back into said mesh, at will.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one inwardly-angled peripheral mesh section along an edge of said mesh,   wherein:   the structural combination of said inwardly-angled peripheral mesh section in relation to a central area of said mesh causes variations in the direction at which the tennis ball rebounds toward the user depending upon where the tennis ball strikes the mesh, thereby simulating variable tennis returns from an opponent.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section along an upper edge of said mesh, wherein:   the structural combination of said upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section in relation to a central area of said mesh causes the tennis ball, when striking said upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section, to rebound toward the user with greater loft than when the tennis ball strikes a central area of said mesh, thereby simulating a high tennis return from an opponent.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least two mounting positions at which a top end of said mesh can be mounted to said frame, wherein the angle of said upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section varies in relation to the mounting position at which said top end of said mesh is mounted; whereby:   the user is enabled to adjust said loft at will.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least two different ways in which said mesh can be mounted to said frame by the user, at will; wherein:   the selection of each particular way of mounting said mesh to said frame varies said tension of said mesh relative to other ways of mounting said mesh to said frame; whereby:   the user is enabled to adjust a mean rebound distance of the tennis ball.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one differently-angled peripheral mesh section along an edge of said mesh, wherein:   the structural combination of said differently-angled peripheral mesh section in relation to a central area of said mesh causes variations in the direction at which the tennis ball rebounds toward the user depending upon where the tennis ball strikes the mesh, thereby simulating variable tennis returns from an opponent.   
     
     
         7 . A method for practicing tennis, alone, in a limited-space environment, with minimal noise, comprising:
 mounting a mesh to a frame substantially fixed in a substantially vertical orientation, said mesh thereby disposed in a substantially vertical plane;   pulling said mesh taut in relation to said frame to a user-determined tension; and   hitting a tennis ball into said mesh;   thereafter successively hitting rebounds from said mesh back into said mesh, at will;   wherein:   the tennis ball upon striking against said mesh rebound from said mesh in the manner of a trampoline rebound, thereby simulating playing tennis with an opponent.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 inwardly-angling at least one peripheral mesh section along an edge of said mesh,   wherein:   the direction at which the tennis ball rebounds toward the user varies depending upon where the tennis ball strikes the mesh, thereby simulating variable tennis returns from an opponent.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 upwardly-angling a peripheral mesh section along an upper edge of said mesh, wherein:   the tennis ball, when striking said upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section, rebounds toward the user with greater loft than when the tennis ball strikes a central area of said mesh, thereby simulating a high tennis return from an opponent.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising user adjusting said loft at will by varying the angle of said upwardly-angled peripheral mesh section in relation to the mounting position at which said top end of said mesh is mounted, using at least two mounting positions at which a top end of said mesh can be mounted to said frame. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the user adjusting a mean rebound distance of the tennis ball at will by mounting said mesh to said frame in a particular way which varies said tension of said mesh relative to other ways of mounting said mesh to said frame, using at least two different ways in which said mesh can be mounted to said frame by the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 simulating variable tennis returns from an opponent by varying the direction at which the tennis ball rebounds toward the user depending upon where the tennis ball strikes the mesh, using at least one differently-angled peripheral mesh section along an edge of said mesh.