Stay Out of No Mans Land … Seriously?
Coaches have been forever telling students to stay out of No Man’s Land (NML). On a tennis court, NML is roughly that area one yard in front of the baseline to one yard behind the service line. During the First World War, the phrase gained currency by describing the territory between the trenches of opposing armies. Once you exited the trenches and moved forward, you were exposed and defenseless—no man wanted to go there.
You are equally defenseless on a tennis court if you spend too much time in NML. If you stand at the center of possible returns—either on the baseline or at the net—the odds are that you can successfully negotiate the time/distance ratio and effectively return your opponent’s shot. But in NML, you frequently do not have the time or the distance to return a shot. This does not mean that you should decide to be a grinder from the baseline, or a reckless net charger.
Three techniques to effectively transition in and out of NML are:
►The Carioca Step for quickly closing on the net, while hitting a backhand approach shot
►Hitting off the same side foot when approaching the net, while hitting a forehand approach shot
►Using a cone or rubber disk to mark a spot three feet in front of the baseline, then moving forward to hit a ball at that spot, then taking a few quick steps back to recover behind the baseline.
“Carioca” (the correct pronunciation is with an “a” at the end, not an “e”) is the name of a dance first popularized by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1933 film “Flying Down to Rio.” This step requires you to move to the left or the right while placing one foot first behind the other, then in front of the other.
This might be an entertaining way to practice agility, balance and coordination, but I see few players using it to move about a tennis court.
To hit the classic Carioca approach shot, you should turn your body to the left (if you are a righty) as you approach a ball in NML, then you place and lock your left leg behind the right and use it to push off and thrust yourself forward as you hit the ball.
To quickly exit NML when hitting a forehand approach shot, you should step forward with your left foot while bringing your racket back with your right hand. As you move to hit the ball, you should simultaneously move your right leg and right arm forward. You might hear this referred to as the off foot, the wrong foot or the same foot approach shot. Note that no matter what this shot is called, there is no split-step in the hitting sequence.
Using cones or rubber disks is a great way to help your decision-making in NML. Place the disks at varying distances from the baseline. Then, have a coach or practice partner hit balls to the different spots. As you move around hitting balls, try to find your comfort zone—ask yourself if you should you move forward this time or backpedal to the baseline.
If you dillydally in NML, you may find yourself hitting lots of low volleys. I love to demonstrate my low volley to my students. I point out how well my knees are bent, how well I have my hips rotated, that my racquet head is higher than my elbow, and that my contact point is well forward. Then I ask them to tell me what is wrong with the shot. I’ve never heard the answer I want. What’s wrong is that hitting a low volley is proof that my preparation was inadequate. I should have made a better decision and had a quicker first step so that I could hit my volley at waist level, or even shoulder height.
I have described some effective ways to avoid getting stuck in NML. What happens if you do get stuck there? Here is a simple game that forces you to rely on reflexes and quick thinking, rather than on technique. It helps you practice unorthodox responses and is a good game for mixed level recreational players
The boundaries for the playing area are the service lines, the baselines and the singles lines. All balls must be hit inside those boxes. Balls hit in the service boxes are out. All serves should be bounce hit from just in front of the baseline. You cannot hit a volley, you must let the ball bounce before hitting it. You cannot step out of the boundaries (think of a mixed martial arts contest).
Welcome to chaos!
