Players have always had different service motions. If you put 10 players on the baseline at once and watch them hit a serve, you will see 10 different serves. There will be similarities and there will also be many things that the best servers have in common. The toss will be consistent, the shoulder…
There are only a few days a year when you will walk on a tennis court and all seems to go well. There are many more instances when you are struggling with one or more shots and the ability to put a good point together. It is extremely important to learn how to be…
A player with a good slice backhand can cause a lot of frustration, especially in rallies from the baseline. The shot has less pace, bounces low, and it is difficult to change the direction of the shot due to the spin. A great strategy against players with a good slice backhand is to move…
It is human nature to get nervous during a match. Your best defense against nerves is to stay, or return to, as relaxed a state as possible. There are a few physical things you can do to achieve this relaxed state. First, take some nice deep breaths just after, as well as, just prior…
Players who have a good slice can be very frustrating, but there are several things you can do to handle this shot better. First, try to keep your position on or inside the baseline. A slice will stay low and you must be ready to move right towards where the ball will bounce. Next,…
The return of serve is one of the two most important shots in tennis—the serve being other. Most people can hit their serve faster than any other shot. In addition, the serve has to land inside the service line forcing the returner to hit the return of serve sooner than other shots. Because of…
It is such a big advantage to get your first serve in play. Your opponent has no idea how you are going to hit the first serve-speed, spin, direction, etc. If you miss your first serve, you have to get the second serve in. This means you have to give yourself more margin for…
It is very difficult to make the tennis ball your main focus on the court. Often, players try to hit the ball to the openings on the court as well as trying to anticipate the next shot our opponents’ might hit. This tends to result in watching the court openings or the players, rather…
The tennis ball is traveling faster and faster in today’s game. By reminding yourself to contact the ball at the peak of the bounce you will get to the ball more quickly, be able to use your regular swing, and give yourself the best chance of consistently hitting the ball more solid. Human nature…
Polyester string is all the rage on the pro tour. Most players use some type of poly or a hybrid of poly and synthetic gut or gut. The polyester strings are generally more stiff and allow the pros to get more spin and power because they can swing more freely without worrying about the…