Moving Around the CourtWe often think of movements on a tennis court as forward, backward, and lateral. We seldom think about moving on an angle. The lines on a tennis court make this especially hard… You should NEVER follow the lines. Use angles to move around the court quickly. Push yourself backward at an angle first, so you […]
The Secret to Better FootworkAnytime you work on your footwork, make sure you can feel your feet underneath you. That means getting into a position where you can easily push off and go. You want to be up on your toes. If you’re standing on your heels, you have no stability. You shouldn’t be all the way up on […]
How to Move on the CourtOne of the hardest things to learn in tennis is how to move on the court. Think about the way you move on the court as “2 steps back, 1 step forward.” You’re buying space so that the ball always lands in front of you.
Stutter Step DrillTennis is about staggered movements, quick little steps, then how do you find your balance before you hit the ball. One of the best ways to warm up before a match is to practice your footwork and balance with the stutter step drill. Every court has a doubles alley. We’re going to use the alley […]
Defending the Deep CornerWhen the ball is hit deep and in the corner of the court, the first instinct many players have is to run straight across the baseline to get to the ball. The problem with running straight across the baseline is that your weight is moving backward, not forward. It’s better to go back at an […]
Backhand SliceTennis players sometimes think of the backhand slice as a defensive shot, or a last ditch effort to get the ball over the net. The backhand slice is actually your best option because it keeps the ball low as it goes over the net. This causes your opponent to hit upward, leaving you enough time […]
Practice Your FootworkPracticing your footwork isn’t the most exciting aspect of Tennis, but it can improve the way that you play. Adding more footwork focused drills to your warm-up routine is a good way to prepare your body for the match ahead. To practice your footwork, do drills that mirror how you move in a match. For […]
Practice Your Split StepThere are many of similarities between playing defense in basketball and in tennis. The key is to stay low and be prepared to move forwards or backwards, depending on the situation that lies ahead. To practice your split step, find a line on the tennis court. Start in front of the line, split behind it, […]
The Importance of FootworkTennis players of all levels can forget how important footwork is. You could have the best form and technique, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t put yourself in a good position to hit the ball. Think of your footwork as more of a circular motion, rather than a straight line. Move back and around […]
Defensive StanceEvery player knows what it’s like to not hit their best approach and a soft volley. When that happens, don’t assume the point is over, but do prepare for the worst. Back up and get into a defensive stance. Start backing away from the net, when you get to decision area, split back and keep […]
Closing the NetThe strategy behind hitting the ball deep is to give you the advantage by forcing your opponent to hit a short ball. To prepare for the short ball, it’s important to know how far to close in on the net. If you anticipate your opponent will produce a short ball and close in too far, […]
Ready PositionIt’s important to stay in motion while playing tennis. If you were taught that ready position meant keeping your feet planted and your body bent over, there’s a better way. Keep your non-dominant foot in front while continuously moving and staying low to the ground. That way you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.
Directional ControlIt can be tempting to try to hit the ball straight ahead. But, when you aim straight, you’re actually stopping your swing halfway through. This is called hitting on a rope. It’s important to remember to swing all the way through the ball, bringing the racket across your body. Keep in mind that the width […]
Watch the BallDon’t make the mistake of looking up for the ball before you’ve tossed it. Follow the ball from your starting position all the way until you hit it over the net.
Short BallDon’t panic if you mess up and hit a short ball. It doesn’t have to be the end of the point. There’s still some things you can do to recover and finish strong! As soon as you hit the short ball, take a step back. Think about where your ball would go if your opponent […]
Avoid Running the LineWhen playing the baseline, don’t run straight side-to-side on the line. You know you’ve done this when you find yourself falling backward after you hit the ball. Move diagonally back off the line with the intent of getting to the ball with enough time to shift your weight back and then finishing forward towards the […]
Return a Low ServeTry using a continental grip and block the ball the next time you get a really low serve. Add a little backswing and forward momentum to it, so you can bring your body forward and not get stuck on your heels. Stay away from the chip and charge and the forehand slice. The forehand slice […]
Split Step TimingThe timing of when you split depends on if you’re receiving a kick serve, slice, or flat serve. You time your split step differently based on the player and the serve. You have to get up on your toes, and it’s got to be right before your opponent makes contact with the ball. You can […]
Strategy for Handling a High BallThere are a few ways to handle a high ball. Much of it depends on what your opponent is doing. Your goal is to get the ball back in play in a way that allows you to get back on offense. You don’t want to stay in the same position and get into a lob […]
Playing Off Your Back FootIf you find yourself falling back in a shot, most of the time it’s the line that’s the problem, not the ball. You’ve let the baseline dictate your path to the ball and now you find yourself trying to return a deep ball that forces you off balance. Play the ball, not the lines. But… […]
Know Your PositionYou have to know if you’re on defense and when your on offense. If in the middle of a point you find yourself to be in a defensive position or an off-balance position, how do you get out of it? Don’t just push the ball back and stay on defense. Return the ball high to […]
Moving Around the CourtWe often think of movements on a tennis court as forward, backward, and lateral. We seldom think about moving on an angle. The lines on a tennis court make this especially hard… You should NEVER follow the lines. Use angles to move around the court quickly. Push yourself backward at an angle first, so you […]
The Secret to Better FootworkAnytime you work on your footwork, make sure you can feel your feet underneath you. That means getting into a position where you can easily push off and go. You want to be up on your toes. If you’re standing on your heels, you have no stability. You shouldn’t be all the way up on […]
How to Move on the CourtOne of the hardest things to learn in tennis is how to move on the court. Think about the way you move on the court as “2 steps back, 1 step forward.” You’re buying space so that the ball always lands in front of you.
Stutter Step DrillTennis is about staggered movements, quick little steps, then how do you find your balance before you hit the ball. One of the best ways to warm up before a match is to practice your footwork and balance with the stutter step drill. Every court has a doubles alley. We’re going to use the alley […]
Defending the Deep CornerWhen the ball is hit deep and in the corner of the court, the first instinct many players have is to run straight across the baseline to get to the ball. The problem with running straight across the baseline is that your weight is moving backward, not forward. It’s better to go back at an […]
Backhand SliceTennis players sometimes think of the backhand slice as a defensive shot, or a last ditch effort to get the ball over the net. The backhand slice is actually your best option because it keeps the ball low as it goes over the net. This causes your opponent to hit upward, leaving you enough time […]
Practice Your FootworkPracticing your footwork isn’t the most exciting aspect of Tennis, but it can improve the way that you play. Adding more footwork focused drills to your warm-up routine is a good way to prepare your body for the match ahead. To practice your footwork, do drills that mirror how you move in a match. For […]
Practice Your Split StepThere are many of similarities between playing defense in basketball and in tennis. The key is to stay low and be prepared to move forwards or backwards, depending on the situation that lies ahead. To practice your split step, find a line on the tennis court. Start in front of the line, split behind it, […]
The Importance of FootworkTennis players of all levels can forget how important footwork is. You could have the best form and technique, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t put yourself in a good position to hit the ball. Think of your footwork as more of a circular motion, rather than a straight line. Move back and around […]
Defensive StanceEvery player knows what it’s like to not hit their best approach and a soft volley. When that happens, don’t assume the point is over, but do prepare for the worst. Back up and get into a defensive stance. Start backing away from the net, when you get to decision area, split back and keep […]
Closing the NetThe strategy behind hitting the ball deep is to give you the advantage by forcing your opponent to hit a short ball. To prepare for the short ball, it’s important to know how far to close in on the net. If you anticipate your opponent will produce a short ball and close in too far, […]
Ready PositionIt’s important to stay in motion while playing tennis. If you were taught that ready position meant keeping your feet planted and your body bent over, there’s a better way. Keep your non-dominant foot in front while continuously moving and staying low to the ground. That way you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.
Directional ControlIt can be tempting to try to hit the ball straight ahead. But, when you aim straight, you’re actually stopping your swing halfway through. This is called hitting on a rope. It’s important to remember to swing all the way through the ball, bringing the racket across your body. Keep in mind that the width […]
Watch the BallDon’t make the mistake of looking up for the ball before you’ve tossed it. Follow the ball from your starting position all the way until you hit it over the net.
Short BallDon’t panic if you mess up and hit a short ball. It doesn’t have to be the end of the point. There’s still some things you can do to recover and finish strong! As soon as you hit the short ball, take a step back. Think about where your ball would go if your opponent […]
Avoid Running the LineWhen playing the baseline, don’t run straight side-to-side on the line. You know you’ve done this when you find yourself falling backward after you hit the ball. Move diagonally back off the line with the intent of getting to the ball with enough time to shift your weight back and then finishing forward towards the […]
Return a Low ServeTry using a continental grip and block the ball the next time you get a really low serve. Add a little backswing and forward momentum to it, so you can bring your body forward and not get stuck on your heels. Stay away from the chip and charge and the forehand slice. The forehand slice […]
Split Step TimingThe timing of when you split depends on if you’re receiving a kick serve, slice, or flat serve. You time your split step differently based on the player and the serve. You have to get up on your toes, and it’s got to be right before your opponent makes contact with the ball. You can […]
Strategy for Handling a High BallThere are a few ways to handle a high ball. Much of it depends on what your opponent is doing. Your goal is to get the ball back in play in a way that allows you to get back on offense. You don’t want to stay in the same position and get into a lob […]
Playing Off Your Back FootIf you find yourself falling back in a shot, most of the time it’s the line that’s the problem, not the ball. You’ve let the baseline dictate your path to the ball and now you find yourself trying to return a deep ball that forces you off balance. Play the ball, not the lines. But… […]
Know Your PositionYou have to know if you’re on defense and when your on offense. If in the middle of a point you find yourself to be in a defensive position or an off-balance position, how do you get out of it? Don’t just push the ball back and stay on defense. Return the ball high to […]