Simple DefenseUnderstanding the court, where you are, and your opponent are all part of defense. Many players get overwhelmed on defense. Anytime your opponent is coming in to attack or hits a big ball that pushes you out of position, hit the ball high and in the middle of the court.
Hit Out of TroubleTo practice hitting out of trouble, practice hitting crosscourt with a ball machine or a partner. The key to hitting your way out of trouble is hit the ball crosscourt. When you hit crosscourt, you buy yourself time to get back into position. But DON’T just stand in the alley and wait for the ball. […]
Full Court GameYou have to think about tennis as a full court game. The key is to not wait in one spot. Always gravitate towards the center, look for all the angles, and create an opportunity to begin your attack.
Plan the Entire PointTennis is like chess. You have to constantly plan out your next move. Planning ahead can be difficult when you don’t have control over what your opponent is going to do. So, you have to think about the entire point and what you’d like to have happen. Even if your opponent hits the ball to […]
Playing from BehindFor most tennis players, playing from behind is easier than playing with the lead. When you’re down, there’s less fear of screwing up, because you’re already losing. Follow your instincts. Go for a little more when you are already in a deficit. You can practice playing from behind with a partner. Take turns playing games […]
Creep ForwardWhen you hit a deep ball, you should be looking for an opportunity to move forward. Don’t rush in. You are looking for the opportunity to move in. Too often players rush in after a deep return in anticipation of the short ball. They move so far forward that they are standing exactly where the […]
Specialty ShotsThe key to specialty shots is in the first word… “specialty”. Specialty shots are any shot outside the norm. Think drop shots, lobs, drop volleys, etc. While specialty shots are fun to do, they increase your chance of failure. Make sure you understand each shot and when to use them. Just be careful not to […]
Varying SpeedsNothing messes with your opponent more than changing up the rhythm of the game. Vary your speed by first hitting a deep ball and then hitting a softer ball to the same area. The key to varying the speed of the ball is a loose grip and disguising your shot.
How to Plan in TennisYou have to learn how to plan in tennis. Whether you’re preparing for a tournament, match or just practicing for improvement, you should be planning. Tennis can actually be broken into 4 key categories. Technical Tactical Physical Mental Planning is simple if you use these 4 key categories to identify your strengths and weaknesses and […]
Clearing the NetUnderstanding how high to hit the ball can help your tennis game. The only time you should hit the ball up at 12 feet is when you’re in trouble and you need to buy some time. Your “normal” rally ball should be about 3 feet over the net. When you need a little time or […]
Practice Short BallsShort balls are one of the least practiced shots in tennis. Most players assume that a short ball would be easy to hit. It’s not! Don’t try to kill the short ball. Instead, focus on your approach shot.
Practice to WinToo often, we practice just to practice. There are no consequences. There’s no prize. If you practice well, but you don’t play well, it’s because the stakes are different, so your mental state is different. The best way to Practice to Win is to put yourself in the same mental state as when you’re competing. […]
The Trick to ConsistencyA lot of players think that consistency is getting the ball in play. That’s not consistency. If you slow down and start just pushing the ball to keep it in play, you aren’t playing consistent tennis. Consistency is being able to hit the ball the correct way… and being able to hit your shot 2, […]
Explosive MovesDeveloping explosive movement on the court is the best way to gain more power in your swing. An explosive first move will help you transition from decision area to the net and set you up for the volley. Practice your explosive movement by using the power from your legs. Get low and use your hip […]
Go the Extra StepThe key to speed in Tennis is to constantly stay in motion. Remember, you should never be on your heels or perfectly balanced. Always stay moving around the court and focus on pushing yourself forward. You can rest when the point is over.
Tie-Break StrategyIt doesn’t matter how you got into a tie-break scenario. Whether you were fighting from behind or you had the lead and your opponent came back. There’s nothing you can do about the past. Your mentality has to shift and you have to turn it on. There are 7 points in a tie-break, and every […]
Battle Within the BattleTennis is a game and we should all want to win. But leveling up your game requires you to think about the battle within the battle. Going for more doesn’t mean hitting an outright winner, it means improving each shot by inches. By pushing your opponent back deeper and deeper you force them to hit […]
Down the Middle Solves the RiddleYou have to find a way to hit the ball to the center of your opponents court. In singles, hitting to the center of the court buys you time. There’s no angles from the center. If you hit to the center, you know that the ball will come back near the center of your court. […]
Hit the Ball DeepIf you’re hitting the ball well but it’s not landing as deep as you want it to, look down at your feet. They shouldn’t be parallel. If your feet are parallel, focus on pulling your front foot all the way through. Keep in mind that your perception of the other side of the court can […]
ConsistencyYou’re going to hear the word “consistency” a lot when it comes to playing tennis. Understand that consistency means you hit the ball in more than your opponent. Your forehand, backhand, volley, and serves all have to come together. A good way to set yourself up to play consistently is by paying attention to your […]
Play the Entire MatchThe best way to play the entire match is to get into the right mindset. Start preparing before the match even begins. 1. Have a game plan. Come up with a game plan by watching your opponent warm up to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. 2. Plan your patterns. Use the information about your […]
Simple DefenseUnderstanding the court, where you are, and your opponent are all part of defense. Many players get overwhelmed on defense. Anytime your opponent is coming in to attack or hits a big ball that pushes you out of position, hit the ball high and in the middle of the court.
Hit Out of TroubleTo practice hitting out of trouble, practice hitting crosscourt with a ball machine or a partner. The key to hitting your way out of trouble is hit the ball crosscourt. When you hit crosscourt, you buy yourself time to get back into position. But DON’T just stand in the alley and wait for the ball. […]
Full Court GameYou have to think about tennis as a full court game. The key is to not wait in one spot. Always gravitate towards the center, look for all the angles, and create an opportunity to begin your attack.
Plan the Entire PointTennis is like chess. You have to constantly plan out your next move. Planning ahead can be difficult when you don’t have control over what your opponent is going to do. So, you have to think about the entire point and what you’d like to have happen. Even if your opponent hits the ball to […]
Playing from BehindFor most tennis players, playing from behind is easier than playing with the lead. When you’re down, there’s less fear of screwing up, because you’re already losing. Follow your instincts. Go for a little more when you are already in a deficit. You can practice playing from behind with a partner. Take turns playing games […]
Creep ForwardWhen you hit a deep ball, you should be looking for an opportunity to move forward. Don’t rush in. You are looking for the opportunity to move in. Too often players rush in after a deep return in anticipation of the short ball. They move so far forward that they are standing exactly where the […]
Specialty ShotsThe key to specialty shots is in the first word… “specialty”. Specialty shots are any shot outside the norm. Think drop shots, lobs, drop volleys, etc. While specialty shots are fun to do, they increase your chance of failure. Make sure you understand each shot and when to use them. Just be careful not to […]
Varying SpeedsNothing messes with your opponent more than changing up the rhythm of the game. Vary your speed by first hitting a deep ball and then hitting a softer ball to the same area. The key to varying the speed of the ball is a loose grip and disguising your shot.
How to Plan in TennisYou have to learn how to plan in tennis. Whether you’re preparing for a tournament, match or just practicing for improvement, you should be planning. Tennis can actually be broken into 4 key categories. Technical Tactical Physical Mental Planning is simple if you use these 4 key categories to identify your strengths and weaknesses and […]
Clearing the NetUnderstanding how high to hit the ball can help your tennis game. The only time you should hit the ball up at 12 feet is when you’re in trouble and you need to buy some time. Your “normal” rally ball should be about 3 feet over the net. When you need a little time or […]
Practice Short BallsShort balls are one of the least practiced shots in tennis. Most players assume that a short ball would be easy to hit. It’s not! Don’t try to kill the short ball. Instead, focus on your approach shot.
Practice to WinToo often, we practice just to practice. There are no consequences. There’s no prize. If you practice well, but you don’t play well, it’s because the stakes are different, so your mental state is different. The best way to Practice to Win is to put yourself in the same mental state as when you’re competing. […]
The Trick to ConsistencyA lot of players think that consistency is getting the ball in play. That’s not consistency. If you slow down and start just pushing the ball to keep it in play, you aren’t playing consistent tennis. Consistency is being able to hit the ball the correct way… and being able to hit your shot 2, […]
Explosive MovesDeveloping explosive movement on the court is the best way to gain more power in your swing. An explosive first move will help you transition from decision area to the net and set you up for the volley. Practice your explosive movement by using the power from your legs. Get low and use your hip […]
Go the Extra StepThe key to speed in Tennis is to constantly stay in motion. Remember, you should never be on your heels or perfectly balanced. Always stay moving around the court and focus on pushing yourself forward. You can rest when the point is over.
Tie-Break StrategyIt doesn’t matter how you got into a tie-break scenario. Whether you were fighting from behind or you had the lead and your opponent came back. There’s nothing you can do about the past. Your mentality has to shift and you have to turn it on. There are 7 points in a tie-break, and every […]
Battle Within the BattleTennis is a game and we should all want to win. But leveling up your game requires you to think about the battle within the battle. Going for more doesn’t mean hitting an outright winner, it means improving each shot by inches. By pushing your opponent back deeper and deeper you force them to hit […]
Down the Middle Solves the RiddleYou have to find a way to hit the ball to the center of your opponents court. In singles, hitting to the center of the court buys you time. There’s no angles from the center. If you hit to the center, you know that the ball will come back near the center of your court. […]
Hit the Ball DeepIf you’re hitting the ball well but it’s not landing as deep as you want it to, look down at your feet. They shouldn’t be parallel. If your feet are parallel, focus on pulling your front foot all the way through. Keep in mind that your perception of the other side of the court can […]
ConsistencyYou’re going to hear the word “consistency” a lot when it comes to playing tennis. Understand that consistency means you hit the ball in more than your opponent. Your forehand, backhand, volley, and serves all have to come together. A good way to set yourself up to play consistently is by paying attention to your […]
Play the Entire MatchThe best way to play the entire match is to get into the right mindset. Start preparing before the match even begins. 1. Have a game plan. Come up with a game plan by watching your opponent warm up to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. 2. Plan your patterns. Use the information about your […]