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. […]
Lob with PurposeA lob shot is more than just a defensive play to get your opponent off the net. Think of the lob as an offensive play; a way to propel the ball over your opponents head so that you can move forward. It’s a great way to recover and push yourself back into the court. One […]
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 […]
The One-Handed Backhand GripThe trick to finding your backhand grip is to use your non-dominant hand. To practice, start with a continental grip (neutral grip). Use your non dominant hand to twist your racket in. The more you twist your racket, the more spin the ball will have. Remember, if you’re hitting a ball with a lot of […]
Backhand to Forehand TransitionThe majority of tennis players have a stronger forehand than they do backhand. Until you can fight through your backhand to set up your better shot, you’re going to get bullied away on your backhand. Watch the video to learn how to successfully transition from a backhand to a forehand. P.S. This only works if […]
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 […]
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 […]
Hand-Eye CoordinationYou shouldn’t do anything on a tennis court that you wouldn’t do during a game. If you want to practice your hand eye coordination, try to make it more difficult than just hitting the ball straight down. Instead, focus on understanding contact point so you know where to hit the ball.
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.
Feel Your ForehandWith your forehand the contact point has to be way out in front. Your arm shouldn’t be very stiff when you hit the ball and you really don’t want your grip to be too tight. Adjust the tightness of your grip so you can feel the ball on the strings of your racket as you […]
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 […]
Most Common Volley MistakeThe number one thing that messes up tennis players at the net is their mindset. You don’t have to win the point on the first volley. You’ll be more successful at the net if you focus on hitting two volleys instead of one. When you try to force a winner on the first volley, 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 […]
Loosen Your GripThe phrase “soft hands” in tennis doesn’t have anything to do with how smooth or rough your hands are. Having “soft hands” means having a loose grip on the racket. When you have adrenaline pumping after a strong volley, and you want to hit a drop shot at the net, it can be hard to […]
Take Over the PointTaking over the point means not waiting for your opponent to make the first move. Start by hitting a heavy first ball. This allows you to creep into the court. Then, take proactive steps to win the point. Attack the ball and throw yourself forward.
Playing Your NemesisThere’s always going to be an opponent that you can’t stand. It could be because of their game style, attitude, or personality. The truth is, you just don’t like them. The best way to beat this person is to block them out. Change your mindset so that you’re playing the court instead of that individual […]
Tennis PsychologyTennis performance can be broken down into 4 key areas, technical, tactical, physical, and mental. The mental side is just as important as the physical side. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have some psychology in your back pocket. Jeff Greenwald is a sports psychologist that focuses on the game of tennis. He […]
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 […]
How to Hit Drop ShotsTo hit a great drop shot, make sure you have a soft grip on your racket. Having a soft grip is important because it allows you to catch and release the ball, producing a short ball. On a scale from 1 – 10, your grip should be around a 3. If you watch tennis on […]
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. […]
Lob with PurposeA lob shot is more than just a defensive play to get your opponent off the net. Think of the lob as an offensive play; a way to propel the ball over your opponents head so that you can move forward. It’s a great way to recover and push yourself back into the court. One […]
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 […]
The One-Handed Backhand GripThe trick to finding your backhand grip is to use your non-dominant hand. To practice, start with a continental grip (neutral grip). Use your non dominant hand to twist your racket in. The more you twist your racket, the more spin the ball will have. Remember, if you’re hitting a ball with a lot of […]
Backhand to Forehand TransitionThe majority of tennis players have a stronger forehand than they do backhand. Until you can fight through your backhand to set up your better shot, you’re going to get bullied away on your backhand. Watch the video to learn how to successfully transition from a backhand to a forehand. P.S. This only works if […]
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 […]
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 […]
Hand-Eye CoordinationYou shouldn’t do anything on a tennis court that you wouldn’t do during a game. If you want to practice your hand eye coordination, try to make it more difficult than just hitting the ball straight down. Instead, focus on understanding contact point so you know where to hit the ball.
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.
Feel Your ForehandWith your forehand the contact point has to be way out in front. Your arm shouldn’t be very stiff when you hit the ball and you really don’t want your grip to be too tight. Adjust the tightness of your grip so you can feel the ball on the strings of your racket as you […]
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 […]
Most Common Volley MistakeThe number one thing that messes up tennis players at the net is their mindset. You don’t have to win the point on the first volley. You’ll be more successful at the net if you focus on hitting two volleys instead of one. When you try to force a winner on the first volley, 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 […]
Loosen Your GripThe phrase “soft hands” in tennis doesn’t have anything to do with how smooth or rough your hands are. Having “soft hands” means having a loose grip on the racket. When you have adrenaline pumping after a strong volley, and you want to hit a drop shot at the net, it can be hard to […]
Take Over the PointTaking over the point means not waiting for your opponent to make the first move. Start by hitting a heavy first ball. This allows you to creep into the court. Then, take proactive steps to win the point. Attack the ball and throw yourself forward.
Playing Your NemesisThere’s always going to be an opponent that you can’t stand. It could be because of their game style, attitude, or personality. The truth is, you just don’t like them. The best way to beat this person is to block them out. Change your mindset so that you’re playing the court instead of that individual […]
Tennis PsychologyTennis performance can be broken down into 4 key areas, technical, tactical, physical, and mental. The mental side is just as important as the physical side. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have some psychology in your back pocket. Jeff Greenwald is a sports psychologist that focuses on the game of tennis. He […]
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 […]
How to Hit Drop ShotsTo hit a great drop shot, make sure you have a soft grip on your racket. Having a soft grip is important because it allows you to catch and release the ball, producing a short ball. On a scale from 1 – 10, your grip should be around a 3. If you watch tennis on […]