The Serve RoutineYour serve routine is entirely up to you. You should include whatever makes you most comfortable while finding your grip and getting your tossing arm set. No matter what you include in your routine, remember to keep your body loose and let out an exhale before you serve.
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 […]
Back Hand Approach ShotOne of the best approach shots to take in single’s, is towards the back hand side. Aim for your opponents left hip. Try to avoid the sidelines, because this will set them up perfectly for a forehand volley. Once you hit the ball, always be thinking ahead to have a plan for whatever could be […]
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 […]
Backhand Volley ApproachDon’t be afraid to hit a high backhand volley. It can be intimidating because you end up turning almost backward. It may feel awkward, but don’t be too concerned… It’s usually a winning shot. To hit a backhand volley, start the play with a slice. This forces your opponent to hit the ball up, giving […]
Approach Shot StrategyAfter you hit your approach shot you should start to transition closer to the net, but don’t move so far forward that you won’t be able to hit a volley. Stay on your toes and be prepared for your opponent to get to the ball, even if you don’t think they will be able to. […]
Warming UpTo prepare for a tennis match or recreational play, it’s important to warm up properly. Warm up hitting cross court. Don’t hit the ball directly to your partner. It won’t do you any good. You’re trying to warm yourself up, not your partner. Instead, practice hitting different variations of the shots you might hit in […]
What Produces The LobIt’s important to recognize the factors that produce a lob, that way you can prepare for it as soon as you hit the ball and be ready by the time your opponent hits it back. If a ball is bouncing at least hip high, your opponent has enough time to get under the ball. That […]
Doubles StrategyWhile playing doubles, some people have a hard time playing the full court because they’re not used to seeing an opponent at the net. Instead, use that to your advantage. When you get a short ball, take a bigger back swing as you’re moving up. The opponent at the net might be in the way, […]
Anticipate a Late ReactionWhile you’re transitioning in for a volley, learn to anticipate a late reaction from your opponent. When you rally cross-court with your opponent, you know the area the ball will come back to is the opposite side you just hit from. For instance, if you hit the ball to your left side, you know 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 […]
Lobbing StrategiesThe goal of lobbing is to make your opponent move laterally and back, not forward. When you’re lobbing, you want the ball to go over the backhand side of your opponent. No one is as strong hitting an overhead in that position. Remember to hit the lob straight and not cross court. Then, you can […]
Defending the Kick ServeA kick serve buys the server a lot of time to get into position and/or serve and volley. It also has lots of clearance and lots of kick up. Returning a kick serve, if you let the ball get above your shoulder, it’s never going to be a good return. You have to attack the […]
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 […]
Mastering the Lob ShotA good lob shot can turn the tide in a game, but it takes more than hitting up. #1 Tip – Go as high as possible. If you’re outdoors, use height as an advantage. When you’re moving back, put some spin on it. Top spin, side spin, any kind of spin on a high lob […]
Returning a Soft ServeOne of the hardest serves to deal with is the cupcake or really soft serve. It might come from someone who serves the first serve at Mach 10 and then the second ball is maybe 20 MPH. You’ve got to move in and forward because the ball has no pace. The uglier the serve, the […]
Aggressive ReturnsThe key to playing aggressive tennis is to always be moving. If you stand still, you won’t have time to get moving, before the ball comes. You’ll be late and you’ll have no choice but to block it back and hope your opponent makes a mistake. If the goes into the net, you need to […]
Rush PlayWe all know at least one player who plays like a wall. They return everything. But the ball has no pace. Every ball comes back to mid court. Their strategy is hit-and-hope. They are waiting for you to make a mistake. If you don’t, the match never ends. You get tired. You get bored. You […]
The Serve RoutineYour serve routine is entirely up to you. You should include whatever makes you most comfortable while finding your grip and getting your tossing arm set. No matter what you include in your routine, remember to keep your body loose and let out an exhale before you serve.
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 […]
Back Hand Approach ShotOne of the best approach shots to take in single’s, is towards the back hand side. Aim for your opponents left hip. Try to avoid the sidelines, because this will set them up perfectly for a forehand volley. Once you hit the ball, always be thinking ahead to have a plan for whatever could be […]
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 […]
Backhand Volley ApproachDon’t be afraid to hit a high backhand volley. It can be intimidating because you end up turning almost backward. It may feel awkward, but don’t be too concerned… It’s usually a winning shot. To hit a backhand volley, start the play with a slice. This forces your opponent to hit the ball up, giving […]
Approach Shot StrategyAfter you hit your approach shot you should start to transition closer to the net, but don’t move so far forward that you won’t be able to hit a volley. Stay on your toes and be prepared for your opponent to get to the ball, even if you don’t think they will be able to. […]
Warming UpTo prepare for a tennis match or recreational play, it’s important to warm up properly. Warm up hitting cross court. Don’t hit the ball directly to your partner. It won’t do you any good. You’re trying to warm yourself up, not your partner. Instead, practice hitting different variations of the shots you might hit in […]
What Produces The LobIt’s important to recognize the factors that produce a lob, that way you can prepare for it as soon as you hit the ball and be ready by the time your opponent hits it back. If a ball is bouncing at least hip high, your opponent has enough time to get under the ball. That […]
Doubles StrategyWhile playing doubles, some people have a hard time playing the full court because they’re not used to seeing an opponent at the net. Instead, use that to your advantage. When you get a short ball, take a bigger back swing as you’re moving up. The opponent at the net might be in the way, […]
Anticipate a Late ReactionWhile you’re transitioning in for a volley, learn to anticipate a late reaction from your opponent. When you rally cross-court with your opponent, you know the area the ball will come back to is the opposite side you just hit from. For instance, if you hit the ball to your left side, you know 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 […]
Lobbing StrategiesThe goal of lobbing is to make your opponent move laterally and back, not forward. When you’re lobbing, you want the ball to go over the backhand side of your opponent. No one is as strong hitting an overhead in that position. Remember to hit the lob straight and not cross court. Then, you can […]
Defending the Kick ServeA kick serve buys the server a lot of time to get into position and/or serve and volley. It also has lots of clearance and lots of kick up. Returning a kick serve, if you let the ball get above your shoulder, it’s never going to be a good return. You have to attack the […]
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 […]
Mastering the Lob ShotA good lob shot can turn the tide in a game, but it takes more than hitting up. #1 Tip – Go as high as possible. If you’re outdoors, use height as an advantage. When you’re moving back, put some spin on it. Top spin, side spin, any kind of spin on a high lob […]
Returning a Soft ServeOne of the hardest serves to deal with is the cupcake or really soft serve. It might come from someone who serves the first serve at Mach 10 and then the second ball is maybe 20 MPH. You’ve got to move in and forward because the ball has no pace. The uglier the serve, the […]
Aggressive ReturnsThe key to playing aggressive tennis is to always be moving. If you stand still, you won’t have time to get moving, before the ball comes. You’ll be late and you’ll have no choice but to block it back and hope your opponent makes a mistake. If the goes into the net, you need to […]
Rush PlayWe all know at least one player who plays like a wall. They return everything. But the ball has no pace. Every ball comes back to mid court. Their strategy is hit-and-hope. They are waiting for you to make a mistake. If you don’t, the match never ends. You get tired. You get bored. You […]