Good question! It’s simply because you can “feel” more sensitively during
competitive matches, and because you can enjoy more by improving your tennis
skills. Frequently, by trying to improve your skill, you experience a little
down fall in the point getting consistency for a while, but in a long
range(1-10 years), you’ll get more consistency than before with the new part of
the skill. It’ll take some time for your mind and body to absorb a new skill,
so you have to be patient and open-minded. Experienced coaches can tell you the
general direction you can go in selection of tennis skills.
We are often told that you are as good as
the following:
(i) average number of small steps between your
shots.
(ii) quality of
your second serves.
(iii) easiness
of your grip.
An easy goal for beginners is to be able to
complete the warm-up routine for a match in the following steps.
(i) easy/gentle volleys over the net
(ii) easy/gentle small court(service boxes)
ground strokes
(iii) baseline
ground strokes (always use 2 balls down the line for doubles)
(iv) volleys
and overheads at the net(one stays at the baseline and take turns)
(v) services. Warm up 1st and 2nd
serves reachable to an opponent so that he/she can stop.
I used to ask a lot of WHY questions on
tennis to my tennis friends/teaching pros. Questions(must be of your interest)
will help you to find your direction to improve.
Anyway, tennis is lifetime sports. So let’s
not worry about MINOR ups and downs within a few years.
Good Luck and let’s make big smiles in
hitting balls. Good Job, Seniors!
Strong
point: Deep forehand ground strokes
with top spins.
Weak
point: Backhand ground strokes, 2nd
serves, footwork, and net play.
Using only 20-30% of
her potential.
Things to
improve:
(0) Forget
about “I’m a good tennis player” thinking/attitude. Be honest and “feel” anything
new as a complete idiot.
(1) Get into a
strong “power posture” (like pushing a car with 1 or 2 hands) in contacting a
ball in ground strokes and in volleys. Deep knee bending, a hand in front of
the navel, shoulder charging, and closing arm pits are the keys.
(2) Show the
back to an opponent in the back swing, and watch a ball over a shoulder.
(3) Place a
left arm way out to the right, to make automatic deep shoulder turns in the
forehand ground strokes (for a much better balance, consistency,and power).
(4) Hit flatter
shot well above the net height in attacking a short high ball.
(5) Start
dashing to a short ball, by using opponents’ footwork, swing, shot sounds, or
after hitting a good deep ball.
(6) Keep moving
forward to the net during a point. Keep moving forward and NEVER get back to
the baseline. Get back ONLY hitting a very deep lob in the air, and get back to
the net.
(7) Practice
hitting a deep ground stroke, an approach shot , volleys, and then overheads in
sequence to be comfortable at the net. Play more doubles games to get used to
play at the net.
Strong
point: Never overDO, will to win, have
a lot of reserve(magic in a pocket)
Weak
point: Always defensive. Can not
finish a point/game/match.
Things to
improve:
(0) Take
OFFENSIVE moves, as much as possible.
(1) Hit THROUGH
balls rather than pushing/punching balls back.
(2) Use natural
net games to finish points at the net, after making opening on the
opponent’s court.
(3) Stay in
balance with lower posture by 2 inches all the time. Use more small/quick
steps between shots.
(4) placements,
more spin, and pace in 2nd
serves.
(5) practice
top spin and back(slice) spin shots in both forehand and backhand.
(6) anticipate
opponents’ move and take initiatives accordingly.
(7) toss a ball
into the court and walk into the court after services.
Strong
point: Hit balls FLAT(but low
percentage.)
Weak
Point: Not hitting through balls. Flat
footed footwork. Net game. Handling low balls. Court positioning. Tentative
hitting under pressure.
Things to
improve:
(0) Put weight
on balls of the feet, and BE in ready-to-attack position all the time.
Move like a puma, not like sheep.
(1) Turn
shoulders SIDEWAY at the net. Get into the power(Superman) position in
contacting balls. Chase a deep lob by facing the back or side fence, not facing
the net.
(2) practice approach, volleys, overheads in
sequence to finish a point.
(3) put topspin and back spin on forehand and
backhand ground strokes.
(4) forget about game/set counts, and FOCUS on
every points.
(5) Improve 2nd serves in placement,
spins, and the pace.
(6) never make
tentative swings from baselines, swing through balls with BIG shoulder
turns. Need relaxing grips much more
throughout the swing.
(7) change to
natural grip in serves to use wrist pronation.
(8) stay in
balance all the way through service motion.
Strong point:
Consistency in punching balls back over the net with a powerful racket
Weak
point: lack of variety in shots,
giving too many short balls. Always defensive.
Things to
improve:
(0) believe in
full-swinging rackets, and show the back to opponents in the back swing of
ground strokes. See opponents/ball over
the shoulders.
(1) keep
shoulders square to the net for net plays.
(2) change to
natural grip in serves to use wrist pronation.
(3) smaller
steps to stay in balance.
(4) practice
top spin and back spin in ground strokes.
(5) get used to
volley at the net, hit overheads.
Strong point: hard
hit backhand ground strokes.
Weak
point: hit any shots too hard under
pressure.
Things to
improve:
(0) Stay
balanced dynamically all the time.
(1) Move to the
net and finish points at the net.
(2) Turn the
shoulder and watch a ball over the shoulder in the forehand backswing.
(3) Use the
shake hand grip in serves with the wrist pronation.
(4) Stay lower
and move like a puma to get to a ball.
Strong
point: have nothing to worry about.
Stay relaxed under pressure.
Weak
point: don’t have enough pace/depth on
a ball to finish a point.
Things to
improve:
(0) think about
the attacking mode. Attack like a puma, not react like sheep.
(1) hit through
a ball with legs and shoulder turns.
(2) use a shake
hand grip in serves.
(3) hit volleys
deep.
Strong
point: can hit balls from any position,
mental strength
Weak
point: inconsistency in hitting short
bound balls/ volleys.
Things to
improve:
(0) smoother
footwork for hitting through a ball
(1) observe
opponents and anticipate balls and move ahead.
(2) Use more
shoulder turns in all shots.
Strong
point: good balance in hitting balls
Weak
point: standing too tall in ready
position. Too easy to say “Yours” for reachable balls.
Things to
improve:
(0) get to all
balls coming into your half of the doubles court
(1) feel the
position of your partner and move to
divide the angles from the hitting opponent.
(2) improve
volley and overheads
(3) move to the
center of the service box when a partner is serving
Strong
point: Good smooth move and balance in
the swing.
Weak
point: being late in getting into the
hitting spots.
Things to
improve:
(0) smaller
steps getting into the hitting spot
(1) learn top
spin in ground strokes
(2) hit volleys
deep
(3) more spin
in services
Strong
point: mental strength under pressure.
Good timing in hitting balls.
Weak
point: keep focusing throughout a point. Inconsistency in shot
making.
Things to
improve:
(0) Use more
legs in ground strokes
(1) Turn shoulders
and watch a ball over the shoulder in the back swing.
(2) Stay much
lower in waiting for a ball.
(3) Pay more
attention on opponent’s move and partner’s position
Strong
point: Consistency in services and
ground strokes.
Weak point: Anticipation, court positioning, footwork,
and volleys.
Things to
improve:
(0)
smoother/quicker footwork in getting
into hitting spots.
(1) Use more
shoulder turns and legs in ground strokes.
(2) Hit more
volleys and overheads.
(3) use spins
in services.