My forehand/backhand keeps missing wide?

1. Select a target rather than just cross court.
2. Select a safer target 2-3 feet inside the lines.
3. Keep you eyes still until you see the blur of your racquet go past your eyes – looking up re-directs your shot.
4. Align your feet to get better position so your swing is more in line with your target.
5. Focus on the part of the ball you want to hit to make the ball go toward your target (outside, behind or inside of the ball.)
6. You may be contacting the ball too early – be patient or too late – prepare for an earlier contact point.

My forehand/backhand keeps going in the net?

1. Pick out an aim point that is about the height of your opponents head above the net, about 3-4 feet above the net.
2. Be sure to allow your racquet head to get under the ball so you can “lift the ball” over the net instead of driving it the same height as the net.
3. You may be contacting the ball too late – shorten your backswing and meet the ball sooner to get the upward arc.
4. You looked at the net – so your hand guided the ball to your target.
5. Extend the finish of your stroke – up and out.
6. Release the tension in your hand as you finish your stroke to avoid pulling the racquet down before the complete finish of the stroke.

My forehand/backhand keeps going long?

1. You are not applying enough topspin to bring the ball down.
2. Keep your eyes still while contacting the ball – looking up will make the fence become a target.
3. Finish your swing – pulling off will make the ball sail.
4. Take more adjusting steps to get better position – out of position can cause you to alter your swing pattern and lift the ball too high.
5. Stay down, keep a wider stance so you can rotate into the shot instead of lifting with the legs too early in the swing.

My grip is incorrect?

1. Mark the correct position for the index knuckle and the heal of the hand for a forehand and backhand.
2. Hold the racquet by the throat with the non-hitting hand and keep the grip hand relaxed so the non-hitting hand can turn the racquet to the correct grip position for you -forehand or backhand.
3. Study your opponent and lock in on their pattern of shots so you can anticipate whether they will most likely hit to your forehand or backhand.  This “anticipation” will give you a head start to getting the grip position early.
4. Start with the grip that is most difficult to get to – it’s always easy to get to your favorite grip.

My timing is off?

1. Timing is an eye function – usually you are not seeing the ball well.  Look for the shadow of light and darkness on the ball, say “bounce” when the ball touches the court and “touch” when you make contact As more balls are lost between the bounce and contact.
2. Take more adjusting steps (8-10 steps – the pros average 10-12 steps between their shots) between each shot you make.  The extra movement will raise your attention level and your focus level.
3. The adjusting steps help you to establish a better position to meet the ball and produce a better quality shot.
4. Soften your grip.  When your timing is off, your grip may be way to tight.  This tension greatly affects your ability to time your movement, swing and relaxed eye focus.
5. When you feed the ball back to your opponent so they can serve, use the drop and hit effort to practice the “feel” of how you want the stroke to feel in the up-coming point.

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Reasons for the serving team to use this formation:

1. The serving team has one player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The serving team has a player who is “afraid” of getting lobbed.
3. The serving team has a player who thinks they are playing singles and loves to stay back and rally for 30 balls.
4. The serving team has such a weak serve they can’t come in and the receiving team returns deep enough to never hit a short ball they can use to come to the net.

Reasons for the receiving team to use this formation:

1. The receiving team has a player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The receiving team’s returns are too weak to put the serving team on defense.
3. The receiving team does not know how to chip or drop shot and come into the net to dominate play.
4. The receiving team is “afraid of the other team lobbing and their partner at the net does not know where or how to volley at the net to finish off points.

How to play teams that play one up one back:

1. Get to the net at all costs.
2. Direct your shots between them or past the person closest to the net who will have the least amount of reaction time.
3. If you get pinned back, keep the ball away from their net player with loopy – spinny balls.
4. Lob the net player and come in to an area about 2-3 feet behind the service line to allow you to play overheads, volleys or drop shots. Control the net and keep their team split.
5. Stay back and loop with them for a few shots then come into the net to volley the loopy returns out of the air – short angled shots.
6. Return drop shots to force the player who stayed back to come into the net then lob that player.

What not to do:

1. Avoid getting sucked into their style of play.
2. Do not miss the return. The server is staying back, slow down the return and loop it deep to them so they have no pace to hit back at you. This return is difficult to for the server’s partner to poach against – no pace and high.
3. Avoid easy errors and simple mistakes like trying to kill the volley “at the net person” – find the “valleys” to volley into.

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