It All Begins With Your Feet

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, footwork is where it all begins in hitting effective ground strokes. The key to hitting successful ground strokes is putting your body in position to be successful. Below are a few tips that will aid you in future matches:

1) Understand the high percentage shots for your opponent. For example, if you hit a deep penetrating backhand crosscourt, the high percentage shot for your opponent is back crosscourt. Knowing the high percentage shot from your opponent will give you a head start in your positioning.

2) Knowing the proper recovery position. Staying with the example above, your recovery position after hitting the backhand crosscourt (for a right-handed player) would be just to the left of the center mark. Watching the professionals on television is a great learning tool to see where they recover after hitting the ball.

3) Follow the ball to the ground. A test I use frequently in my private lessons for all levels is to have my student point to where my ball bounced on their side of the court after they hit it. Test yourself! You’ll be amazed how much this is a challenge at first, but very manageable with practice. If you master this you will be in better position especially when retrieving shorter balls.

Check with your local teaching professional. They can help you with understanding high percentage shots from your opponent, proper recovery positions, and knowing where the ball is going to bounce before it lands. If you can master these three tips, you will be on your way to successful ground stokes. See you on the court!

David Minihan, director of tennis, is author of upcoming book Coaching Your Tennis Champion (Mansion Grove House). He is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play. Minihan has been recognized with many awards as a member of the Oklahoma District and Missouri Valley Division of USPTA. He is certified by USPTA at the P-1 level.