Tag: tennis tip

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Poaching

Poaching

   Now that we’ve worked on your volley the last few weeks, lets put it to use in doubles. Poaching may be one of the scariest moves you’ll make on the tennis court, but to be a good doubles player, it’s essential that you learn to do it well. There are four critical elements to poaching: positioning, stance, timing, and direction. Let’s take a look at each of them.

  1.  Positioning-most players stand too close to both the net and the alley to poach successfully. For best results, stand right in the middle of the service box. In this position you are right in front of the returner, who will immediately consider you more of a threat. You are also in position to intercept any return not hit perfectly crosscourt.

  2.  Stance–lower your center of gravity by widening your feet and bending your knees. In this stance you will be more balanced and able to push off to go in either direction, right or left.

  3. Timing–take off for your poach either just before or right as the returner is hitting the ball. This way you are making your move when the returner is concentrating on hitting the ball so they won’t notice you (or even better, notice you and make an error on the return).

  4. Direction–always move diagonally toward the net. Players often just move sideways(usually because they are already too close to the net). By moving forward as well, your momentum helps you punch the volley, helping to resist the urge to take the racket back for power.

 I hope these tips help you develop good poaching technique. Remember, practice, practice, practice. That goes especially for the timing part of the poach. Developing good timing on the poach will yield big results in points won.

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Backhand Reflex Volley

How to volley bodyshots

Have you ever had a shot hit right at your body when you were at the net? They are tough to handle.

The best way to hit a reflex volley on a ball hit right at your body is with a backhand grip. With a backhand you can hit balls from your chest to your right hip (for righties), and, of course, anything to your left. In contrast, the forehand volley has a much more limited range and can only handle shots on your right side.

Remember, we are talking about a reflex volley, one where you don’t have much time to react. To execute the backhand reflex volley:

  1. Make sure you always have your racket up in the ready position (chest high and pointed in front of you).
  2. Raise your elbow so that you can move the racket face in front of your body to block the ball.

Check out our previous tip, Punch the volley, for pointers for when you do have time on the volley.

The reflex backhand volley can keep you in the point, and possibly save you a bruise or two. Remember to keep that racket up and in front of you to give yourself more time on the volleys.

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Punch the volley

Some players avoid the net for fear of getting passed or they just lack confidence in their volleys. We’ll deal with fear of failure later, for now lets work on your volley.

The key to the volley is making the stroke compact.

  • keep your racket up and in a ready position, pointed straight ahead slightly above waist height, racket head higher than handle (this is very important)
  • split step(bounce lightly on the balls of both feet with body facing forward) as your opponent hits the ball
  • turn your shoulders as you read the incoming ball, keeping your racket within your shoulders 
  • step diagonally/forward in the direction of the incoming ball with the opposite foot  (example..ball is coming toward your left side, step that way with your right foot)
  • punch the ball by using a short forward swing(with little or no back swing) with a firm grip and wrist
  •  let you body’s forward momentum provide the power
  • volley the ball away (choices-between opponents, at net man’s feet, or angled away from both opponents)

Instructions are great but nothing beats video to show you how to do it right.

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Bunt the short ball

Last time we talked about hitting an aggressive approach shot off of a short ball. This week we examine what to do when you can’t quite reach the short ball while it is at a good height for an aggressive shot. Why can’t you hit an aggressive shot on a low, short ball? Because your forward momentum,  close proximity to the net, and the low height of the ball make it very difficult to swing slow enough to control the ball and keep in the court.

The solution is to bunt the ball. The bunt is basically a volley while running forward. Let’s look at the bunt.

  • As you run forward, your momentum provides all the power you need (no swing needed)

  • Run with your racket out front and push through the ball at contact (like a volley)

  • Aim the ball deep if your opponent is coming in or drop shot them if they stay back

The bunt will help you control the ball when you are at a full forward run, stay in the point, and up your winning percentage.

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Attack the short ball-forehand approach shot

One of the best ways to win points in tennis is to recognize and put away short balls(balls that bounce around the service line.) When you see a short ball immediately go on the attack. Move forward into the court, turn your shoulders, but keep your body facing toward the net. Keep your opposite hand on the racket as you rotate to help insure a full shoulder turn, and keep you balanced.


    As you close in on the ball, step into the shot with your non-dominant foot(left foot for right hander), and explode forward(pushing with your dominant foot and engaging your core muscles). The key is to time the forward push as you start the forward swing, making contact with the ball on the rise and/or above the net. Launch yourself forward not upward, but neither foot should be on the ground at contact. Put topspin on the ball to clear the net and keep the ball from going long. Down the line is a high percentage shot in this instance.

Next time we’ll discuss what to do if you can’t get to the short ball while it’s on the rise or above the net.

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Australian Doubles part 2

 In honor of the Australian Open, we started to explore the Australian doubles formation in our last tennis tip. (See Aussie Doubles) The Australian formation is executed by the serving team and involves positioning the server’s partner across the net from the receiver’s partner.(Instead of across the net from the receiver). The server positions themselves very close to the center mark, because they will be covering the other side of the court.


How to execute the Australian formation

    1. The server’s partner – the server’s partner positions themselves directly across the net from the receiver’s partner, in the center of the box, about 4 feet from the net. When the serve is struck, the receiver will have to hit the return down the line or slightly cross-court in an effort to go behind the server’s partner and between them. To cover the cross-court shot the server’s partner should close(move toward the net) toward the receiver as they execute their return. This offers the best opportunity to cut off and put away the return if it is hit cross-court. The is the key advantage of using the Australian formation.

    2. The server – the server positions themselves very close the center hash mark when they serve. After they serve, they need to immediately slide to cover the possible down-the-line return. From this position they have a better angle to hit cross-court between their opponents or rally back down the line to the receiver.

Australian doubles graphic
Australian doubles graphic

   You need to practice this formation to learn all the variables. For instance, the receiver may opt to return high cross-court OVER the server’s partner. In this case the server’s partner should start positioning themselves back near the service line to be better able to hit an overhead off of this type of return.

  Try the Australian formation to give your opponents a different look and put your team in scoring position. Good luck on the courts.

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What to do after you Lob

Where do you go after the lob?

Last week we discussed how to hit an effective lob. Now we learn what to do after you lob.

Scenario 1: Your lob is a good one, that is, you see your opponent’s back as he runs it down to hit a defensive shot.

Advance to the service line or a little closer. This way you can…1. move forward and put away a volley off of a short ball, or 2. move back and hit an overhead off of their defensive lob.

Scenario 2:  Your lob is good but they get in position to hit an overhead from the baseline or behind.

Advance all the way to the net. If you stay around the service line the overhead is, most likely going to be at your feet. By advancing to the net you are prepared to put away a volley. The fact that the overhead is coming from the baseline gives you time to react.

Scenario 3:  Your lob is not so good and your opponent prepares to hit an overhead from mid-court.

Run!!   Actually, if you have time, backpedal to the baseline and split-step as your opponent hits the ball. The split-step is important because it allows you to move right or left so you have a chance to get the ball back.

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Tips for the Lob shot

Lob the service line not the net man

To get your lobs deeper, lob over the service line not the net player.

If your lobs are consistently landing short, focus on making the high point(apex) of the lob happen over the service line.

Most people focus on lobbing over the net man. This makes the high point of the lob happen over the middle of the service box, or roughly, where the net man is standing. With a couple of steps, the net man can move back and hit the overhead from the service line. Not a desirable out-come for you.

By lobbing with the service line as the apex, you make the net man shuffle back to almost the base line to hit the overhead, or better yet, chase the lob and hit a defensive shot back.

So remember to lob against aggressive net players, use the service line as the focus.

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Serve and “Mosey”

Serve and Mosey

Last week we talked about putting away the angle volley. This week we’ll discuss one of the ways you get to the volley position. In doubles the strategy is traditionally, to serve and volley. In other words, serve and head straight for the net to join your partner.

Sometimes that strategy doesn’t work. For example, your opponent keeps crushing your serve back at your feet as you come to the net, or lobs your return over your partner. In these instances, and if you just don’t feel comfortable serving and charging directly to the net, try the “Serve and Mosey”.

Serve and Mosey simply means serve, hit a ground stroke as an approach shot, and come to net. This lets you concentrate on your serve, step into the court to hit an aggressive ground stroke and advance closer to the net than you would serving and volley at one time.

Remember, the best doubles teams still win the points at the net. How you get there is up to you. Try the serve and mosey.

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Angle your Volleys 

short, angled volleys work well on a deep opponent

   Most of us only want to hit one volley in a point if we can help it. Give your opponent a second look at you at the net, and you may not get a second volley. That’s why a short, angled volley can be effective in ending the point. The angled volley is easiest when it is hit from higher than net height. If the ball is lower than the net, you’ll have to hit a drop volley to angle it. Not an easy shot.

  The best way to set yourself up for a point-ending, angled volley is to plan your approach. A deep ground stroke, especially to the back hand corner can give you time to get close enough to the net to put away the weak return from above the net. Just watch the ball and point it toward the side line. With your opponent deep in the back hand corner, this should be a winner.

  For related tactics see previous tip, “1-2 Tennis Punch”