An inside groundstroke is when you position yourself in the court so that the flight of the on coming ball does not cross the plane of your body. A ball that crosses in front of you is called an outside shot.
Inside shots give you more natural hip rotation and "leverage the ball easier than outside shots." I would much rather run around a backhand to whip a forehand up the line than play an outside backhand up the line. Changing the direction of a cross court shot is much easier using "inside strokes."
Pros today us inside shots for leverage, controling the center of the court, and disguise (there's no rule saying you have to hit down the line with an inside shot. You can fire right back with no change of direction "inside-out.")
Another benefit of inside shots is that you have to move more to get in position to strike which combates lazy feet and accepting crosscourt predictability for outside shots. This shot should be used on return of serves as well.
All players can benefit from this tennis play!
Your pro in the trenches,
Kevin Pease
Showing posts with label breaking serve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breaking serve. Show all posts
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Paying Attention To The Details Of Your Doubles Match
1. What is your hold rate? What's that? If you were to serve ten times, how many times would you hold serve against your peers? In doubles you need to be above 80%. Why? Your serve needs to be a weapon! Work on it till it becomes one or back it up with a volley that seldom misses or both!
2. What is your break rate? What's that? If you were to receive ten times, how many times would you break your opponents serve? If you can break 25% or higher and hold 80% or higher you are winning most of your matches.
In world class competition and very competitive doubles matches, just about everyone holds serve and all it takes is a mini-break in a tie-breaker to decide the match.
Are you competing against yourself in your doubles matches or your opponent? Many smart people would answer both. I guess that's true in a general sort of way. But that doesn't really help me manage my game in any specific way. I have come up with a simple formula to determine the level of competition you are playing: In competitive matches you must get your serve in play and the return of serve in play away from the opposing net player. If you can not do this, you are not at the level of the player(s) you are facing. If you can make two shots in a row -- serve and return the next shot, return a serve and return the next shot you are starting a competitive point. If you cannot start a competitive point then you are not competing and you are out of level. If you return more than two shots that are hit to you in or out of sequence then you are competing. The match now hinges on how well you compete during the key points for games, key points for sets and matches. Matches (any level) are exciting when competition is fierce. It's that's simple folks. Look at the facts. If you cannot remember what you do, ask your partner. It's a good idea to develop tennis memory -- who's doing what to whom, otherwise its really difficult to discuss point situations and adjustments.
In a future tennis tip I will discuss the key points of a tennis match. Point management helps putting strategies in perspective and helps you manage risk and pressure.
Your pro in the trenches,
Kevin Pease
2. What is your break rate? What's that? If you were to receive ten times, how many times would you break your opponents serve? If you can break 25% or higher and hold 80% or higher you are winning most of your matches.
In world class competition and very competitive doubles matches, just about everyone holds serve and all it takes is a mini-break in a tie-breaker to decide the match.
Are you competing against yourself in your doubles matches or your opponent? Many smart people would answer both. I guess that's true in a general sort of way. But that doesn't really help me manage my game in any specific way. I have come up with a simple formula to determine the level of competition you are playing: In competitive matches you must get your serve in play and the return of serve in play away from the opposing net player. If you can not do this, you are not at the level of the player(s) you are facing. If you can make two shots in a row -- serve and return the next shot, return a serve and return the next shot you are starting a competitive point. If you cannot start a competitive point then you are not competing and you are out of level. If you return more than two shots that are hit to you in or out of sequence then you are competing. The match now hinges on how well you compete during the key points for games, key points for sets and matches. Matches (any level) are exciting when competition is fierce. It's that's simple folks. Look at the facts. If you cannot remember what you do, ask your partner. It's a good idea to develop tennis memory -- who's doing what to whom, otherwise its really difficult to discuss point situations and adjustments.
In a future tennis tip I will discuss the key points of a tennis match. Point management helps putting strategies in perspective and helps you manage risk and pressure.
Your pro in the trenches,
Kevin Pease
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)