| If you are to become a
good tennis player, you must learn to move on the court. Your feet should move in
unison. Your feet should
complement each other. That is to say, when you run, the feet should work in pairs.
Tennis is a game of movement. Bipedal rhythm
indicates there should be two steps prior to execution, which means you take
step number one, step number two, then bit the ball. You do not pivot, step and hit.
When you pivot on one foot, take one step on the other foot before the hit, that
is only one
step prior to contact, not two. It's the same, if you drag, or slide, one
foot, while
stepping with the other.
When hitting the ball on the right side of your body, your
left foot will be the front foot that steps into the ball prior to contact.
This means you take the first step with your right foot. With the ball on the left
side of the body the action is the opposite.
Another facet of movement is
direction. How often do you take a drop step or the back foot moving first
in the direction opposite the ball, followed by the front foot? If so,
change your habit, now. Instead, you should move and into the ball, and
do it more efficiently.
Correct footwork in the game of tennis can be the
difference between winning and losing. Poor footwork effects every facet of
your game. Of all the fundamentals of tennis, footwork is the most important.
It should become so natural, you do it without thought.
Slow and lazy footwork leaves your court undefended. If
you cannot move into to the ball you cannot be a good defensive player;
however, you do not have to be the quickest player in the world fast to be effective.
Using proper footwork helps keep you in the game.
Another important aspect is to never
be on your heels. Always keep an athletic stance on the balls of your feet and be ready to return any
shot. An athletic stance means your feet
should be shoulder width apart, and your knees should be slightly bent when
you land. This keeps you off of your heels and ready to move,
quickly.
The second before your opponent hits the ball, do a "split
step". A split step is executed by jumping up an inch, or two, on your
toes as the opponent is about to hit his shot. The split step should be used when you are
returning a serves, ground strokes, volleys, overheads and when
approaching the net for a volley. Getting in the habit of the split step
will help you start moving towards the ball quicker.
Another important phase of footwork is to be
moving back to the center of the baseline or net after you hit each shot.
Avoid hitting the ball and standing still. Once you hit the ball, move back to the center, and
get ready for
the next shot. This keeps you on your toes and moving. If on the offensive end of the point, you may
need to position yourself
differently than the center of the court, depending on your situation.
However, good defense requires you get back to the middle to defend.
Avoid early committing to one side of the court or the other. If your opponent is setting up for an offensive shot, do not run to
one side of the court before your opponent hits the ball. If you move
too early, you
allow your opponent to hit an easy point.
There is a balance that must be struck for when to move.
You have two options:
- Before your opponent hits the ball.
- After your opponent hits the
ball.
As a generally rule, it's alright to wait until the ball is
hit to start moving in one direction or another; however, there
are times when you are on the defense, like overheads, or you may have miss-hit
a ball and it lands over the net and sits up high for your
opponent. In situations like this, your opponent is in a great position.
You will not have time to move far once they hit the ball. Under these
circumstances you are forced to move to one side or the other in self
defense.
On the other hand, it is usually better to move an instant before your opponent hits the
ball. You are better off guessing which way to move, rather
than stand there and watch the ball go by. There is always the possibility
you will guess right and get to the ball.
In summation, good footwork is key to good defense. Keep your feet
moving. This helps you get to more balls and keep the
pressure on your opponent. There is much truth when you hear, "You don't have to be extremely quick to
be effective.... just have good footwork."
|
