“Move your feet, control the ball, control the point”
One of the best ways to gain control of a point in progress is accomplished by gaining control of the ball and the direction you want it to go. And although all of the great players in tennis history have learned the importance of quick feet, they have also learned that once they reach the ball it is equally important to use the correct swing to direct the ball with control.
A quick feet, slow racquet rule of thumb should be used to help develop smoother flowing strokes once your strides line you up correctly for the shot. Players with slow or sluggish feet will, in all probability, always struggle with control of the ball. They will continue to “whip” or “flick” at the ball in an attempt to return it since their feet haven’t properly set them up for a comfortable hit. If they would only hasten their footwork, they would soon discover that it would be much easier to control the ball by taking a slower swing – thus, controlling the point.
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Comment
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Comment by Steven White on December 15, 2010 at 4:30pm
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And yes, Yolanda...smaller steps are helpful the closer you get to the ball - teaching pros refer to them as shuffle or stutter steps.
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You're right Tim...especially if the skill level is more advanced. As you know, the guys and gals at the pro level have unbelievable racquethead speed in their swings.
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Comment by Yulanda B on December 15, 2010 at 2:53pm -
Good point because I have slow feet and I catch myself reaching or flicking at the ball...but when I try to move my feet I hit better balls. Im so tall that sometime I can take two steps and I'm there but smaller steps I heard are better but is that true?
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Comment by Tim Prapong on December 15, 2010 at 1:24pm
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Very true, the more you do with your feet, the more controlled and relaxed the swing can be. I would want the racquet head to still come through fast though as a result of the weight transfer/pivot.
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