Groundstrokes
Hitting Long or Hitting the Net
Problem: Hitting long too often.
Corrections:
1. Your wrist might be turning your racquet upward just before impact. If you
grab your handle more tightly just as you start your swing, this will help to
keep your wrist from turning.
2. Tilt the face of your racquet down more on your backswing. Your racquet face
naturally opens up (tilts upward) as you swing forward. You need to start your
forehand swing with it facing somewhat downward in order for it to end up at vertical
as it meets the ball. Hold your racquet face vertical at the point where you normally
meet the ball, then, without turning your wrist, pull the racquet back to your
normal backswing position. It should face somewhat downward, and that's the angle
you want at the start of each swing.
3. Your racquet head might be drooping below your hand at the point of contact.
The long axis of your racquet should be horizontal on impact. If the head is much
below your hand, you'll tend to "golf" the ball upward.
4. Hit with more topspin. If you brush up the back of the ball, the spin you'll
create will make the ball fall faster as it flies forward.
5. Try rotating your grip slightly clockwise (for righties), toward the Western
end of the grip spectrum. This will make your racquet face open up later in your
swing and will help you generate more topspin. If you're using a Continental grip,
rotate at least 45 degrees clockwise to an Eastern forehand grip. It probably
won't take long for you to wonder why you ever used the Continental forehand.
6. You might be leaning back when hitting. Although some players nowadays hit
off their back foot, it's still advisable for most of us to hit with our weight
on our front foot.
7. You might be hitting too far in front of your body, causing your racquet to
open up too far. Try meeting the ball slightly farther back.
8. If you are brushing down the back of the ball, the backspin you're creating
will have the opposite effect of topspin: it will make the ball float farther
in the air. Backspin (commonly called slice) can be useful, but it's much more
difficult to keep powerful shots in with backspin than with topspin. Use topspin
when you want to hit really hard, then when you want to hit backspin, try a more
forward and less downward swing, which will create less backspin and thus less
floating effect.
9. Try using a racquet with tighter strings or a smaller string bed. The racquet's
usually at fault less than we'd like to think, but a powerful hitter using an
ultra-oversize or very loosely strung racquet will have legitimate equipment problems.
Problem: Hitting into the net too often.
Corrections:
1. You might be hitting late. If you meet the ball farther forward, your racquet
will have opened up more, and you'll hit higher. If you use a big, looping backswing,
it might be taking too long, and you can try a smaller loop.
2. Try starting the forward part of your swing with the racquet farther below
the ball -- at least a foot. You'll get more lift, and you'll also have an easier
time generating topspin.
3. Try rotating your grip counterclockwise toward the Eastern position. I wouldn't
recommend going past Eastern toward Continental.
4. If you're hitting a lot of topspin, aim higher. One of the biggest benefits
of hitting topspin is the added net clearance it provides. Take advantage of this
by aiming at least three feet above the net. Some topspin hitters average more
than six feet above the net.
5. You might have your racquet face tilted down too much on your backswing.
6. If you're trying to roll over the ball to create topspin, don't. Trying to
roll over the ball does nothing but make you turn your wrist in a way that will
only hurt your stroke. The ball isn't on your strings long enough for you to roll
over it. You create topspin by brushing a vertical racquet face up the back of
the ball.
Hitting Left or Right or Lacking Power
Problem: Often hitting the ball farther left than intended.
Corrections:
1. You're probably too close to the ball, which cramps your arm into your body
and causes you to pull left as you swing.
2. If your swing is at all rotational, hitting early will make you hit too far
left. Uncoiling your upper body to generate power is good, but you don't want
your racquet swinging around you like a gate. Try to keep the racquet going forward
and up.
3. Try extending your follow-through out toward your target more.
Problem: Often hitting the ball farther
right than intended.
Corrections:
1. You're probably hitting late. When you pull your racquet back, the tip points
at the back fence, and the face points to your right. The face turns forward as
you swing, but if you're late, it sometimes won't reach that forward-facing direction.
2. Laying your wrist back on your backswing is an appropriate way to enhance power,
but if you don't let it snap forward naturally as you swing, and it's still laid
back when you strike the ball, you'll hit farther right than intended.
3. Try extending your follow-through out toward your target more.
Problem: Not enough power.
Corrections:
1. Loosen up! The ball weighs two ounces, the average racquet ten to eleven ounces.
If you get a bunch of big muscles all tensed up to hit the ball, you'll be better
prepared to push your car out of a snow bank than to generate the racquet-head
speed you need to make a powerful shot. Don't try to muscle the ball. You'll hit
harder with a loose, quick motion.
2. Use your whole body. Whether you're using the classic forward motion or the
more contemporary uncoiling motion, your legs, torso, and body weight should all
be contributing to your shot. Don't make your arm do all of the work.Today's players
must react faster and are forced to hit on the run due to the power developed
in the groundstrokes and the serves. Hence, they adopt an open stance. The traditional
square stance takes longer to execute but it generates linear momentum; as the
player steps forward toward the ball, and angular momentum; from the rotation
of the legs, hips, and trunk. In contrast, in the open stance there is little
or no transfer of linear momentum since the step is taken side ways, and only
the segment rotations are used to generate power for the forward swing.
3. You might be trying to use your body, but failing to translate the body's contribution
into racquet-head speed. Improper timing is the most likely fault in the classic
swing. If you're trying to uncoil, you need to make sure that each body segment's
uncoil triggers the next, culminating in the whipping up and forward of the racquet.
4. Your backswing might be too short. The longer your backswing, the more time
the racquet has to build up speed.