| Consistency is about playing within your abilities. Many | | | | aimed for the line, the probability of hitting the ball out is |
| players try to hit shots that are just too good. Aiming | | | | much higher. Professionals are good enough that they |
| at the lines, or trying to thread a winner past a doubles | | | | can shrink the court even more by dividing it into |
| player at the net are two examples of trying to be too | | | | further halves. In other words, their margin for error is |
| good. One of the easiest ways to dramatically | | | | much lower. For beginners and intermediates the larger |
| improve your consistency, and decrease your error | | | | the margin of error the better. |
| rate is to practice aiming for the "half-of-the-half". | | | | This technique is also very useful if you are playing |
| What I want you to do is imagine a tennis court. Divide | | | | poorly. If your shots are missing by a lot, increase the |
| the court into two halves (ie: deuce and ad sides). Now | | | | size of the court by aiming at more realistic targets. |
| mentally draw a line down the middle of each half | | | | Some days you may have to aim every ball right |
| court. Every time you hit a tennis ball aim at this | | | | down the middle of the court, other days at the |
| imaginary line. This is referred to as aiming at the | | | | "half-of-the-half", and other days you may be in the |
| "half-of-the-half". | | | | "zone" and you'll be able to aim shots directly at the |
| The benefits of aiming at this imaginary line is that if | | | | lines. |
| you "miss" there are two possible results: you'll hit a | | | | Practice dividing the court using imaginary lines to help |
| great shot (ie: one that is closer to the line), or your | | | | you pinpoint your accuracy. The "half-of-the-half" is just |
| shot will be neutral (ie: towards the middle of the court). | | | | one simple example to drastically improve your |
| Neither of which is a horrible outcome. Contrarily, if you | | | | consistency. |