| Have you thought about becoming a tennis player? If | | | | point of being straight over your head, you can hit the |
| you already play, do you want to improve? Do you | | | | ball over your opponent's head while not hitting the ball |
| watch professional tennis and wonder how the stars | | | | past the baseline. Charge the net if your opponent |
| make great shots? By reading this article, you will at | | | | chases the ball. |
| least learn how to hold your own on the court. We will | | | | Overhead Shots: If the ball comes at a height over |
| discuss the techniques you must use to master tennis. | | | | your head, raise your racket head over the ball and |
| Playing at the Net: Stand a few feet away from the | | | | come down sideways. The best way to hit overhead |
| net when your doubles partner serves. While you wait | | | | shots is to slice through them. |
| for the ball to come from your opponent's side, you | | | | Line Shots: To hit the ball down the line with power, roll |
| must use the "continental grip" - this means you must | | | | your front hip forward and swing over the side of the |
| hold your tennis racket by the handle with your elbow | | | | ball with all your might while rolling your back hip |
| bent to the side away from your body while your | | | | forward. Use this approach on your backhand side too. |
| racket head is up. If the ball comes toward your head | | | | Slicing: It is useful to slice the ball when you want to |
| or higher, come straight down on the ball as hard as | | | | give your opponent a shallow shot or throw his timing |
| you can or dump the ball inside the inner line of the | | | | off. To slice the ball, raise your racket head over the |
| doubles alley. If the ball comes toward your waist, | | | | ball, come down the side of the ball and yank your |
| lower your racket head sideways to block the ball | | | | racket head under the ball. You can help develop the |
| back over the net. To avoid losing a point, never touch | | | | ability to use a backhand slice by improving your |
| the net during a play. | | | | hand-eye coordination. You can do this by touching tiny |
| Charging the Net: You must leave the baseline and | | | | marks with each finger. |
| charge the net when you make your opponent run | | | | Drop Shots: It is a good idea to drop the ball over the |
| toward a corner. The reason why you should do this is | | | | net especially when you are close and do not want to |
| your opponent will likely hit the ball softly and you need | | | | hit the ball out of bounds by hitting it too hard. To hit a |
| to be at the net to cut the ball off and put it away. | | | | drop shot, bring your racket head under the ball and |
| Once you decide to charge the net, keep coming and | | | | come up the side lightly. |
| do not go back. | | | | Building Speed: It is important to develop speed to |
| Preparation and Footwork: Always stand with your | | | | reach more shots. Run sprints or take up speed |
| knees bent and hold your racket up with both hands | | | | walking. You can walk quickly by walking like a penguin |
| as you wait for the ball to come. As soon as the ball | | | | in a way. Walk at a brisk pace and swing your arms |
| leaves your opponent's racket, turn to the side with | | | | while rolling your hips back and forth. |
| one foot out in front with both knees bent. If you are | | | | Hitting on the Run: If you must run to a corner to |
| right-handed and the ball comes to your right side, or | | | | retrieve a shot, hit the ball into the air to give yourself |
| forehand side, turn toward the right with your left foot | | | | enough time to get back to the middle of the baseline. |
| out in front. If you are right-handed and the ball comes | | | | Cover Your Doubles Partner: If your partner is playing |
| to your left side, or backhand side, turn to the left with | | | | near the server's line and runs to your side to hit a |
| your right foot out in front. | | | | shot, move over to the other side. Be prepared to |
| Swinging: When I started playing tennis, I hit a lot of | | | | chase a ball hit over your partner. |
| balls long or over the fence because I would hit them | | | | Serving: To serve successfully, lean forward, toss the |
| with my racket pointing to the sky. As I started to hit | | | | ball up high with your racket already held up and come |
| the ball with my racket head angled toward the top of | | | | down on the ball before it drops too low. To avoid |
| the net, I could keep the ball on the court but had | | | | making a foot fault, do not lift a foot over the baseline. |
| nothing on it because I was still not using the proper | | | | First Serve: On the first serve, you should hit the ball as |
| fundamentals and hardly anyone would hit with me. | | | | hard as you can. A great way to put a lot of spin and |
| When you take a swing to hit the ball on your | | | | movement on the serve is to toss up the ball and |
| forehand side or backhand side, you must raise your | | | | come straight down the side as hard as you can. |
| racket over your head, then bring the racket head | | | | Second Serve: It is imperative to make sure you do |
| toward the ground and then bring your racket head | | | | not make a fault on your second serve; therefore, you |
| toward your shoulder. | | | | must ease up when serving the second time. I like to |
| Making Contact: You must guess the speed of the ball | | | | toss the ball up while spinning my hand and hit the ball |
| and meet the ball at the right spot. You don't want to | | | | lightly while leaning forward on my second serve. |
| meet the ball all the way in front of you and you don't | | | | Strategy: Do what it takes to outsmart your opponent |
| want to let the ball jam you or get past you. You need | | | | and create discomfort. Exploit his weaknesses. Hit the |
| to meet the ball with a full arm extension at a | | | | ball away from her. Change speeds. Hit the ball lightly |
| northeast angle. | | | | or hit a lob after hitting the ball hard several times to |
| Lobbing: When your opponent rushes the net after | | | | upset your opponent's timing. Hitting the ball down the |
| hitting the ball to you, try to get the ball over her head. | | | | middle of the court often works in doubles because |
| If you get your racket head under the ball and lift the | | | | both players on the other side wonder whether they |
| ball with plenty of force to the point where your racket | | | | should retrieve the incoming shot. |
| head arrives between the point of being flat and the | | | | Follow these techniques to master tennis! |