Please review my return of serve

[racquet88]

PLEASE START THE VID AT 3:00 MINS.
This is my first practice on learning how to attack a high weak serve.
Any recommendations will be apreciated, so i can adjust before hitting
wayyy too many wrong balls. I noticed myself i could have a more compact swing, the thing is i am soooo used to have a long swing it is kind of hard. How can i train my body to hit compact sometimes?
Thank U!
http://youtu.be/TKJOsGcqh0g

[LeeD]

It appears you are not only anticipating where the ball is going (something you can't do with a real person serving), but you are mindlessly just hitting the ball towards the other court, instead of having a specific target on the other court.
Coming to a stop, split stepping, at the center of the intersect of possible angles is one place to start, and NOT moving before the ball is halfway towards your court.
Then getting the racket back SOONER is most important.
You should aim your returns either wide CC or DTL, but don't just hit them without a specific target.

[dozu]

is this the first ever female video?

good for you girl.

I don't think you want to go compact... ladies do need longer swings to put some juice on the ball.

FH looks good.. you just want some more body rotation so the arm has more freedom to swing, without crashing into the body.

BH, you want to stay more sideways without opening up too soon, so that you can swing down the target line. firm wrist, firm elbow, solid racket face control, and swing down the target line.

once you have these things down, on weak serves you can send balls deep to opp's bh corner, and close in the net to finish off easy volleys.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by racquet88

PLEASE START THE VID AT 3:00 MINS.
This is my first practice on learning how to attack a high weak serve.
Any recommendations will be apreciated, so i can adjust before hitting
wayyy too many wrong balls. I noticed myself i could have a more compact swing, the thing is i am soooo used to have a long swing it is kind of hard. How can i train my body to hit compact sometimes?
Thank U!
http://youtu.be/TKJOsGcqh0g

That sure looks like Coral Gables!

You are right about needing a more compact swing. In particular you need a more compact backswing, especially when returning real serves which won't be this weak. When you see the ball coming to your forehand or backhand, turn your side to the ball with both hands on the racquet, then let go with your left hand without any further backswing and turn your body back to the ball and just try to make clean contact. It's also important to stay relaxed throughout the swing. I think you'll get more consistency, control and power this way.

PS: LeeD is right about doing a split step as soon as you see the ball come out of the machine. Even though you know where the ball is going, you should practice your split step every time so that it becomes automatic.

[racquet88]

Actually is Fort Lauderdale. Welcome here anytime, my husband and i will be
happy to show you the city.

Thank you guys! i appreciate your valuable feedback.

[sunof tennis]

Some very good suggestions here. I would add that on backhand, you need to feel like your hitting through the ball more, you are dropping your racquet head.
Biggest problem is that as slow and loopy as the ball machine is sending the balls, you are just practicing grounstrokes. Nothing wrong with that, but it isn't the same as trying to return a good serve. Against someone who serves well you will probably have to shorten your backswing, concentrating on quick turn and moving forward into the ball.
Good luck. Maybe you can find someone who wants to practice his/her serves and you can practice your returns. You might get more out of that.