An honest opinion of my game

[shake&bake]

Hey guys, hope you all are doing well, its been a while since I've been on here. I am a senior in high school and I really want to play Division 1 collegiate tennis. I picked up a racquet for the first time about 3 years ago, so I know I have some stuff to improve on but I would like to hear from you guys. Hope you all like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vCARzTREgE

Thanks
-Will

[The Meat]

Include some groundstrokes and volleys from the back perspective to show how the ball is traveling to your opponent. Also, try to include some more match play with people other than your coach.

Use this as a reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIIgs4qQNvo

This could be just me, and I'm not even close to your level, but it seems like your backhand is an obvious weakness compared to your forehand, so opponents would target it more. Maybe focus on cleaning it up some more. Your forehand is pretty good looking though

[AM_ledge]

Nice hitting. Are you an Isner fan?

[Fuji]

Man your footwork is awesome! On the forehand side your feet never stopped moving, awesome work!

-Fuji

Fuji you are probably the nicest person on TT. Always so upbeat and cheerful!

[shake&bake]

Thanks for the nice comments guys! My backhand is not as strong as my forehand, my coach and I have worked on making my serve and forehand my major weapons, and my backhand reliable but not something im going to hit winner after winner with. And I am a big Isner fan, Ive tried to mimic his whole game since I first saw him play. And thank you Fuji, Ive never had great footwork but that is something Ive been working hard on lately!

[karth500]

I am nowhere close to your level either, so I'll defer to others for a critique of your game. but I think you have a gorgeous forehand. I think I am going to try and emulate your footwork and hip rotation on your forehand side. Also love how your feet were constantly moving.

I agree with others that an angle from behind would be more useful. The backhand seems a little less consistent and it seems like you were reaching on a few of your backhands. You only mixed in one bh slice. If you could show that you have a good penetrating, neutralizing slice, that would also be good I think.

Anyway, I am sure this is isn't anything you and your coach already don't know. Keep up the good work! Hope you achieve your goal of playing D1. :thumbup:

[TheCheese]

Very nice serves and crisp volleys.

[NTRPolice]

I dont know what a recruiter looks for so I might be mistaken...

But I think they would want to see some point play or rallies especially with a legit opponent. If you had some short clips of even a high school match, or some pre-season clips I think that would look really great.

The foot work is crazy, like Kholschreiber status.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPvJ0WJ_4f8

I would also take off my personal information from that clip or at least make the video "unlisted" so only people with the link can see it. If you really want to go the "public" route, I would make another video, make it public, but only put a contact email (not your personal one) just in case.

You can leave the "public" one in display with your "tennis email" and you can use your "unlisted" video to send direct links to potential colleges with your personal information.

I get a lot of weird texts on my phone from people as it is. I can only imagine how bad it will be if I had my phone number on a public Youtube video.

[ATP100]

1. Watch the ball....you don't.
2. Serve...higher ball toss.
3. Footwork.....it is busy, but you need a footwork coach.

4. 3 years of play/practice...looks pretty good.

[shake&bake]

Thanks for the advice guys. I put this thing together in 2 days so I completely forgot about putting the camera behind.

Still a very good video nonetheless

[goran_ace]

Your strokes are fine and the video is fine. You hit a good ball and I like your footwork. Looked you up on tennisrecruiting.net and looks like you've got a group of schools on there were you could have a good shot at becoming a contributor, except for Charlotte where it might be bit of a reach to crack the lineup. Looks like you are rated exactly where you should be (2 star). There really isn't anything you can show in a video that will speak louder than your record, but if you get a few breakthrough wins against a 3 or 4 star this year that could turn some heads and show you have potential to play bigger.

[chrischris]

Like the intensity , perhaps its even too 'much' . i think that you maybe go flat too early if you are that amped up. I think you could try to keep your head more level longer while imapcting on your backhand.. it looks like you are jerking a bit there and maybe prone to mishits and lack of mass on that side due to lack of mass on contact.
Good video overall . best of luck.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by shake&bake

Hey guys, hope you all are doing well, its been a while since I've been on here. I am a senior in high school and I really want to play Division 1 collegiate tennis. I picked up a racquet for the first time about 3 years ago, so I know I have some stuff to improve on but I would like to hear from you guys. Hope you all like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vCARzTREgE

Thanks
-Will

Your forehand looks excellent. However, you consistently set up in a neutral or near neutal stance. IMO, you will generate more power and spin setting up in a more open stance.

Your backhand is good, but, IMO, your takeback is too circular, and you are dipping your right shoulder and leading with your upper body which prevents you from leading with your legs and hips and generating a kinetic chain and upper body rotation. I would recommend that you take your hands straight back (not that big loop), with a straight (or nearly straight) right arm, and the racquet pointing straight up. In the forward swing, keep your shoulders level and lead your forward swing by rotating your left hip toward the target. This hip rotation will pull your shoulders, which will pull your arms and racquet through contact.

IMO, Andre Agassi had the greatest backhand of all time. Check out his technique in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1qv6S7KJug

Your serve is good. But, it could be better. I'm betting your second serve drops off in power, spin and reliability during a match. You are arming the ball and using very little upper body rotation. Like groundstrokes, upper body rotation on serve will add a lot of mass and racquet speed to your shot. In order to maximize upper body rotation on serve, at the peak of your toss, your shoulders should be turned and tilted as much as possible so that you can rotate around your spine adding both mass and racquet speed to your shot. Currently, you have almost "ZERO" shoulder turn and tilt. At the peak of the toss, your opponent should be able to see your shoulder blades. In addition, your left shoulder should be as high above the right shoulder as possible which is accomplished by sliding your hip to the target as you toss the ball causing your body to bow. With your spine angled back, and your upper body rotating around your spine, as you rotate toward the target, your right shoulder will rotate up to the ball and your shoulder tilt will reverse with the right shoulder above the left shoulder. This will add a lot of free, effortless power and spin will improve your serve, and save your arm in the long run.

Here are two excellent online serving lessons that will help you picture what I'm talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPVdppfYGs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoZ0f7hw-A

Your volleys are ok. But, you let your racquet head drop on too many volleys. It's one thing to volley balls 3 feet above the net from 5 feet away from the net. It's something else to volley balls below your knees from 10-15 feet from the net. Keep the racquet head above your hand, and keep the angle between your arm and racquet constant throughout your volleys.

Hope this helps.

[cluckcluck]

Just from watching your backhands, it looks like you are laboring on that stroke, as if it is a struggle for you. What's your match record?

[MarinaHighTennis]

Its people like you that make me wish I took tennis lessons. I WANT THAT FOREHAND!!!

About that backhand, you need to come into the ball more. But the most puzzling thing is that you're only a 2 star?!!! (0_o)
https://www.tennisrecruiting.net/player.asp?id=764657

we also need match play for a college recruiting video. Good luck!

[TCF]

================================================

[Cheetah]

Excellent hitting for only 3 years.

Question: Why don't you ever hit off the back foot on your fh? Seems almost every shot was w/ a neutral-ish stance and coming off the right foot.

The footwork is good but not the most efficient. You have active feet which is good but I'm not sure I agree with some of the steps you are taking.

I think your racquet head speed on your fh is on the slow slide. I think this is because your hip is not very involved in the swing.
Your hip and shoulders are rotating together instead of having separation between them so there's a break (or weakness at the least) in the kinetic chain there.
I also think you need more topspin than what you're getting now. That will come though when you increase rhs and go open/semi open stance. You are hitting hard but not heavy and the sound of your strikes sound 'un-heavy'.
Heavy is better. Go heavy or go home.

The serve is good but could be better. There's a slight hitch in your serve and I'm not digging your trophy pose either. Your elbow is too far away from the body and too low.

But good stuff. Your coach has done a good job. Good luck.