Strange Little Things That Helped You

[fuzz nation]

I love the idea of looking at the ball like a clock face to get better extension with my strokes - this also works well with some of my students. When the ball is over on my right (forehand) side, I think of hitting the ball out at 3 o'clock, and when it's on my left (backhand) side, I try to hit it out at 9 o'clock. This has been especially helpful when looking for a good move with a one-handed backhand.

Keep in mind though that almost no tennis tips are universal and some can actually be sort of a placebo. If one of my kids is swinging wrong and perhaps using too much arm to hit the ball, I might cue them to tune in to the feeling in their legs and feet just to get their heads out of the way of their swings. These sorts of tips are probably the strangest of all.

[Gonzalito17]

Originally Posted by rufus_smith

During the pre-match warm-up, I will hit several groundtrokes by hitting the ball way out in front of me, more so than I would in the match. Really helps me get off to a good start on my groundies.

Sometimes in warm up, I will pactice some serves standing about one foot inside the baseline and try to not fault. I think it forces me to get more arc or spin on the ball to get the ball in the serve box in a shorter distance. I think it helps to prevent long faults, my nemesis, when doing proper serves.

Rufus Rios used to do that with his serve in warmups, while at the same time holding four balls in the toss hand, each one to be tossed. Another example of the extraordinary control in RIos' hands.

[TomT]

Originally Posted by danno123

When hitting an approach shot, I don't chip and charge, I hit a chip while charging.

In my last couple of matches I've been doing this more and it has resulted in much more effective approach shots. But they're not just chips, they're driving slightly undercut backhands or forehands with pretty good pace that have very low net clearance, go deep, and skid. Very difficult for my usual opponents (generally, anything from 4.0 down) to handle ... even if I hit those shots right back at them.

[boramiNYC]

seeing a big jump in improvement involved losing quite a bit of muscle mass and improving overall coordination esp more and better use of the core region. stop working out and lose weight and improve flexibility of the core and strength of extremities, hands and feet.

[rufus_smith]

Originally Posted by Gonzalito17

Rufus Rios used to do that with his serve in warmups, while at the same time holding four balls in the toss hand, each one to be tossed. Another example of the extraordinary control in RIos' hands.

Cool, thanks. Rios is an all-time fav of mine. I'm going to try the four ball toss today for kicks.

[CheekyMullet]

Originally Posted by DolgoSantoro

I have one, today I noticed that when Safin hits a backhand he juts his left elbow out like he's trying to elbow someone behind his back. You can see it in this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrCyCbXe1d0

So just for kicks I tried it out and noticed I was hitting my backhand a lot cleaner and harder.

I just have to dig this one up and thank the OP for this input. My 2hbh has been pretty awful. From the start I have tried to adopt the both-hands-straight-takeback and I just have never got the timing right for different paces and ball heights. So when the matches matter and going gets tough I have mainly sliced all my backhands. But its a shot to only hold me in point.
For a month now I have tried to emulate what Safin does/did and boy how it has changed my game from the backhand side. I have much better control, better topspin, get cleaner contact, more power if needed and I can return a serve with two hands now. I still have a lot of work to do with my backhand but this tip has helped me immensely. Thank you!

[TennisCJC]

Little gems that have helped me:

1. Get the hand outside of the contact point when serving for a rightie the angle from the hand to the contact point looks like this angle \.

2. Oscar's take the hand to the ball slowly and pull up and across helps my FH and 2 HBH.

[Relinquis]

i used to have a bad habit of not looking at the ball during my swing/at contact. i do everything right, but look away to where i want to hit the ball at the last moment. bad habit.

cure.

i focus on the ball in detail: what kind of spin is on it, where on it's surface i'm going to hit it and i try to feel the ball against my racquet at contact as i swing through/across/up/down on it. sometimes i try to read "US Open" or whatever is written on it.

focusing on the details of the incoming ball ensures that i'm looking at it as i approach it and during contact. it also forces me to make up my mind beforehand about where on the court i'm going to hit it.

[lobman]

This is akin to one of Gallwey's Inner Tennis suggestions when he talks about "Riding the ball." Especially when receiving serve as well as when hitting and returning ground strokes, I try to focus on the ball, its flight from my opponent's racquet to mine, and nothing else. Gallwey's notion is that by focusing on the ball you "park your mind in order to keep it out of trouble." For me, I get into trouble when I consciously focus on the shot I plan to hit, where my opponent(s) are standing, what the score is, etc. So to try and keep my mind uncluttered this seems to help. (I know, some think this is voo-doo or bumper sticker psychology or whatever, but it works for me and others.