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    Hitting shins and knee on serve

    I used to hit my shins on kick serves (I was staying sideways as long as possible), and I spent a lot of time practicing with slow, half effort swings and focusing on finishing with the racquet on my backhand side and my serve shoulder pointed at the target.
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    Tennis Rule Question in Doubles

    The Code is not the rules. You are supposed to follow the Code in USTA matches, but I wouldn't cite them in a friendly game. I think it is more correct to say that this is a clear hindrance under Rule 26 of the Code (If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the...
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    Help with forehand

    Your steps are too big, and you end up lunging and getting off balance during some of the strokes. When your are practicing with a ball machine, stay on your toes and take lots of a small quick steps to move to the ball. Consider getting a very light resistance band and tying it around your...
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    Serve Advice (includes video)

    I would suggest more shoulder rotation. To get more back showing to the opponent, start the toss/swing with your front shoulder (as a righty) pointed toward the right net post. Don't move the toss (still needs to be slightly forward and between you and the net)
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    Tips for better volleys

    It is good technique to choke up the handle on volleys, especially for forehands.
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    Getting that extra kick on that kick serve

    I use a kick serve for both first and second serves, and I like to hit both with similar effort/arm speed. For my first serve, I use a toss that is slightly more out front and higher so if the racket is moving in an arch, I would hit the first serve closer to the peak while the second serve...
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    Low forehands going long and to high

    Bend your knees so you get positioned to use a similar swing path as a regular ball at your waist. Otherwise, think of a low ball near your feet as a more defensive shot that you are going to roll back with less speed and more height/depth
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    Tricks for the crosscourt forehand?

    It sounds like you are late on your swing - move to a heavier racquet? For cross court FH, it helps me to make contact way forward and imagine that I brushing up the outside side surface and over the top of the ball during my stroke.
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    Please comment on my serves (slow motion)

    Small change: try keeping up your right foot further left and behind your left foot during the tossing motion (maybe don't move it during the toss) so your backside is pointed at the intended target when you start swinging. You don't have much torso rotation remaining to power your serve with...
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    USTA 4.5 Singles Help?

    I feel like you are hitting every shot (especially fh) with the same effort and pace. Try to rally with a 80% effort, loopier/deep crosscourt shoot when you are in a neutral or defensive position, but only hit harder/flatter or change shot directions when you are inside the court or your...
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    How valuable are private lessons?

    obviously, having a coach to start is helpful to build good basic techniques. I don't know how much extra value a coach can give an experienced player with strong fundamentals in a couple of lessons. If you were going to rebuild a stroke, I would see a coach about making such as big change...
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    Hit a ball in from a neighboring court - legal?

    I do not read this to mean that the point is over when a ball is on the adjacent court, only that a player cannot claim a do-over of the point merely based on ball going into another court. My understanding of the rules is that a player loses a point, for example, when a player does not hit the...
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    Serving - Avoid these bad habits and advice

    When I am struggling on serve, I try to think of tossing higher, keeping my head/tossing arm for longer, and generally swinging up and through the ball. I think the items you mentioned (hitting on edge, having a racket drop, and pronation) are signs of good technique, but too often I see...
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    Serve strategies in doubles

    I serve 8 out 10 times down the middle using a faster second serve (kick to deuce side/top-slice to ad side, as a righty). I am giving up aces to try and force a tough return that my partner can attack and to limit passing angles. I hit flat/wide only occasionally to keep the returners honest
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    Wrist action on 2-handed backhand - how to change?

    I (righty) regularly practice my 2hbd by holding the racket with my left hand and only the thumb and index finger of my right hand on the handle to allow the left hand to control motion and operate loosely, like a lefty forehand (the right hand doesn't do much except act act as fulcrum at the...
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    headed to my first USTA Sectional event. Tips, advice, etc?

    My biggest struggle at sectionals is going from playing a match once or twice a week at night, to playing several matches per day outside in the sun. Its getting hotter and sunnier, so try to play outside during the day as much as possible in the next month. Also, its likely that only some...
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    Can hitting too many serves cause injury?

    if you watch pros practicing, they rarely hit full speed. I usually practice with a 75% effort for timing and placement.
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    Some rec doubles questions

    When you are playing doubles, to point of the the positioning is to cover the easy angles so that any winners have to be hard, low percentage shots. In your first case, back up a few steps and jump step to be ready, while your partner continues to cover the service side so that your team can...
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    Serve Critique Please!

    You look like you are trying to swing forward through the ball (like baseball pitcher), and should be focusing on swinging up at the ball (which actually produces more force). I suggest turning your body more (to show more back toward the service box) and using more archers bow (bending your...
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    Be gentle

    Your swing path on both FH and BH sides is pretty level, which means you will hit a mostly flat ball that will not have much net clearance. I see you finish high, but the swing path during contact is pretty level. I would suggest practicing with an exaggerated low to high path (from your feet...
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    Any easy way to quickly learn at least a halfway decent consistent kick serve?

    I learn to kick using a similar technique as the "dirty diaper" technique from Jeff Salzenstein. Basically, I (righty) sat in a stool at the service line and on the ad-side (facing the right net post), and did a lot of reps serving with a toss over my head and my arm swinging parallel to the...
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    Can a player be DQ'd (from 4.0) if he's self rated as 1 level below (3.5)?

    I don't see people getting DQ's for winning close matches at a level, even if the player wins all their matches. In fact, a close win against a weak player can lower your USTA dynamic rating. I see them more at districts/sectionals when you have self-rated players beating opponents at the top...
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    Partner got hit in the face yesterday....

    If you are at the net and get hit be a poach volley, you should be annoyed at your partner who hit a floater. Most people are not trying to hurt other players (I would never hit an overhead toward a net opponent), but the idea of the poach is to immediately win the point since the poachers is...
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    How to gain max control on 2nd serve for not double faulting

    When practicing second serves, it helps me to pay attention to the ball's flight path rather than focusing on whether the serve is in or out. In particular, I want to have a serve that goes high over the net (2+ feet) and is landing well short of the service line to have a greater margin for...
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    Tips to improve volleys

    Back in the day, my coach made me play games while staying in the court (like playing badminton). You learn to hit half volleys and to hit awkward volleys around your feet. This practice was fun and really helped my volley technique, particularly the first volley after serving when playing...
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    how to stop playing too aggressively in matches

    I like to shorten my backswing but use a good follow-through when I am missing with too much aggression. You want controlled swings. Thinking of being not aggressive (not making mistakes) leads to passive play with bad form, like incomplete strokes .
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    Beginner Serve Help Day 16 - Loading on the Right Foot

    Stay sideways and keep your right foot back for now. Think of shifting weight forward from right foot to left foot during the swing (while not moving your feet). I agree with comments above that stepping forward with the right leg is causing you to open up and hit without any force.
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    Help on serve analysis

    Looks to me like an inconsistent toss (low and behind on slice). Your last serve looked like a pretty good flat serve. The difference in toss location is really small
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    Volley - Always sliced or natural motion?

    I would suggest that you start by holding the racquet so that the head is higher than and laid back behind your wrist. The racquet face is almost vertical for high balls, and open for low balls. Use forward volley motion (I think if it as a stabbing motion). The biggest problem I see in...
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    how do i get comfortable with volley grip

    Make sure you are using a proper technique. If you have a waiter's grip serve, going to a continental grip is not going to solve your problems. Likewise, if you volley with your hand held in front of your torso, like you are holding a stop sign, using a continental grip is not going to...
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