Advice on what I can improve?

a43

New User
Here is a video of me playing: https://youtu.be/EESpMiEA1p4. What can I improve to take my game to the next level? I am open to any and all suggestions (footwork, technique, positioning, etc...). For reference, I am an 11th grader and play 1st singles at my school. I have been playing for ~5 years now. I would rate myself a 4.0 ntrp player.
 

a43

New User
BTW, I have spent all summer trying to build myself up - At the beginning of June I was 6'0 125lb and now I am 6'2 137lb, so some progress there, but still a long way to go.
 

nyta2

Legend
from skimming the vid, i'd personally focus on footwork... eg. split, move with urgency to the ball, arrive in balance (adjusting steps!), with weight moving forward (eg. plant behind the ball, even if you have to make a little "C" when you run (fight to get your rear foot planted behind the contact)
my $0.02
 
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Mr.Lob

G.O.A.T.
Should of had the camera on the other sideline or behind you. Difficult to see what's going on.
 

Chas Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Your camera has an automatic exposure control. The sun is directly in the field of view of the camera. The camera's automatic exposure control adjusts for the bright sky and the sun. As a result, your stroke video is very dark for showing your strokes.

Look at your body and see the sunny side and the side in shadow. Don't place the camera to squarely view the shadow side of your body. Don't have the sun in the video field of view.

Shoot a very short video and see how it looks. If you can't see the stroke, move the camera to the other side of the court, ad or deuce.

You can also use your eye and move around to see how things look.

Get a smartphone adapter and a low cost tripod, about $30.
 
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zaph

Professional
It is hard to tell from a side view in practice. Rear camera in match play would be more useful.
 

Chas Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Compare your strokes one above the other single frame in this post. To single frame on Youtube, stop video and use the period & comma keys. Always select the video using alt key + left mouse click, otherwise the video starts playing. It's most accurate to compare strokes from the same camera views. Go to impact frames for your video and a pro video. Move back single frame comparing the most similar racket positions. Note differences. High speed video 240 fps is good for observing strokes.


Find other forehand and backhand compilations or a model forehand player, etc. and post them one above the other, as I did. Five videos per post is a limit on the forum.
 
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ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
Here is a video of me playing: https://youtu.be/EESpMiEA1p4. What can I improve to take my game to the next level? I am open to any and all suggestions (footwork, technique, positioning, etc...). For reference, I am an 11th grader and play 1st singles at my school. I have been playing for ~5 years now. I would rate myself a 4.0 ntrp player.


Hard to tell much from a practice video as such. How is your match play? Are you winning, or what issues are you having in losses? Any play outside of HS tennis, like USTA juniors?
 

a43

New User
Hard to tell much from a practice video as such. How is your match play? Are you winning, or what issues are you having in losses? Any play outside of HS tennis, like USTA juniors?
I play some USTA tournaments (usually level 6) but lose a lot. I tend to struggle with consistency when it comes to match play and suffer from nerves when it comes to important points.
 
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