footwork to prepare for overhead

[jkhtennis]

Last night I played a doubles match. One of opponents has a weak serve, and I kept attacking his serve and followed up to the net. However, this guy hit a slice lob that passed me at least five times. Those lobs were not fast, but my overhead could barely reach a few of them and put them to the net. Other than the fact that I am short, it defintely has something to do with my footwork. Here is what happens:

1. I return the serve and follow up to the net;
2. As soon as the opponent is going to hit the ball, I split step and lean forward to prepare for a volley;
3. When I find out it is a lob, I just could not back pedal, and jump up to hit an overhead ---- I ended up dumping a few of them and missed a few more completely.

My question is how I should practise this footwork so that I can have more time, maintain the balance and get under the ball.

thanks.

 

[jun]

It could be due to a couple of reasons.
1) Your opponent's lob was simply too good.
2) Your movement needs to get better.

Or, you weren't anticipating lob quick enough. If you know that the opponent is going to lob frequently, you should be careful in closing in. Once you sense the lob is coming (your opponent is stretched, open racket face etc etc), You should expect lob. Turn side ways, don't shuffle back, CROSSOVER step to cover more ground.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

Of course, you need to practice this situation. Here are my thoughts on this:

-- Improve your serve .. bit more pace and placement so that your opponent will not be able to lob .. at least not always!

-- As soon as you figure out that a lob is coming, turn sideways, your left arm is up, and the tip of your racket is pointing to sky, the hitting arm is bent like a V.

-- If the lob is high and deep, backpaddle to bring the ball to your right and in front, smash and followthrough. For a very high lob, you may let it bounce, and then smash it.

Drill:

-- Have a partner feed you three balls: 1 FH volley, 1 BH volley, 1 deep lob.

-- Practice this for 15 minutes at least three times a week.

and you will feel marked improvement in your overhead smashes.

 

[skuludo]

It says return of serve. The poster who started the topic mentioned nothing about their own serve. Mahboob which do you suggest for moving back footwork? Use crossover steps or backpedal?

 

[degreefanlindi]

Tennis magazine

I think I recall seeing a recent article in Tennis magazine about hitting overheads and the footwork used...the new one with Capriati on the cover.

 

[kevhen]

Split step should be neutral and not going forward to volley until you know you must volley, then you should go forward. It should be neutral and balanced so you can backpedal if a lob is coming. You sound like you are charging in too hard and still leaning forward after the split step. Charge in but be in control and ready to change directions in every way.

 

[papa]

MK wrote:

"-- If the lob is high and deep, backpaddle to bring the ball to your right and in front, smash and followthrough. For a very high lob, you may let it bounce, and then smash it. "

I ONLY question the suggestion that one "backpaddle" (which I assume is backpetalling as compared to turning and running back) which is difficult along with being dangeroius. To backpetal more than five or six feet, in my opinion, is not the best move on high lobs. I think that on deep lobs its more efficient and safer to turn and run back and if necessary take the lob on the bounce. I've just seen too many people break their wrists or hit their heads when they go over backwards - these breaks can take a long time to heal.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Split step should be neutral and not going forward to volley until you know you must volley, then you should go forward. It should be neutral and balanced so you can backpedal if a lob is coming. You sound like you are charging in too hard and still leaning forward after the split step. Charge in but be in control and ready to change directions in every way.

I agree with this one.

In order to see what one has to do in order to get a "neutral split-step" some might want to read my postings in:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/viewtopic.php?t=21137&highlight=split+step

about Federer's split-step.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

Obviously the footwork used should match the situation. If the lob is quite fast and you cannot cover it with backpedaling, you should sprint toward the baseline, get ahead of the lob, get adjusted, and smash.

Sorry, you mentioned return of serve. The guy has a weaker serve. He serves, you return and follow your return to the net! I feel that you must work on your chip and charge tactic. Maybe your "chip and charge" or "rip and charge" is not penetrating enough. If your approach is shorter/weaker, then he will be able to lob you. If your approach is deeper with reasonable pace, he won't be able to lob you .. at least effectively.

Are you returning going cross-court or down the line? I suggest you attack down the line and some time down the middle, move forward, look at his racket, an instant before he strikes the ball, you split step, judge the ball, and then move toward the ball for the first volley!

 

[jun]

Split step should be neutral and not going forward to volley until you know you must volley, then you should go forward. It should be neutral and balanced so you can backpedal if a lob is coming. You sound like you are charging in too hard and still leaning forward after the split step. Charge in but be in control and ready to change directions in every way.

I agree with this one.

In order to see what one has to do in order to get a "neutral split-step" some might want to read my postings in:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/viewtopic.php?t=21137&highlight=split+step

about Federer's split-step.

When approachnig the net, you split step AT THE MOMENT your opponent MAKE CONTACT or SLIGHTLY before. Because of all the forward momentum, there is NO way you can avoid split stepping forward. Of course, if you can READ lob, there is no reason to rush in.

If you are already at the net, it's slightly different story, you can choose to split step forward, or split step neutrally, or even slightly go back (with weight still on your toe).

 

[Marius_Hancu]

When approaching the net, you split step AT THE MOMENT your opponent MAKE CONTACT or SLIGHTLY before. Because of all the forward momentum, there is NO way you can avoid split stepping forward. Of course, if you can READ lob, there is no reason to rush in.

If you are already at the net, it's slightly different story, you can choose to split step forward, or split step neutrally, or even slightly go back (with weight still on your toe).

First of all, let me mention there are two kinds of split-steps: jumped or with friction.

Sampras was mostly doing the jumped one and very energetically at that (separating himself from the ground by up to 6 inches I guess). Edberg (and Mac) was using more friction with the ground and redirection when coming to the net. Thus, at the time the opponent was hitting the ball, Edberg shuffled his feet on the ground with very small forward steps, in order to brake his movement and re-start in the new direction. I'd say I saw Federer doing both types, both mostly the 2nd (with friction) when coming to the net.

For the jumped split-step:

The pros have good enough reflexes and strong enough legs to do it AT CONTACT or SLIGHTLY AFTER, in order to make sure they can anticipate correctly with more information. Even with their forward momentum, they're landing like a cat on their toes.

If they've detected a lob to the right while in the air because of the split step, on landing they will preload more the left leg (knee and quad) and make an immediate step backwards with the right leg and start turning back the right shoulder in preparation for the smash, either after a 2nd, smaller, stutter split-step on both legs, or directly. This 2nd split step will have the function of keeping the player energized and on his toes, also of extra breaking or of backing off, and sometimes simply of delaying the decision for the next shot (lob/volley) if on the initial split-step the anticipation was not successful.

 

[jun]

First of all, whole point of split step is to be balanced, and to be able to push off either direction at the moment of landing. You see some of clips at tennisone.com. And if you are doing this even so slightly after contact, then you will be late...ESPECIALLY at the net. Even at 4.0 level, even so slightly after contact, the ball would have travelled past the net..

About two types of split step....It's not one or the other. Both happens If you look at Rafter's serve volley clip, you will see him sprinting forward with big first step, then taking small step, then take a small hop. Haven't you ever seen Mac playing and he's taking these small hops? I think you should get a member ship at tennisone.com

 

[Marius_Hancu]

About two types of split step....It's not one or the other. Both happens If you look at Rafter's serve volley clip, you will see him sprinting forward with big first step, then taking small step, then take a small hop. Haven't you ever seen Mac playing and he's taking these small hops? I think you should get a member ship at tennisone.com

There's a lot of intermediate ground in between, of course. Just wanted to emphasize the most distinct ones.

 

[jun]

At least to me, split step is A SPLIT STEP. You take a small hop, and push off the ground. Of course ENTIRE MOVEMENT includes big explosive first step, and smaller step, split step and smaller step.

Of course how you do one of these things can change depending on situation.

I don't think anyone REPLACES small hop with shuffle step or anything else, unless situation calls for it.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

First of all, whole point of split step is to be balanced, and to be able to push off either direction at the moment of landing. You see some of clips at tennisone.com. And if you are doing this even so slightly after contact, then you will be late...ESPECIALLY at the net. Even at 4.0 level, even so slightly after contact, the ball would have travelled past the net..

Your opinion is the mainstream opinion. However, I personally believe that top players (including Federer), are delaying sometimes the split-step a fraction of a second AFTER the contact.

This is confirmed by:
---------------
http://www.tennisontheline.org/coach3.shtml
Question:
What is a split-step and when should I use it?
When : It allows your leg muscles to store elastic energy, enabling explosive movement after landing. So timing is crucial. At first, you should try to split-step as your opponent starts his or her forward swing. Performance players may time it a bit later - try to find what works for you!
----------------
What you're losing in time you're gaining in information, you can see where the ball really goes from the opponent's strings and thus better anticipate and start your movement. I'd have to agree though this is tricky.

I checked many Federer returns in his match with Blake, USO 2003 , and IMO his feet jump up after one hears the impact.

BTW, for the original poster, you might want to read these articles:
Forget the Strokes, Move Your Feet!!
http://www.tennisserver.com/circlegame/circlegame_99_11.html
Meet Your Feet
http://www.tennisserver.com/circlegame/circlegame_00_01.html

 

[Marius_Hancu]

At least to me, split step is A SPLIT STEP. You take a small hop, and push off the ground. Of course ENTIRE MOVEMENT includes big explosive first step, and smaller step, split step and smaller step.

Of course how you do one of these things can change depending on situation.

I don't think anyone REPLACES small hop with shuffle step or anything else, unless situation calls for it.

Listen, I call things as I see them.

Just to make sure I'm not telling you things that I don't see, I checked again Edberg at the top, in the 1991 USO F with Courier, which I have on tape.

2nd set, 4-3, Edberg in the foreground, thus close to the viewer and the camera, serving and volleying and smashing on each and every point.

Not even once was I able to see a hop. Perhaps he does a very small one, but it unobservable. Mind you, on returns and generally at the baseline, his jumping split-steps are observable (say 1 inch), but not very high. This is a very, very smooth player.

What I saw is that in situations where others would hop when coming at the net, he establishes a larger base (more distance between the two feet) and does some very quick and short/small braking/shuffling steps with both feet, followed by changes in direction, with larger strides, etc. BTW, I saw that in Federer sometimes, when coming at the net.

And keeps all the time a very level and quite low center of gravity, using those massive quads of his to advance while "seated".

This is somewhat in accordance with what I find in "World Class Tennis Technique", Roettert and Groppel, Eds, 2001, p. 227, on Split-Step:

Drop your body quickly and lightly by bending your knees so that you feel for a split second as though you no longer feel the ground under your feet. This maneuver is called "unweighting" You will have come across this term if you ever been skiing ...

Now in order to drop your body in order to unweigh to be able to change direction, you might want to help with a small (or larger) preliminary jump, but then there are some athletes which are not quite like everybody else ...

Now Edberg moving very smoothly on a constant level, with no apparent hops, it's something very interesting, which is related to what is mentioned in the book above at p. 196, on wide volleys:
---------

This far-away volley asks for a specific legwork. We advise players to move the center of gravity along a straight line. This is only possible with strong legs.

The same principle goes for the recovery footwork when from the site of the court. If you volley is returned by the opponent, you can't affford to waste any time or distance. Therefore, the center of gravity should stay as low as it is ... Wasting time in this situation can be seen in the case when the center of gravity does not stay at the same level, but first goes down and then goes up. Weak leg muscles are primarily a cause of this problem.

Now, certainly Edberg didn't have this problem of weak leg muscles

 

[jun]

well. I looked up my edberg clip as well. I think it's against Chang in French Final..

I do see a small hop. The feet keeps on moving. But you can see the small hop before he goes on to take small steps to hit the volley.

And this is general case for a lot of pros when approaching the net.. LIke you said these split step (or hop) isn't going to be as big as ones on the baseline. But there's no doubt that these players, Pete Sampras, Partirck Rafter, Edberg, Moya, Guga, and all other pros whose clip I have watched, SPLIT STEP when serving and volleying or approaching the net.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

well. I looked up my edberg clip as well. I think it's against Chang in French Final..

I do see a small hop. The feet keeps on moving. But you can see the small hop before he goes on to take small steps to hit the volley...

It's OK. Different clips, different viewers. I was able to detect hops in the match I followed practically only at the baseline. If you ever find Courier Edberg USO 1991, I'd be curious of your comments.

BTW, in terms of Fed's split-step, I was wrong to rely on audio (comparing the sound of the contact with his jumping up to determine the timing of his split steps).

I checked Blake Federer USO 2003 again by stopping the video and it's clear Fed's in the air at the time contact is made, thus he split-steps BEFORE opponent's contact. Sorry for creating an incorrect impression.