Got Every Shot, Never Know Which to Choose... How to Practice?

[HuusHould]

That's interesting. It's so sad to have to intentionally remove variety from your game, though, because variety is so fun. I really hope there's a balance, by which you can utilize the variety, but not select it to the degree that you confuse yourself out there.

Yeah, I'm actually not sure she's doing the right thing. I think that her variety was something that set her apart from the majority of WTA tour players. I didn't see a lot of the USO that she won, but I assume she was doing what was her usual thing at the time and mixing it up a lot. It's an interesting one because I guess mixing it up has the potential to upset your opponents rhythm, but it can do the same thing to your own.

 

[TennisCJC]

There was an open level player from Australia that used to post here. I believe he once said "tennis is easy. hit it deep cross court until you get a short ball, and then hit it DTL and go to the net". Brad Gilbert told Agassi to never go DTL unless he had at least one foot inside the court. I played 4.5 when younger and it usually came down to the best ball striker rather than the best tactician. I think hitting CC until you get a short ball is a great starting point. An acceptable variation is go to a weakness. If your opponent has a weaker side, then go DTL to get to that weakness would be a good option but recognize you are simply redirecting DTL to the weakness and not trying to blister a winner DTL.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

That's interesting. It's so sad to have to intentionally remove variety from your game, though, because variety is so fun.

I don't think it's sad. I think it's simply a recognition of what I do well and what I don't do so well. Also, if excessive variety is hurting your performance, it makes sense to simplify things.

It's also based on how important winning is. If it's the most important thing, you'll do what you have to do, even if it makes you sad. If it's not the most important thing, you have to judge how much fun you want to have with more variety vs how much you want to win with less variety. [And it's not a static decision: as you improve, you can add variety.]

I really hope there's a balance, by which you can utilize the variety, but not select it to the degree that you confuse yourself out there.

There is a balance but it's different for everyone. I would think most people could improve if they reduced their variety.

 

[matterer]

Oh yeah, I used to do this all the time, finish over my head. It felt like the only way to get topspin when the ball already started so high. Ty for the advice: gonna go back to this.

np. Another thing that can really make the game easier is to shorten your swing, and accelerate harder with a looser wrist to swing faster. "Slapping" the ball. You can generate tons of rackethead speed, and swing from closer to the ball. Swinging fast from so close means the ball will barely move from from initiation of the forward swing to contact, so you can really line up your shot and go straight at it. Swinging harder doesn't make the shot more difficult, so it's more about how much time you have to set up. Once you get the hang of it, your wrist position is really reliable, and aiming is much easier with a short swing. Fognini is probably the best player to watch and imitate because his groundstrokes are so simple and effective.

 

[Bender]

Recently I've been hitting my forehand at like 80-90% power and they've all been going in.

The reason is because a good 40-60% of all that energy goes into spin creation (or at least I think it is), trying to get it to kick up to at least everyone's shoulders.

It's also resulted in me hitting a lot of reverse forehands though.

 

[ubercat]

On the FH try and develop a windshield wiper short angle with a bit of side. And not too high over net. You will get some clean winners. And you want them having to move forward to a low ball for the pass. They will net plenty of those.

And before I get sent to the rest home for pushing my old man game. If you get a deep waist high cc FH where the ball has run out of steam. Smash the crap out of those cc. Corner to corner its just as impossible to hit long. Hitting wide is a different matter.