Please critique!

[A.S.]

Hello!
Looking for some overall feedback.

Made with ordinary phone camera, sorry about the quality. And sorry about all the kids making background noise, hope it’s not too distracting.

First half (roughly) is just rallying, second half is playing for points. No serves here - that’s the weakest part of my game, can’t serve properly/consistently at all. Need a whole other video for that.

Thanks for watching.

 

[eah123]

The biggest issue I see on the forehand is you don’t make a complete unit turn. Your hips are almost always completely facing forward during the takeback. As a consequence you have poor engagement of the lower body and use almost all arm and shoulder.

It is easy to fix. Just focus on stepping with your right foot at the start of the stroke so that it points to the side fence, parallel to the baseline.
Same issue as this:

Your backhand is a bit of a mess and too many things to fix in one post. I’m sure you will get a lot of critique on it. But focus on forehand first as it’s the more important stroke.

 

[Chas Tennis]

Hello!
Looking for some overall feedback.

Made with ordinary phone camera, sorry about the quality. And sorry about all the kids making background noise, hope it’s not too distracting.

First half (roughly) is just rallying, second half is playing for points. No serves here - that’s the weakest part of my game, can’t serve properly/consistently at all. Need a whole other video for that.

Thanks for watching.

Compare strokes one above the other and single frame in this post. To single frame advance in Youtube stop video and use the period & comma keys. To select the video always use the alt key and use the left mouse click, otherwise the video starts playing. Compare your forehand to the pros. Observe and post all differences that you see and ask questions about those differences. It works most accurately to find and video your videos from those same camera angles.

Watch forehands, compare and look for all differences.

Look at the height that the ATP pros take their bracket back to vs your racket height.

Forum search the terms forehand separation Chas. I posted many times with video examples. To observe separation observe the line between the two shoulders and the line between the two hips. Those two lines viewed from above show the separation angle. How does your separation compare? How does your racket height takeback compare?

 

[A.S.]

The biggest issue I see on the forehand is you don’t make a complete unit turn. Your hips are almost always completely facing forward during the takeback. As a consequence you have poor engagement of the lower body and use almost all arm and shoulder.

It is easy to fix. Just focus on stepping with your right foot at the start of the stroke so that it points to the side fence, parallel to the baseline.
Same issue as this:

Your backhand is a bit of a mess and too many things to fix in one post. I’m sure you will get a lot of critique on it. But focus on forehand first as it’s the more important stroke.

I've been thinking more about turning the shoulders, but you're quite right, the hips aren't turning properly at all. That's a helpful video. I will try the footwork tip, thanks!
Backhand is indeed a mess

Compare strokes one above the other and single frame in this post. To single frame advance in Youtube stop video and use the period & comma keys. To select the video always use the alt key and use the left mouse click, otherwise the video starts playing. Compare your forehand to the pros. Observe and post all differences that you see and ask questions about those differences. It works most accurately to find and video your videos from those same camera angles.

Watch forehands, compare and look for all differences.

Look at the height that the ATP pros take their bracket back to vs your racket height.

Forum search the terms forehand separation Chas. I posted many times with video examples. To observe separation observe the line between the two shoulders and the line between the two hips. Those two lines viewed from above show the separation angle. How does your separation compare? How does your racket height takeback compare?

Thank you. I will do this.

 

[LeeD]

Overall feedback......
Play tennis another 2 years.
You cannot work on technique until you get to around 3.5 or 3 years of tennis.

 

[A.S.]

Overall feedback......
Play tennis another 2 years.
You cannot work on technique until you get to around 3.5 or 3 years of tennis.

But wouldn't I ingrain bad habits if I stopped working on technique and focused on just playing?
I do get the point that there are no quick shortcuts to improving.

 

[mac-1210]

I see some promising stuff in there. You definitely have the potential for some good groundstrokes. As others have said, you need to engage the whole body and start that from a proper unit turn. Watch youtube videos and learn this part.

Essentially as soon as you know you are goung to strike a forehand, you need to be bringing the racket back with you non-dominant hand and have the feeling like you are looking over your left shoulder, with the non dominant arm either pointing sideways towards the fence (or at least at the oncoming ball).

 

[LeeD]

But wouldn't I ingrain bad habits if I stopped working on technique and focused on just playing?
I do get the point that there are no quick shortcuts to improving.

Your natural stroke is a compact, direct drive thru the ball.
Everyone is showing you a long fluid stroke.
Two opposites.
You are playing well with your current strokes, and your current style.
I'd you want to improve, look NOT to Roger Federer, but more towards Novak Djokovic.

 

[thanu]

Hello!
Looking for some overall feedback.

Made with ordinary phone camera, sorry about the quality. And sorry about all the kids making background noise, hope it’s not too distracting.

First half (roughly) is just rallying, second half is playing for points. No serves here - that’s the weakest part of my game, can’t serve properly/consistently at all. Need a whole other video for that.

Thanks for watching.

Just curious. Where is this? Interesting court/background. Is that a clay court?

 

[Slicerman]

I think your strokes look okay. They're just not fully optimal or efficient. In order to take the next step to making the strokes more solid you have to first improve your balance and your footwork.

 

[A.S.]

Just curious. Where is this? Interesting court/background. Is that a clay court?

Academy in Haryana, India. Place has an unusual backstory, which I'll share privately if you are curious. Yes, it's a clay court; my camera is somehow making it look lighter than it does to the naked eye.

I see some promising stuff in there. You definitely have the potential for some good groundstrokes. As others have said, you need to engage the whole body and start that from a proper unit turn. Watch youtube videos and learn this part.

Essentially as soon as you know you are goung to strike a forehand, you need to be bringing the racket back with you non-dominant hand and have the feeling like you are looking over your left shoulder, with the non dominant arm either pointing sideways towards the fence (or at least at the oncoming ball).

Your natural stroke is a compact, direct drive thru the ball.
Everyone is showing you a long fluid stroke.
Two opposites.
You are playing well with your current strokes, and your current style.
I'd you want to improve, look NOT to Roger Federer, but more towards Novak Djokovic.

I think your strokes look okay. They're just not fully optimal or efficient. In order to take the next step to making the strokes more solid you have to first improve your balance and your footwork.

Thank you all for the replies.

Footwork is terrible, I know. Flat-footed, no split-step, etc. It's hard to find the time/energy to work on this separately, but I know I should.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

Your game, your form, is not awful, but could be improved.
It seems a bit "stiff" and a little bit forced.

You seem to be getting into proper position for striking the ball
and that is the first step. The next step is more "mental".
As you hit the ball, concentrate on moving your momentum
"through the ball". Imagine your weight shifting forward and
the racket head plowing through the ball in the direction of your
intended placement. Let your stroke swing a bit more freely.

 

[A.S.]

Your game, your form, is not awful, but could be improved.
It seems a bit "stiff" and a little bit forced.

You seem to be getting into proper position for striking the ball
and that is the first step. The next step is more "mental".
As you hit the ball, concentrate on moving your momentum
"through the ball". Imagine your weight shifting forward and
the racket head plowing through the ball in the direction of your
intended placement. Let your stroke swing a bit more freely.

Thanks. Yeah I do need to extend through the ball more, which should also help make contact more in front, something I have been struggling with.
I tried to consciously hit through the ball more on the forehand today, and on a couple of balls when I had a lot of time to prepare I could definitely feel more power in the shot. But on many shots it seemed to mess with my balance and timing. Need lots of practice I guess.

 

[Tranqville]

You play most of your shots moving, with poor balance. Try to get to the ball early, before it bounces, and plant your feet firmly, no need to jump. Finish the follow-thru and stay balanced for a moment. Establish a clean contact point on both forehand and backhand and try to replicate it on ever shot. Learn the splitstep and unit turn.

You have a lot of natural power and good hand to eye coordination. Work on your fundamentals and you will do well. Good luck!

 

[sureshs]

Academy in Haryana, India. Place has an unusual backstory, which I'll share privately if you are curious. Yes, it's a clay court; my camera is somehow making it look lighter than it does to the naked eye.

The lines are hardly visible.

 

[A.S.]

You play most of your shots moving, with poor balance. Try to get to the ball early, before it bounces, and plant your feet firmly, no need to jump. Finish the follow-thru and stay balanced for a moment. Establish a clean contact point on both forehand and backhand and try to replicate it on ever shot. Learn the splitstep and unit turn.

You have a lot of natural power and good hand to eye coordination. Work on your fundamentals and you will do well. Good luck!

Thanks!

The lines are hardly visible.

Not that visible with my camera here, but quite visible when playing.

 

[Friedman Whip]

I don't think you are developing any really bad habits with your groundstrokes that will require a lot of work to change as you get better. Sounds to me like you'd be better off working on your awful serve. Could be you are serving with a wrong grip?

 

[A.S.]

I don't think you are developing any really bad habits with your groundstrokes that will require a lot of work to change as you get better. Sounds to me like you'd be better off working on your awful serve. Could be you are serving with a wrong grip?

Thanks. Yes, serve is sometimes decent in practice but usually not, and in matches it is double fault central. I use continental, but I think I tighten up in matches and then when I am not landing anything I start dinking the second serves in (they still don't land half the time). Inconsistent ball toss and too-low contact point and a general lack of coordination and timing.

 

[StringSnapper]

Academy in Haryana, India. Place has an unusual backstory, which I'll share privately if you are curious. Yes, it's a clay court; my camera is somehow making it look lighter than it does to the naked eye.

i'm curious, could you share with me as well?