Why do we suck?

[user92626]

Have you sometimes wondered that? Or, strongly questioned that yourself?

I kinda refuse the answer that I lack intelligence to figure out stuff, ie techniques, howto's, but frankly lot of times it does seem like I do lack understandings.

Watching other rec players it also seems like the same case.

They do blatant, weird, ineffective stuff, too.

But of course nobody tells them nor do they care to listen.

Most used and plausible excuse I use for myself is my physical limits.

Like, I wanna bounce more for necessary quickness, explosiveness, but that ain't happening with a questionable knee.

Then there's also the sleep problem. Ive been up since 2am.

How tf am I gonna compete well in 7 hrs against a fitness obsessed opponent?

If I lose I plan to tell myself that it makes sense & it's acceptable.

And along the way I reinforce my suckness. Lazy, decreased sense of competition.

 

[Fintft]

Yeah, it's hard to decide to take days off from tennis, in order to give our body a chance to recover.
But I focus on the things that I can control (more easily), say the mental things.

 

[10sbeast888]

external factors you can't control; some are grey areas - you can't sleep well, internal, or external?

for adults, most people suck due to poor techniques.

on paper it's easy to fix - control the racket face correctly and you'll never miss unless under pressure.

problem is -

1. old dog new tricks, many adults brains are already petrified, and can't learn shyt.
2. you have to get worse before getting better. old habits won't go away if you want to win every match.

 

[johnmccabe]

I sucked for the first 2 years mostly because not understanding what are truly important things to learn. I still suck now, but mostly because not enough court hours.

 

[Clay lover]

Dude knowing is one thing - having the repetitions to execute what you know is another.

In fact, I would have to contend that repetition and successful execution based on repetition are WAAAAY more important than knowing. Guys we are used to watching probably started learning at the age most people just started learning to write. They probably don't "know" what they are precisely doing but they can do it.

Heck recreational guys you look up to probably try to play 3 or 4 times every week and put in like 6-8 hour a week, whereas you probably have a full time job and just practice at max 2-3 hours a week.

So don't beat yourself up man...from what I am assuming the not executing doesn't come from not knowing ... it's just the the difficulty finding time for repetition

As for fitness...I guess working out helps but nothing beats solid hours on court...and the bad knee is just bad luck preventing you from putting in the hours.

 

[nyta2]

reasons i suck:

Have you sometimes wondered that? Or, strongly questioned that yourself?

I kinda refuse the answer that I lack intelligence to figure out stuff, ie techniques, howto's, but frankly lot of times it does seem like I do lack understandings.

lack of the best knowledge (much easier with yt, books, etc...)

Watching other rec players it also seems like the same case.

They do blatant, weird, ineffective stuff, too.

But of course nobody tells them nor do they care to listen.

i don't think it's an issue of not listening... it's an issue of trust...
the new kids on my hs team often won't listen to me unless i can prove to them i know what i'm talking about (eg. beat them!)
similarly i tend not to listen to folks unless they have either achieved a level in their past, that i aspire to... or have a proven track record of coaching folks to the level i aspire to...
but also those folks cost $$$
in an ideal world, every practice session is with a coach, and hitting partner feeding me the exact ball i need to work on (which implies they need to be better than me)

Most used and plausible excuse I use for myself is my physical limits.

same... i'm 5ft-nothing... and as much as i aspire to play like rochus, or diegoS, they are physical/talented/etc... beasts in the land of short folks...

Like, I wanna bounce more for necessary quickness, explosiveness, but that ain't happening with a questionable knee.

even pros get humbled by injuries...
also take into account age and recovery time...

Then there's also the sleep problem. Ive been up since 2am.

yep, time... we have responsibilities beyond tennis... so i can't devote 20h/w to tennis (nor can my body handle/recover from that rigor....)

How tf am I gonna compete well in 7 hrs against a fitness obsessed opponent?

always gonna be someone training somewhere to be the best... and i have to admit, i don't want it as bad as they do...
i'm ~utr8+...
the utr10+ juniors around me train 20h/w (practice + tournaments)... zero chance i can invest that time anymore
so realistically can't expect to become a utr10 if i don't put in the work (side note, that's why alot of ex-college folks quit... can't put in the same time they used to in college... therefore can never be better than they were.... it's only in their 30's they think, "i gotta do somethign to get in shape ")

If I lose I plan to tell myself that it makes sense & it's acceptable.

And along the way I reinforce my suckness. Lazy, decreased sense of competition.

to continue to enjoy tennis, despite lack of the above, i focus on being able to compete with my yesterself, because i know i can find some area that i can improve in.. (better shot selection, time management, footwork, etc...)

 

[matterer]

1. old dog new tricks, many adults brains are already petrified, and can't learn shyt.

That's just something lazy people say

 

[10sbeast888]

That's just something lazy people say

I have helped many adults with their techniques... seems the human brain does go thru a progression that certain abilities improve/deteriorate.

an easy example is that language learning ability declines sharply after toddler age.

this progression/degression also varies greatly from person to person.. some people can adapt very well into senior ages, some people dont.

 

[Morch Us]

I hear many people say they want to achieve their maximum/best in tennis. But almost no-one playing re-creationally want this.

Roughly achieving your 50% maximum is pretty easy. The next 20% is hard, but still you may not have to completely disregard your other commitments in life. So missing that one dinner with family is acceptable for many. Also keeps you in the right motivation/challenge. But for the next 30% you have to be really crazy, to invest in something you are not getting anything meaningful in return, and disregard all other goods in your life, as a recreational tennis player.

So what most really mean is that they want to achieve their maximum/best possible in tennis, without disregarding all other goods in life. Which is about 70%-80% of their overall potential.

By the way, pros also does not reach their 100% potential. As you get closer and closer to 100, every 1% becomes really hard, and the tradeoffs you have to make in life becomes larger. Theory of diminishing returns takes over.

 

[ChaelAZ]

How tf am I gonna compete well in 7 hrs against a fitness obsessed opponent?

If you are letting them take you to 7 hours, you already lost if you are fitness challenged. Or age challenged, or whatever challenged.

Focus on what you CAN do, so maximize efforts there to minimize the adverse effects of what you cannot do, like run a lot or move well. That is the best you can do and sometimes, that isn't enough.

Fitness and footwork are still what I believe are the BIGGEST improvements rec players can make in their play.

 

[Dragy]

Which is about 70%-80% of their overall potential.

That would be great, actually.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

If you are letting them take you to 7 hours, you already lost if you are fitness challenged. Or age challenged, or whatever challenged.

Lolz, he meant he is staying up late and in the future, in 7 hours, he will have to begin the match.

 

[Ronaldo]

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Have you sometimes wondered that? Or, strongly questioned that yourself?

Everyone has bad days though, but yeah, of course, I often fall asleep mentally in rec tennis because the opponents just aren't that experienced and do all kinds of confusing things and I disrespect them and consequently make really lazy errors or start seeing how many times I can drop shot then lob then drop shot then lob them in a row. I fly off the rails and suck!

I kinda refuse the answer that I lack intelligence to figure out stuff, ie techniques, howto's, but frankly lot of times it does seem like I do lack understandings.

it's not a math problem though, it's what @Clay lover said , if I am at the net doing volleys I am watching with my eyes and I have no idea what is happening, my arm and racket and hand are just out there hitting volleys with absolutely no thoughts in my head other than reading the shoulders, hips, hand, racket face of the opponent, then the ball. It's all instinct, I've done it 100,000 times since I was around 5 years old. Your mind can know, but your body has to be able to do it.

Like I've written before, you can chew food and swallow it, but did you ever learn the 20 steps involved as a list....from picking up the food to opening the mouth to swallowing? Probably not. Some off us do volleys and other tennis strokes this way, we never learned every single tiny step involved, we learned by dong it 10,000 times by the time we were 10 years old. It's as natural as walking or breathing or eating, it's just a thing we do.

Watching other rec players it also seems like the same case.

100%, they have too much to think about while trying to do the thing they are thinking about, I see it a lot and a lot of frustration and self talk. Especially split step serve returns, noting is more obvious than when watching an adult hop and jump without coordination for a serve return. I didn't realize it was a thing until I watched video of myself and realized I split step hop and I had no idea I do it, I just do it, it's already built into my tennis dna.

They do blatant, weird, ineffective stuff, too.

But of course nobody tells them nor do they care to listen.

I will tell them in a match , mostly if they do a swinging volley, why that won't work if i put lefty spin on a shot and the ball just careens off their swinging half hazard technique. It doesn't' help though, they usually jus try harder to swing to prove me wrong and lose more points lol.

Most used and plausible excuse I use for myself is my physical limits.

That's real, I'm 6'4' with a 6'6" wingspan so I don't have that excuse, but I am lazy as hell.

Like, I wanna bounce more for necessary quickness, explosiveness, but that ain't happening with a questionable knee.

Not your fault, have to learn to end points quickly though.

Then there's also the sleep problem. Ive been up since 2am.

How tf am I gonna compete well in 7 hrs against a fitness obsessed opponent?

If I lose I plan to tell myself that it makes sense & it's acceptable.

And along the way I reinforce my suckness. Lazy, decreased sense of competition.

Have to do positive talk and thought s as silly as it seems and just enjoy tennis, and get some sleep!

 

[matterer]

I have helped many adults with their techniques... seems the human brain does go thru a progression that certain abilities improve/deteriorate.

an easy example is that language learning ability declines sharply after toddler age.

this progression/degression also varies greatly from person to person.. some people can adapt very well into senior ages, some people dont.

You need to believe that

 

[jimdontcare]

Bad leg flexibility means I really struggle generating power lower than the hips. Not really an excuse, because I can do more stretching and yoga and stuff to help. But I don't. I get bored.

Bad reflexes make me subpar at the net for anything other than a putaway. Could practice this too, but not as easy and just never been a skill of mine in any setting.

Terrible attention span leads to inconsistent decision making. I can be the most brilliant strategist at a tournament and the most braindead schmuck within five minutes.

Social commitments mean I only have so much time to practice. If I was a one-dimensional person I'd get bumped up in no time.

But I always listen to advice. I hound coaches at my club all the time. What should I have done, what are they seeing wrong with my backhand today, all that stuff. I also record as much as possible and analyze myself and that helps.

 

[user92626]

Lolz, he meant he is staying up late and in the future, in 7 hours, he will have to begin the match.

I thought I fk up my English once again, but @ChaelAZ ain't wrong about my numerous challenges though.

 

[user92626]

reasons i suck:

lack of the best knowledge (much easier with yt, books, etc...)

i don't think it's an issue of not listening... it's an issue of trust...

I befriend with a coach who mainly teaches beginners. He gave me unsolicited advices that I should watch the opponent swinging to read shots. I found it to be too hard because I forget to switch to looking at the ball, or all of that vision switching. Plus...seeing his students over the years I kinda not trust him, like you said.

 

[user92626]

it's not a math problem though, it's what @Clay lover said , if I am at the net doing volleys I am watching with my eyes and I have no idea what is happening, my arm and racket and hand are just out there hitting volleys with absolutely no thoughts in my head other than reading the shoulders, hips, hand, racket face of the opponent, then the ball. It's all instinct, I've done it 100,000 times since I was around 5 years old. Your mind can know, but your body has to be able to do it.

Is that a correct sequence for volleying? Seems correct though.

When it comes to volleying, I'm on the sucky side but unlike many I do not shy away from playing the net. I do get jealous and frustrated by my peers who are great at the net. They kill in doubles.

Like I've written before, you can chew food and swallow it, but did you ever learn the 20 steps involved as a list....from picking up the food to opening the mouth to swallowing? Probably not. Some off us do volleys and other tennis strokes this way, we never learned every single tiny step involved, we learned by dong it 10,000 times by the time we were 10 years old. It's as natural as walking or breathing or eating, it's just a thing we do.

I think many of us here have played for years or decades. I think we've had enough repetitions. If we still suck it probably means our repetitions have been wrong.

So, this is where I am gonna re-learn the volley. Like you said, it won't be the detail steps. It's missing some very crucial, fundamental steps that's essential to make a player great. Great in rec scale.

 

[10sbeast888]

let's approach this question from a different perspective.

it's not that you suck. the game is too difficult.

among all the racket sports, you have the biggest court, the most powerful racket, and the most bouncy ball. plus outdoors you have the heat/humidity/wind.... this is a challenge not equaled by any other racket sport.

you don't hear pickle players complain they suck.... it's not possible to suck pickle.

short of changing the game dimensions, I also wonder why soft tennis is not more popular in the US/Europe?

 

[nyta2]

I befriend with a coach who mainly teaches beginners. He gave me unsolicited advices that I should watch the opponent swinging to read shots. I found it to be too hard because I forget to switch to looking at the ball, or all of that vision switching. Plus...seeing his students over the years I kinda not trust him, like you said.

He’s not wrong.

Around the time of opponents contact, or just before, I’m taking a snapshot of how they are prepared, which give me clues as to where they will hit.

I still track the ball on their side of the net, but I presume the opponent will go to the ball,… and I notice the picture of my opponent as if they are a background of the ball

Things I’ll notice about my opponent as the background of the balll:
* if they are balanced (or reaching/stretching/etc,…)
* spacing (too close, too far, too high, too low)
* backswing/preparqtion - short/big/topspin/slice
* shoulder orientation
* foot positioning
* etc,,,,

Unsolicited advice is always the least valued

 

[user92626]

He’s not wrong.

Around the time of opponents contact, or just before, I’m taking a snapshot of how they are prepared, which give me clues as to where they will hit.

I still track the ball on their side of the net, but I presume the opponent will go to the ball,… and I notice the picture of my opponent as if they are a background of the ball

Things I’ll notice about my opponent as the background of the balll:
* if they are balanced (or reaching/stretching/etc,…)
* spacing (too close, too far, too high, too low)
* backswing/preparqtion - short/big/topspin/slice
* shoulder orientation
* foot positioning
* etc,,,,

Unsolicited advice is always the least valued

That's alot of things to watch.

Pros and some of you guys on here are probably very advanced and could do all that, but you know being late, and thus being in an awkward position to hit, is the most common problem for us rec players, right?

We simply fail to watch and determine the shot early enough.

 

[nyta2]

That's alot of things to watch.

Pros and some of you guys on here are probably very advanced and could do all that, but you know being late, and thus being in an awkward position to hit, is the most common problem for us rec players, right?

We simply fail to watch and determine the shot early enough.

I thought you’re a 4.5? That’s advanced.
Watching opponent helps mitigate being late…

 

[user92626]

Roughly achieving your 50% maximum is pretty easy. The next 20% is hard, but still you may not have to completely disregard your other commitments in life. So missing that one dinner with family is acceptable for many. Also keeps you in the right motivation/challenge. But for the next 30% you have to be really crazy, to invest in something you are not getting anything meaningful in return, and disregard all other goods in your life, as a recreational tennis player.

I play in a group of 20 players. About 5 of them are super good at the volley, and the rest noticeably suck. There's no obvious differences between them in term of playtime and dedication.

I got frustrated by my lack of volley progress so I just ask the basic questions. Like, is it the timing, the mechanic, the thought process or what? Why such big difference in level?

It's hard for me to accept there's some sort of secrets or intangibles that are out of reach for guys like myself.

But then, do people think Federer or Djokovic could have gotten as good at the net or doubles as the Bryan Bros? Fed and Djokovic don't seem to have any constraints or limits, right?

I guess we're not all equal.

 

[user92626]

I thought you’re a 4.5? That’s advanced.
Watching opponent helps mitigate being late…

Probably a good 4.0 today due to a mild knee problem. I can't beat the 4.5 usta guys at my site. They're too competitive.

You know, being good or very very good in rec competition sometimes simply due to being simple or obsessively good at something very basics. I play with this one guy who simply believes that he just needs to make a shot in and in a good place, and being very early and fast with running. Nothing fancy about his strokes/shots or split steps.

And he beats a ton of guys.

 

[10sbeast888]

I play in a group of 20 players. About 5 of them are super good at the volley, and the rest noticeably suck. There's no obvious differences between them in term of playtime and dedication.

I got frustrated by my lack of volley progress so I just ask the basic questions. Like, is it the timing, the mechanic, the thought process or what? Why such big difference in level?

It's hard for me to accept there's some sort of secrets or intangibles that are out of reach for guys like myself.

But then, do people think Federer or Djokovic could have gotten as good at the net or doubles as the Bryan Bros? Fed and Djokovic don't seem to have any constraints or limits, right?

I guess we're not all equal.

so this is why you started the thread lol, bad volleys?

nobody should have bad volleys.. all the adults I help, I start them by fixing the volleys, the lowest hanging fruit.

equally easy for everybody. we can work separately on that.

it's the techniques. like i said tennis is the most difficult racket sport. however volley is the easiest part of it.

 

[user92626]

so this is why you started the thread lol, bad volleys?

nobody should have bad volleys.. all the adults I help, I start them by fixing the volleys, the lowest hanging fruit.

equally easy for everybody. we can work separately on that.

it's the techniques. like i said tennis is the most difficult racket sport. however volley is the easiest part of it.

Exactly! That's why it's mind boggling when it happens.

Well, volley is the most obvious for discussion. Suckness also exists in other parts like ground strokes but it gets murky due to plausible excuses. lol.

 

[matterer]

I guess we're not all equal.

That's the same conclusion Hitler came to after he failed as an artist.

 

[Curious]

What stands out most in the stroke? Forget about movement and footwork for a second.

 

[ballmachineguy]

What stands out most in the stroke? Forget about movement and footwork for a second.

That one of the Bryan Brothers can’t half volley.

 

[user92626]

What stands out most in the stroke? Forget about movement and footwork for a second.

They hit hard? And with good directions?

 

[user92626]

That's the same conclusion Hitler came to after he failed as an artist.

What's significant about that?

 

[Curious]

They hit hard? And with good directions?

Referring to stroke mechanics.
1.Try to maintain this structure no matter what.
2. Swing from the shoulder only. Elbow can move a bit to adjust the distance to the ball. But wrist almost zero!!

https://imgur.com/a/J3rfEIZ

Now watch this keeping the above in your mind.

 

[user92626]

Referring to stroke mechanics.
1.Try to maintain this structure no matter what.
2. Swing from the shoulder only. Elbow can move a bit to adjust the distance to the ball. But wrist almost zero!!

https://imgur.com/a/J3rfEIZ

Now watch this keeping the above in your mind.

I see.

So , applying these two items will enable you to volley almost like Bryans?

 

[Curious]

I see.

So , applying these two items will enable you to volley almost like Bryans?

The most important two things for sure. There’s one more that requires a living room video! I’m at work now.

 

[travlerajm]

I see.

So , applying these two items will enable you to volley almost like Bryans?

Yes.

 

[user92626]

Yes.

Ok

 

[LuckyR]

Probably a good 4.0 today due to a mild knee problem. I can't beat the 4.5 usta guys at my site. They're too competitive.

You know, being good or very very good in rec competition sometimes simply due to being simple or obsessively good at something very basics. I play with this one guy who simply believes that he just needs to make a shot in and in a good place, and being very early and fast with running. Nothing fancy about his strokes/shots or split steps.

And he beats a ton of guys.

Oh, I wasn't thinking that based on some stuff I was reading between the lines in your previous commentary. Sounds like you're specifically talking about matchplay. In my experience, among players at the same level, matchplay success tends to go to those who 1) have played more matches recently and 2) those who have a positive, competitive mindset.

 

[enishi1357]

Tennis is a game of millimeters.

To me I take it as a slight change to any of your technique will have an huge effect to your overall game.

Recreational players don't have the time or the energy to scrutinize every little movement of their techniques. It's easier to just change grip or do a shorter take back which is akin to changing the engine to a different engine in a car. Sure you are hitting different but that doesn't mean you are hitting better. It's no wonder there's barely any improvement.

 

[user92626]

Oh, I wasn't thinking that based on some stuff I was reading between the lines in your previous commentary. Sounds like you're specifically talking about matchplay. In my experience, among players at the same level, matchplay success tends to go to those who 1) have played more matches recently and 2) those who have a positive, competitive mindset.

Imight have come across confusing myself. I just thought about generally being sucky at this sport. Why? A matter of learning?

And some of the specifics are how players in same circle/group volley. Some are just excellent while some can't even get the ball to contact the racket center. And they have been playing together for years.

 

[zoingy]

Sometimes I find it useful to remember that "why there is a problem" isn't as directly important as "how to fix it". Not just because the "how" is more actionable, but also because it might come from a different angle.

For example, suppose somebody swings at their volleys too much, but doesn't have much success trying to simply eliminate the big swing. Maybe they'd find it helpful to firm up their grip/wrist enough to support a more compact motion.

 

[Ronaldo]

Sometimes I find it useful to remember that "why there is a problem" isn't as directly important as "how to fix it". Not just because the "how" is more actionable, but also because it might come from a different angle.

For example, suppose somebody swings at their volleys too much, but doesn't have much success trying to simply eliminate the big swing. Maybe they'd find it helpful to firm up their grip/wrist enough to support a more compact motion.

Need an assist,

 

[Dragy]

Need an assist,

Does one need an assist to choke up on the handle?

 

[heninfan99]

And along the way I reinforce my suckness. Lazy, decreased sense of competition.

Yes, we suck due to
1. lazyness
2. lack of athletic gifts

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Is that a correct sequence for volleying? Seems correct though.

When it comes to volleying, I'm on the sucky side but unlike many I do not shy away from playing the net. I do get jealous and frustrated by my peers who are great at the net. They kill in doubles.

I have no idea what is correct, I just get it done. I will say I don't move the racket head much at all and man do rec players go crazy swinging like a bee is attacking them instead of a ball.

I think many of us here have played for years or decades. I think we've had enough repetitions. If we still suck it probably means our repetitions have been wrong.

So, this is where I am gonna re-learn the volley. Like you said, it won't be the detail steps. It's missing some very crucial, fundamental steps that's essential to make a player great. Great in rec scale.

Maybe so, there are many techniques on the pro tour that work, the body finds a way or the rec player looks at thousands of videos and tries to learn the "best" way, both might work, good philosophical discussion. Inner Game of Tennis might say or indicate letting the body find the way instead of copying everything.

 

[TennisCJC]

I don't know the answer to why we all suck. I have been playing 47 years, played 4.5 level when younger and did really well but still have days when I feel like I am horrible. Like most of the tennis aficionados here on TT, I consider myself a student of the game and study tennis. One phenomenon I've noticed is how rec players will ignore or can't incorporate simple advice. One of the basic examples I've seen is coaches in a doubles clinic teaching players to move as a team when both are at the net. It's simple. if your team hits the ball to the left deuce court, the deuce court net player shifts to the L to cover more of the line and the right ad court net player shifts to the middle to cover the middle and CC. I've seen many players stand absolutely dead still and not shift at all after 30 minutes of drills to enforce this simple tactic. I've left scratching my head as to why they just still dead still and refuse to shift to the middle. It dumb founds me. I've seen other players that refuse to believe this (shifting L or R) is sound advice because they think their opponents are going to drive hard CC angles by them if they move to the center. They don't realize this is a very low percentage pass. The same is true technical changes. One guy I know absolutely knows he should add spin to his serve but he's been playing for decades and always reverts back to his dead flat (as in you can read PENN coming at you) serve. I think many people miss a few when working on new technique and revert back to the old more comfortable technique. You have to be willing to commit to a new technique and stick with it for a few weeks or months until it becomes your default. The commitment to change only comes if you are smart enough to realize that what you are doing isn't going to improve your chances of winning and you have to make changes to give you a better chance of winning.

 

[Morch Us]

you have to make changes to give you a better chance of winning.

Of course... but it is also true that there is no "guarantee" (especially beyond their easy improvement stage, or above 50% potential stage)

I have seen rec players completely rebuilding their serve, taking multiple months, still having no significant difference in their match results. If you cannot enjoy the process, and is very result oriented, you will find this discouraging, and naturally will resist changes.

 

[socallefty]

If you have good fundamentals taught to you early for all shots/serves and you practiced a lot in your first few years of tennis in addition to playing matches, you likely won’t ‘suck’ and a spectator will probably enjoy watching you play as your strokes will look somewhat like textbook shots. If you don’t have good fundamentals and you rarely practiced purposeful drills, your shots are not going to look like textbook tennis shots and you will likely struggle to find the balance of consistency and power/spin that identifies a good player who doesn’t ‘suck’. Tennis unfortunately is a sport that does not allow shortcuts to play well.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

 

[user92626]

so this is why you started the thread lol, bad volleys?

nobody should have bad volleys.. all the adults I help, I start them by fixing the volleys, the lowest hanging fruit.

equally easy for everybody. we can work separately on that.

it's the techniques. like i said tennis is the most difficult racket sport. however volley is the easiest part of it.

Referring to stroke mechanics.
1.Try to maintain this structure no matter what.
2. Swing from the shoulder only. Elbow can move a bit to adjust the distance to the ball. But wrist almost zero!!

https://imgur.com/a/J3rfEIZ

Now watch this keeping the above in your mind.

If you have good fundamentals taught to you early for all shots/serves and you practiced a lot in your first few years of tennis in addition to playing matches, you likely won’t ‘suck’ and a spectator will probably enjoy watching you play as your strokes will look somewhat like textbook shots. If you don’t have good fundamentals and you rarely practiced purposeful drills, your shots are not going to look like textbook tennis shots and you will likely struggle to find the balance of consistency and power/spin that identifies a good player who doesn’t ‘suck’. Tennis unfortunately is a sport that does not allow shortcuts to play well.

So I just practiced hitting a bunch of volley shots (in my backyard ) Contact and power is generally good, but how do you guys direct the ball to a place you want?

I notice great volleyers don't just catch, contact the ball well but also place it great (eg close at opp's feet, sidelines, at body). Amazing.