Good Coaches keep it simple. I asked Coach Leighton what were the most important groundstroke fundamentals? His response, “…You mean next to WATCH THE BALL!
Watch the ball. Many great players have developed themselves with little or no instruction simply by following this suggestion. Trust your own mechanism. Watch the ball a little longer than seems necessary. Tennis starts in your head (specifically your eyes and your brain) and moves to your feet and legs quickly. (J.W.Isenhour) This is concentration in tennis: “Watch the ball; where does it go?"
Establish a target. (“Take Dead Aim “)
Track the ball to the “hit spot.” Balance is the key to good tennis, and footwork is the clue to good balance. (Welby Van Horn) A player will probably deliver a good shot if the playerwinds up with his feet positioned properly at the completion of the shot. If tennis is the “ability to hit a changing target while moving and under stress,” then moving and concentrating are the core of the game.
Adjust to the descending ball. For all but advanced players, getting to the ball properly means to be set up so that when you “step hit” a descending ball will be in the absolutely perfect “hit spot,” whether forehand or backhand. Hitting "on the rise" comes later.
Utilize proper grips. Proper grip is essential from the outset. While no grip will atone for poor position or improper hit spot, an understanding that grip change reinforces wrist strength is essential.
Get your racquet back properly. This must be one of the tennis teacher’s most often repeated phrases.
Firm wrists in the hit zones. I put a lot of emphasis on firm wrists through the hit zone. Bjorn Borg to Nadal to now, has proven that to be questionable. I do believe even the whip shots come through the hit zone firmly.
Proper finish, or follow through. Modern shots allow a variety of acceptable follow throughs.
Return to ready. The first part of quick is ready! The player is dependent on his legs for movement, and he must understand that this is the point at which he must work hardest in tennis.
Recycle the process. The player now must be ready to repeat the above outlined fundamental on either side, for as many times as needed to win the point
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