More Videos: Approach Shots, Forehands/Backhands

[rosheem]

I really made some good progress on my serve after posting my clips here, so I thought I would try the same with a few other shots. The camera angles were the best I could do for that day.

In these YouTube links, I have put together a series of stroke clips running at real speed.

Approach shots (the last two clips at the end are in slow motion):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwZuPTXfSUU

Forehands/Backhands (another slow motion clip at the end)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoqPgeHclU8

If anything jumps out at you, please let me know. Thanks in advance for taking the time to check these out.

[airforce1]

I like your FH on the baseline pretty good, but the slice back there looks like the grip isn't matched to the contact point.

on approach Fhs, I think you are taking too much momentum into the shot and are not staying on balance. I expect depth control is a challenge.

[rosheem]

Court Positioning

I agree on both points. I haven't put in much practice time on the slice, and should really address that. I can hit it much better than what the clip shows, but obviously not consistently so it will just take some reps and practice.

I don't like the footwork on the approach shots and would like to try out some different variations. I agree that the forward momentum creates depth control issues. It also creates recovery issues. I'm going to try something closer to what David Bailey calls the "Forward Transfer" move. I know it well, but don't use it often.

One thing that really jumped out at me was that I often hit the ball (on my forehands from the baseline) well after it starts dropping from its highest point. This results in an extremely low-to-high swing plane on these low shots. Not sure if many of these are in the ones I posted, but there were plenty.

It seems like if I am going to catch the ball earlier, I will end up committing to hitting an approach shot or having to recover backwards in order to stay behind the baseline. The guy I'm hitting with in the videos is a 4.5 player, and his average ball was landing low in my strike zone when I was based about a foot or two behind the baseline.

So...in order to hit fewer balls at such a low height...

Should I move my base position closer to the baseline? Should I get more comfortable making a quick forward move and then recovering backwards slightly if I don't want to approach?

Thanks!

[airforce1]

Talking about what you would like to improve makes it easy to lose sight of how much you were doing very well in those vids. Don't forget that. You really are building a nice game.

On those approach shots there are a couple of suggestions I can share. One is to see how you feel about getting more stable/balanced just prior to hitting. The kind of balance often associated with open stance. You don't have to always get full open, but open actually offers great control if on balance, along with being less readable as well, so even though you can get plenty of pace, not as much is required. He has to cover more court now, cause you can hit it anywhere.

The other thing is to hit away from your opp if you can. This may seem obvious, but it really isn't in live play. Often players, even very good ones, will approach where they feel they can really smoke it
OR where they have more confidence
OR to the backhand...etc...
This leads to tendencies, but more important, remember this is an approach shot. That means you still need to approach. If the opp is taking 5-7 steps to get a stick on your shot, then YOU can take 5 steps into the IVP (ideal volley Position)
Being at the IVP makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the opp having to make that pass.

As far the baseline positioning, I prefer to be just a foot or so behind the BL, but really looking to step in on anything that is on the shorter side. I also prefer to jump right back out, like Nadal does, unless I really get the approach set up well. As I said before, I want him running while I make my move in. I'm not coming just cause I clocked it pretty good. Good players just step and redirect that right past you in transition. Avg players will help you to learn bad habits by letting you get away with just power, so I try to keep my tactic here pretty consistent, even with the guys who don't handle power that well.

let me know what you think so far

[rosheem]

Good players just step and redirect that right past you in transition. Avg players will help you to learn bad habits by letting you get away with just power, so I try to keep my tactic here pretty consistent, even with the guys who don't handle power that well.

Those are great points.

I almost always hit my approach shots up the line, and unless I really tag it, the guy is waiting right there to pass me.

In the drill we did on those video clips, I was hitting to his half of the court. In real match play, I usually hit to...that same half of the court. My stroke is not one that stays low and penetrates...the ball that I produce has more arc and tends to kick up on the bounce. Therefore, I am much more effective when hitting sharp angled shots and making my opponent hit on the run. When I try to hit through my opponent, they are able to absorb and redirect. Like you said, I get away with it against weaker players...especially ones with continental grips who can't handle a ball that kicks up above their strike zone.

With the footwork pattern I'm using on these approaches, I am pretty much limited to hitting down the line from the deuce side or inside-out if I run around the backhand and hit a forehand approach from the ad half.

I'll work on it.

And thanks for the encouraging words...I appreciate it. Overall, I'm proud of where I am after just two years of playing tennis. Seeing myself on video really just inspires me to keep working on my technique, though. It's the movement in-between strokes...just the way I look as I prepare and transition... I just don't look like a tennis player yet. A good example is my recovery after I hit the last backhand in the FH/BH drill clip. I need to gather that racquet back in and re-contain myself. Instead, I just kind of let things dangle around loosely.

Thanks again for the help!

[airforce1]

Thanks,
the caution on these approaches, where you hit away from you opp, is looking for mostly chances more in the heart of the court. If you get out on the edges, and try to approach cross court, it can be pretty dicey even if you have them on the run. Your line to the IVP is not good. Nadal does a great job of hitting these to put them on the run, then using that time to recover to the baseline opposed to approaching. Often it's the next ball where he turns up the heat.

[rosheem]

Step up first to recover back

I've always liked how Nadal handles those situations and uses one more shot to really get his opponent off-balance before he approaches or goes for a winner.

I will start by improving my footwork on these shorter balls. Right now, I just stand there and let the short ball become a low ball. I need to:

1. Quickly recognize the short ball
2. Move forward into a position where I can be balanced through the stroke instead of having to lunge forward.
3. Hit an aggressive shot and recover quickly

[uspta990770809]

two simple points

It looks to me like AirForce has given you a couple of great pointers, but I would emphasize just a couple of points.

First and most important, you want to develop the ability to plant on an outside foot and control your momentum and then turn through the shot in a state of balance. Once you can do that consistently, then you can try to attempt jumping through the shot to get more aggressive. Personally, I think jumping into the ball is a mistake and a misconception of the way players load and explode into their shots (when they can). AirForce was getting at that right away with his points about controlling your move into your approach shots, but getting control of your weight in the way you get that plant foot down is a lot bigger issue than most people give it credit for. It is essential. Once you've done that, then you have to be able to turn through your shot (whether or not you take a step into the ball) while maintaining your balance.

Second, it only showed a little bit in a few volleys, but it looks like you are having the usual problem with forehand volleys that players with semiWestern to Western grips have with the net game. You need to get someone to work with you to develop a better grip for your volleys and overheads once you make the transition to the net. Otherwise, you will always fumble around up there a little bit. Only 2 years into your tennis career, you can still develop good fundamental grips for your net game. A couple of more years and it will be too late, so don't let that get away from you.

But AirForce is right. You are doing great for 2 years.

don brosseau

[rosheem]

getting control of your weight in the way you get that plant foot down is a lot bigger issue than most people give it credit for. It is essential.

don brosseau

That's great stuff. Thanks for the feedback. I know exactly what you mean and I can work on that.

With so many other things to think about and work on, I have just been assuming that my volley grip was fine. It's funny...I hit with teaching pros all the time (not in lessons, just in team practices and stuff). They all know that I am extremely open and receptive to tips and instruction...you would think that they would have picked up on some of this stuff.

I can see that even between groundstrokes, there is something not quite right with my grip. I stay towards a forehand grip but have the racquet angled towards my backhand. So...essentially, I'm not in great position to hit a forehand because of the racquet angle, and I'm not really in great shape to hit a backhand, because of where my grip is. Hmmm.

I was also assuming that I have been switching towards continental as I get ready to volley, but I see now in the clips that I'm towards the forehand.

Will nip this in the bud.

[airforce1]

my thought was to get that slice working, before turning heavy attention to the volley, but sounds like you are very ready to take that on. I feel there are some similarities between the slice and volley, that can help to make the volley better and easier to master. Clearly Don is spot on with work in that area.

[rosheem]

Leverage on slice and volley

It has been suggested that I'm making contact on volleys too far out in front.

When I hit slice from the baseline from either wing, I can produce a heavy, low, accurate shot with good pace... IF...I am in good rhythm, balanced, and most importantly if I keep my arm relatively close to my body so I have good leverage.

It also helps if I can put a nice squeeze into the grip as I hit these.

When I hit these poorly, my grip is loose and my arm gets away from my body. Then I compensate by swiping at the ball instead of driving through.

I will try to translate the feel I have on my good slices to my volleys.

[10splayer]

It has been suggested that I'm making contact on volleys too far out in front

.

When I hit slice from the baseline from either wing, I can produce a heavy, low, accurate shot with good pace... IF...I am in good rhythm, balanced, and most importantly if I keep my arm relatively close to my body so I have good leverage.

It also helps if I can put a nice squeeze into the grip as I hit these.

When I hit these poorly, my grip is loose and my arm gets away from my body. Then I compensate by swiping at the ball instead of driving through.

I will try to translate the feel I have on my good slices to my volleys.

I noticed this too. Grips, more or less, set optimal contact points. If you weaken your grip, the ideal contact point will be moved back a touch.

[uspta146749877]

A definition of a weaker grip

I noticed this too. Grips, more or less, set optimal contact points. If you weaken your grip, the ideal contact point will be moved back a touch.

Could you define your terminology,please?
Is a semi-western grip WEAKER than a continental grip?

[10splayer]

Could you define your terminology,please?
Is a semi-western grip WEAKER than a continental grip?

Yeah sorry, no. Continental would be weaker than Eastern, SW, or Western.

[uspta146749877]

A definition of a weaker grip again

Yeah sorry, no. Continental would be weaker than Eastern, SW, or Western.

Please see
"This weaker grip wouldn't matter, or matter as much"
in the article

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/your_strokes/2009/andy_roddick_backhand/andy_roddick_backhand.html

As far as I understand the article referenced ABOVE implied that
forehand easterm grip is "weaker" than continental.
Am I confusing two different defintions of the word "weaker"?
Is it OK to bring John into this conversation?