Tennis Unlocked: A Game of Sending & Receiving

Tennis Unlocked: A Game of Sending & Receiving

Tennis Unlocked: A Game of Sending & Receiving

Tennis players often focus primarily on the type of shot they want to hit or ‘send’. They don’t consider the incoming shot – the ball ‘received’. This can be a major source of errors.

What Does This Mean?

Tennis is a game of both receiving and sending the ball – not just sending.

Every incoming ball approaches with a certain amount of pace and spin, at a certain height, and to a certain place. Each of these characteristics of the approaching ball need to be factored in for you to make the best decision as to what your response should be. Only then can you choose the shot most likely to succeed.

Example: Your opponent has hit a fast and well-placed first serve. You are tempted to drill it down the line with pace for a clean winner. However, given the characteristics of the incoming ball, you would be much more likely to be successful with the return if you focus on getting it back deep at a medium pace.

What Does This Mean For Your Tennis?

Ask yourself what your opponent’s shot allows you to do, before you decide what to do. You will make fewer errors. That puts pressure on your opponent by making them feel they need to play even better shots to force you to miss.

This is the third article in our Tennis Unlocked series by one of Ireland’s most experienced coaches, Peter Farrell. The series will build into a library of knowledge, specifically designed for club-level players, that can help make your match play more effective.

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