[tennisbiz] Re: Problems judging depth of ball

I teach my students to recognize short or deep balls by reacting to the
trajectory (height) of the ball as it crosses the net. The player must
react to the ball by seeing the height of the ball while it is still on
their opponents side of the net. A ball hit from the baseline at 50 to 55
mph and 5 feet over the net will land on the other baseline. A ball hit
from the baseline at the same speed but only 3 feet over the net will land
just behind the service line (no man's land). Balls crossing the net about
12 to 18 inches will always land short and the player must be prepared to
approach. I have my students start at the baseline and try hitting balls at
different heights across the net to first learn where their own ball will
bounce on the opposite side of the court. I then start rallying with the
player and have them announce whether the ball will be "short" or "deep"
before it crosses the net. This exercise will help the player to begin to
react and prepare for a short or deep ball before it's too late.
Recognizing the height of their own ball as it crosses the net
also prepares the player ahead of time to know if their opponent has an
opportunity to approach the net.

  
Received on Mon Nov 03 2003 - 16:15:44 CST