How to Hit a Better Tennis Forehand - Contact Point
Betsy: Hi, I am Betsy and this video is for yellowballfever.com. I want to talk a little bit today about a way that you can practice so that when you get in a match, you are focusing on proper things during a point. A lot of times, you hear instructor saying watch the ball, watch the ball, and there is a reason they were saying that. You need to watch the ball but the reason you need to watch the ball and so that you know when to time your swing when that ball finally gets to you and my suggestion to you is that you track the ball and as the ball is coming towards you, you figure out where in relation to your body you want to meet the ball to determine where your shot is going to go. So, if the ball is coming across the net and I want it from cross-court and I want to hit it back cross-court, I need to make sure that am meeting the ball with little bit further out in front of my body, then if going to be hitting the ball down the line. So, if the ball is coming across the net, you want to be thinking where do I want to hit my shot so that you can determine where you want to meet the ball when it comes to you. I am going to take a couple of balls and show you exactly what I am talking about. Okay, if the ball coming across the net, you need to decide if you are going to hit the ball cross-court or down the line and as the ball bounces, if you want to hit the ball cross-court, you need to meet the ball with the racquet face facing in the direction you would like the ball to go. You can't meet the ball back here and then reflect it with your wrist because you will lose control over your shot. So, I am in my ready position and the ball is coming, if I want to hit the ball back cross-court, I want to step out and meet it with the angle of the racquet facing cross-court. If the ball is coming to me and I have decided I want to hit the ball down the line, I get ready as it comes across and I meet the ball a little bit later with my racquet face pointing in this direction.