Quick Tennis Tips.com – Tennis Tips, Tennis Lessons, Tennis Coaching

Welcome to QuickTennisTips.com, where tennis tips are made short and simple. We try to make them short and simple so that you can better visualize them, grasp them, and memorize them. (Whenever necessary, we will provide links for you to learn more or get more details about the tennis tips discussed below.) You can prepare yourself for a match/tournament or improve your game quickly by going through these quick tennis tips:

When playing badly, return to the basics, such as watching the ball, bending the knees, preparing the racquet early, hitting the ball out in front of you, following through, and thinking clearly.
Gut out every point and concentrate harder on important points. This may sound obvious but many players do not 'gut' it out or 'hang in' long enough. The best players manage to motivate themselves to take one point at a time and fight back despite setbacks.
Keep thinking of your footwork and positioning on the court even after you go for 'easy' winners. Do not just watch the ball go, relax, and and assume it won't come back. (Too many players do that. and they are taken by surprise when the ball comes back and end up losing the point.) As long as the ball has not bounced twiced, stay focused and get in the right position quickly for the next shot (just in case the ball comes back).
Learn to manage your positioning on the court by changing the pace of the rally. For example, when you are on the run trying to return a difficult ball, buy yourself time by hitting a high and deep ball crosscourt in order to have time to get back in the middle of the court.
Everytime you manage to get your opponent on the run and feel like he might struggle to get the ball back, try to move closer to the net to close out his angles and hit a winning volley on the next shot. Too many players (including some pros) stay at the back, hoping for a short ball to hit a winner, and they end up losing the point.
If your opponent makes a tactical error or takes a big risk by attacking you on what you consider to be your best shot (e.g., your forehand), do not hesitate to counter-attack or go for a winner, if possible. This will send a strong message to him and possibly instill some fear in his mind.
Don't give up too much 'real estate'. Unless you really generate as much topspin as Rafael Nadal or as much power as Gael Monfils (most players don't), play close to the baseline (like Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi used to do) in order to be in a better position to dictate the points, create angles, and actually gain 'real estate'.
Forehand Volley: To hit a great forehand volley, keep the head of the racquet up and in front of you, and 'slap' the ball using all the power from your wrist.
Backhand: Connors' and Agassi's backhands are arguably the two best backhands ever. To hit the ball on the rise (like Connors and Agassi used to), turn your shoulders sideways, bring the racquet back early, step forward into the ball, bend the knees slightly, hit with a short swing and in front of you, make impact with the ball at waist level (while it's still on the rise), make a 90-degree rotation of your shoulders, and follow through all the way.
Backhand Volley: Always hit the ball with a short swing (much shorter than a backhand) and with some backspin.
Overhead (Smash): Hit it flat if you are inside the service line and with some slice or sidespin if you are behind the service line (for better control and placement). Yannick Noah and Pete Sampras were very spectacular with this shot as they used to jump high and smash the ball in the air with both feet off the ground. Avoid doing that unless you have no other choice (e.g., if the ball is way over your head and going behind you). Your overhead will always be more consistent and powerful if you keep your feet on the ground.
Volley (1): When volleying, do not stand still or be flat-footed and never wait for the ball to come to you. Always be on the tip of your toes, go to the ball by stepping forward while volleying, and try to hit the ball while it's still above the net. (Do not let it drop too low.)
Volley (2): When you go to the net, if you don't hit a winner on your first volley, you need to step forward to hit the second volley and then the third volley (if necessary). You need to keep moving forward to win points at the net.
Know when to counter-attack and when to play defensively. If your opponent is at the net and you are far behind the baseline, counter-attacking (e.g., going for a passing shot) may not be the right approach as you are not in a position to do so. In that case, playing defensively (e.g., hitting a high lob down the line or cross court) will often be more rewarding. Counter-attacking is more appropriate when you are close to the baseline or inside it.
When your opponent is at (or approaching) the net, always remember that you have four options: 1) you can hit a passing shot down the line, 2) you can hit a passing shot cross-court, 3) you can hit a lob, and 4) you can hit very hard right back at the player in the middle. The last option is often forgotten and yet it is highly effective as the opponent is usually not ready for it and doesn't have enough time to position his body/racquet appropriately.

Tennis Tips Welcome to QuickTennisTips.com, where tennis tips are made short and simple. We try to make them short and simple so that you can better visualize them, grasp them, and memorize them. (Whenever necessary, we will provide links for you to learn more or get more details about the tennis tips discussed below.) You can prepare yourself for a match/tournament or improve your game quickly by going through these quick tennis tips: When playing badly, return to the basics, such as watching the ball, bending the knees, preparing the racquet early, hitting the ball out in front of you, following through, and thinking clearly. Gut out every point and concentrate harder on important points. This may sound obvious but many players do not 'gut' it out or 'hang in' long enough. The best players manage to motivate themselves to take one point at a time and fight back despite setbacks. Keep thinking of your footwork and positioning on the court even after you go for 'easy' winners. Do not just watch the ball go, relax, and and assume it won't come back. (Too many players do that. and they are taken by surprise when the ball comes back and end up losing the point.) As long as the ball has not bounced twiced, stay focused and get in the right position quickly for the next shot (just in case the ball comes back). Learn to manage your positioning on the court by changing the pace of the rally. For example, when you are on the run trying to return a difficult ball, buy yourself time by hitting a high and deep ball crosscourt in order to have time to get back in the middle of the court. Everytime you manage to get your opponent on the run and feel like he might struggle to get the ball back, try to move closer to the net to close out his angles and hit a winning volley on the next shot. Too many players (including some pros) stay at the back, hoping for a short ball to hit a winner, and they end up losing the point. If your opponent makes a tactical error or takes a big risk by attacking you on what you consider to be your best shot (e.g., your forehand), do not hesitate to counter-attack or go for a winner, if possible. This will send a strong message to him and possibly instill some fear in his mind. Don't give up too much 'real estate'. Unless you really generate as much topspin as Rafael Nadal or as much power as Gael Monfils (most players don't), play close to the baseline (like Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi used to do) in order to be in a better position to dictate the points, create angles, and actually gain 'real estate'. Forehand Volley: To hit a great forehand volley, keep the head of the racquet up and in front of you, and 'slap' the ball using all the power from your wrist. Backhand: Connors' and Agassi's backhands are arguably the two best backhands ever. To hit the ball on the rise (like Connors and Agassi used to), turn your shoulders sideways, bring the racquet back early, step forward into the ball, bend the knees slightly, hit with a short swing and in front of you, make impact with the ball at waist level (while it's still on the rise), make a 90-degree rotation of your shoulders, and follow through all the way. Backhand Volley: Always hit the ball with a short swing (much shorter than a backhand) and with some backspin. Overhead (Smash): Hit it flat if you are inside the service line and with some slice or sidespin if you are behind the service line (for better control and placement). Yannick Noah and Pete Sampras were very spectacular with this shot as they used to jump high and smash the ball in the air with both feet off the ground. Avoid doing that unless you have no other choice (e.g., if the ball is way over your head and going behind you). Your overhead will always be more consistent and powerful if you keep your feet on the ground. Volley (1): When volleying, do not stand still or be flat-footed and never wait for the ball to come to you. Always be on the tip of your toes, go to the ball by stepping forward while volleying, and try to hit the ball while it's still above the net. (Do not let it drop too low.) Volley (2): When you go to the net, if you don't hit a winner on your first volley, you need to step forward to hit the second volley and then the third volley (if necessary). You need to keep moving forward to win points at the net. Know when to counter-attack and when to play defensively. If your opponent is at the net and you are far behind the baseline, counter-attacking (e.g., going for a passing shot) may not be the right approach as you are not in a position to do so. In that case, playing defensively (e.g., hitting a high lob down the line or cross court) will often be more rewarding. Counter-attacking is more appropriate when you are close to the baseline or inside it. When your opponent is at (or approaching) the net, always remember that you have four options: 1) you can hit a passing shot down the line, 2) you can hit a passing shot cross-court, 3) you can hit a lob, and 4) you can hit very hard right back at the player in the middle. The last option is often forgotten and yet it is highly effective as the opponent is usually not ready for it and doesn't have enough time to position his body/racquet appropriately.
Occasionally mask your shots so that they don't become too predictable. In other words, fake a shot and then hit another one. For example, fake a flat/topsin shot down the line and then hit a drop-shot (or vice-versa), or fake to hit a ball on the rise and then hit it a little later. Those fake shots will offset your opponent's timing and cause him to make more unforced (or forced) errors. Master your fear or get rid of it by preparing well for your match (both physically and mentally), believing in yourself, staying positive, focusing on the fun aspect of the game, and minimizing the consequences of losing (if any). Never change a winning game. If you are winning a match by playing offensively, defensively, attacking the net, or rallying from the baseline, do not change it during the match. Changing a winning game can cost you a match. Neutralize your opponent's strengths. For example, if he runs around his backhand a lot to hit forehands (his strength), hit a few balls straight to his forehand during a rally and then surprise him by suddenly going to his backhand. Do not stay constantly around people just before a match. Isolate yourself for at least 15-30 minutes to focus on the match and prepare for it mentally. Picture yourself playing your opponent and, based on how he plays, mentally make a list of do's and don'ts during the match. Occasionally, in order to relax and not be tense, breath heavily (inhale and exhale excessively 2-3 times, and sometimes hold your breath for 2-3 seconds before exhaling) between points or between games. Play the opponent, not his ranking or reputation. Never go into a match thinking that you have no chance to win. Regardless of how highly ranked your opponent is compared to you, remember that anybody can have a really bad day and even players who have been ranked # 1 in the world have lost to players ranked way below them. (At the French Open in 1983, Jimmy Connors, then ranked # 1, lost to Christophe Roger-Vasselin, ranked 130th.) Don't look down on or underestimate players with weird games or weird strokes as their games/strokes can at first cause a lot of problems to players who are not used to them. When playing such players, do not get frustrated if things don't go your way during the first few games. Stay calm and just be patient as it usually takes some time to adjust to their games and, once you do, you will know exactly what to do (or not to do) in order to beat them. In doubles, don't go too much for angles. Most points in doubles are actually won by hitting the ball in the middle of the court (even when all four players are at the net). A doubles match is not the aggregate of two singles matches. A doubles match requires constant teamwork and is rarely won from the baseline. It's won at the net. The server's goal is to get to the net as soon as possible to cover his partner and try to finish the point there. A returner's goal is to try to hit the most effective return in order to get to the net, as well, and finish the point there with his partner. In doubles, always try to be in a straight line parallel to the net with your partner. If your partner is lobbed and goes back, you should go back, as well (and vice-versa), in order to maintain that parallel line to the net. Footwork & Positioning: Keep your footwork going and your feet moving till the ball has bounced on your side. Try to keep your feet moving even after the ball has bounced off the court and is coming towards you, so that you can be in the best possible position to hit the ball. Then, just when you are about to hit the ball, stop moving your feet, stand still and hit the ball.