A PLAYER'S ERROR CHECKLIST

You're spending lots of time on-court, 

working hard, and trying to develop 

your game so that in the future 

your results improve...

If you're like most players, you pay a lot of attention to the mistakes you make... whether you're hitting out, in the net, or missing your intended targets. These are all mistakes you're probably keenly monitoring.

But it can get quite confusing during matches where exactly the mistakes are coming from and what was to blame?

The best time to analyze problems in your game and find solutions is during practice sessions. It's during practice that problems can be analyzed and dealt with effectively.

One method to do this is to put problems into manageable categories. Although the reasons for your errors might seem wide and varied, they're not, and the fact is that most problems can be categorized into one of three areas.

By categorizing mistakes under a few simple, understandable headings, your mistakes will be much easier to solve.

3 CAUSES OF A MISTAKE

1. CONTACT

Many mistakes come from your lack of control of the racquet face. During contact, the racquet-face sends the ball to wherever the strings are 'pointing,' meaning if the racquet-face is 'pointing' too far right, your ball will travel wide and out over the right sideline.

There are four racquet-face mistakes like this you can make:

• Too far Right
• Too far Left
• Too High
• Too Low

The first two mistakes (too far right & left) are primarily caused by poor timing; you're contacting the ball too late or too early.

The last two mistakes are also racquet-face angle mistakes. The racquet-face is either too open (high) or closed (low).

Try developing greater awareness of your racquet-face to better understand the four mistakes.

BUILDING MORE AWARENESS IN YOUR RACKET-FACE

The best method for building awareness in the racquet-face is to use the opposite hand as a 'rudder' to help position racquet-face angles correctly.

Often players give the task of setting the racquet face to the racquet hand, or they simply improvise the angle of the racquet face during the swing itself.

The problem with both methods is that they're neither an accurate way of setting the racquet-face nor allow the player to have much awareness of their racquet-face.

Using the opposite hand can physically set the racquet face before contact and give you greater awareness of the angle.

Here are the steps you can use to begin using the opposite hand to help with contact:

1. During the rally, maintain your opposite hand on the throat of the racquet at all times. Use your fingertips to hold the throat of the racquet, and place your index finger on the strings for greater awareness of the racquet face.

2. For each ball, use your opposite hand to prepare the racquet (backswing), and as you bring your racquet back, set the angle of the racquet head for the height you want the ball to travel across the net. As you set the racquet head, allow your grip to change into a new position for each ball.

If you have already analyzed that you are mainly making contact mistakes while you play, using the opposite hand will help you cure those mistakes. Initially, it will seem like using the opposite hand is just an added, unnecessary task you have to perform. But soon, you will realize that the many benefits of using the opposite hand are well worth the effort and that your contact has become much more consistent and knowledgeable.

2. TIMING

Every stroke that we hit in a match requires timing. If your timing is wrong, there's a good chance that you will not be able to control the ball, or worse, you'll make mistakes.

When we play, we need to be constantly aware of and adjust the timing of our swing for fast, slow, deep, or short balls. Timing is at the essence of tennis. If we fail to make these timing adjustments, we will make a lot of errors.

You will recognize timing mistakes during practice because the stroke 'feels' wrong. If you're not striking the ball with optimal efficiency, there's a lack of control and a lack of power.

Once you have identified timing as a primary reason for your errors in matches, you can address the issue quickly and easily.

All timing comes from the ground; it comes from the interaction between your feet and the court surface.

IMPROVE YOUR TIMING

Timing involves the successful synchronization of your feet and the ground.

1. Prepare a "Contact Foot" for every approaching ball. The Contact Foot is the foot you use to interact with the ground to supply timing and power to your stroke

It doesn't matter which foot you use. You can use your right or left foot, play the stroke with an open or closed stance; it doesn't matter.

Decide which foot will best provide you with timing, power, and balance for every ball you play.

2. As you stroke the ball, allow the Contact Foot to gently exert pressure in the ground. This subtle pressure will begin the bio-mechanics that will travel up your body (ankles, knees, hips, shoulders) and into your swing.

Done forcefully enough, this interaction can sometimes also lead to the player lifting off the ground; jumping. 

Using the ground in this way helps improve any mistakes you might be making with timing and allows you to become more dynamic on-court, improving your movement to the ball and your recovery after your stroke.

3. SPIN

Often, you can create the best racquet-face angle for net height, and you can make all the appropriate adjustments so that you time the ball perfectly but still make mistakes.

The third way mistakes can occur is by making a spin mistake.

A spin mistake is when you fail to consider court geography. 

If you fail to factor in your position on the court and the shape you need to create with the ball's flight, your shot might not stay in the court.

During practice, players need to hit balls from various positions on the court and practice hitting multiple targets.

BECOMING MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH ARC & SPIN

The essence of gaining a better feel with your spin and the ball's arc is to drill from different positions on the court.

1. Start by having you and your practice partner stand outside both doubles sidelines and rally forehands or backhands, bouncing the ball inside the service boxes. This will force both of you to create a tight angle (you're both standing wide) and a short bounce.

2. Now, try a larger area. You and your practice partner now stand all the way back at opposite back fences (well back from each baseline) and rally together.

The increased distance will force you both to increase the height and length of the ball you hit. This simple drill also teaches players to be patient in a rally, helping you understand the importance of height and its relationship to hitting with depth.

When I first started coaching, I was still competing as a player. I would coach throughout the week and compete in tournaments during the weekends.

During my weekday coaching, I used a lot of mini-tennis drills to help the young players (primarily beginners) experience the thrill of keeping a rally going together. I would sometimes have up to 6 courts playing mini-tennis and would often help a player by demonstrating myself whenever they were having difficulty.

I had never really played mini-tennis like this in the service boxes before. All my training had been at the baseline.

Soon, I realized that, during matches, my control around the mid-court was much better, and it added a new dimension to my game that helped me a lot.

This is an example of how spending time playing strokes from different court areas can enhance your overall game.