Myth In Tennis Technique

I'd like to share a piece of coaching advice that is used all the time but really is not proper technique. I am referring to the term "racquet back." The thought is that you point your racquet to the back fence in preparation for the ball. However, this leads to a couple problems.

-For one thing, pointing your racquet back does not get your shoulders turned.You can easily point your racquet back while still facing the net. Instead, think "unit turn." For proper technique, your whole upper body should be turning together.


In the pictures below, notice how both Federer and Agassi hold on to their racquets as they prepare for the ball

-Another issue is that your racquet doesn't have any momentum behind it to help swing aggressively at the ball. In this video, notice how Fernando Verdasco's backswing is smooth and one constant motion. Once he starts his backswing, his racquet never stops moving until the end of the stroke. If you use the "racquet back" theory, you will have to swing at the ball without the added momentum of your backswing, making it harder to swing at full force.




-The last problem with is that you don't get your non-dominant hand stretched out across your body. This   arm acts as a measuring stick, helping you maintain proper distance away from the ball.

Notice how the non-dominant arms of Djokovic and Nadal are extended across their body, lining up their shot.

Hope this helps. Remember, don't think "racquet back," think "unit turn."

Miami Results

The Sony Ericsson in Miami just came to a close this past weekend. On the women's side, Maria Sharapova lost a hard fought match to Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-4. It is good to see that Sharapova is finally starting to see the same results she was getting before her shoulder injury forced her out of the game for an extended period. On the men's side, Novak Djokovic took on Rafael Nadal. This was a rematch of the recent championship match at Indian Wells in California. That match marked the first time that Djokovic had beaten Nadal in a championship match. In the Sony Ericson, Djokovic continued his hot streak, beating Nadal again, this time 4-6 6-3 7-6. With this win, Djokovic continues his undefeated record for this year, reaching 24-0! Brad Gilbert said, "If the Djoker does pull this off, [winning the final against Nadal] it will undoubtedly be the best start to a season in my memory."

Congratulations to both  Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic on there wins at the 2011 Sony Ericsson. Below are some highlights of the matches.