03/12/2024

Athletic Digest

Best Athletic Digest

Tennis Tips: Top Pro Reveals The Eleven Most Common Mistakes Made By Weekend Warrior Tennis Players

Tennis Tips: Top Pro Reveals The Eleven Most Common Mistakes Made By Weekend Warrior Tennis Players

Do you love tennis? Would you like to improve your game now?

Tennis fans and tennis players are revved up at this time of the year. Wimbledon just ended and The US Open is about seven week away.

Weekend tennis players tend to make the same kinds of mistakes over and over again. Many tennis matches are won and lost on mental and physical errors.

To learn more about the common mistakes and some of the remedies, I interviewed Rick Macci. Macci, who runs a tennis facility in Boca Raton, Florida, is regarded as one of the best tennis coaches in the country. He has coached many top junior and a lot of top tennis professionals.

Rick is known for his collection of inspiring quotes and motivational sayings. Macci who has been teaching for more than thirty years felt that these were some common problems for adult players. Juniors present different kinds of issues.

1. Many players need to shorten their backswing. A compact swing can reduce errors.

2. Many players use the eastern grip on the serve. Macci feels that they need to use the continental grip.

3. Players tend to not use their legs enough on their strokes. They play primarily with their arms. Macci suggests that players bend their knees as if they are about to sit in a chair and then push down and drive.

4. Players can get too excited on a volley and they tend to take a too large of a backswing on their volley. Remain calm at the net and use a short compact motion.

5. Weekend warriors abbreviate their follow through because they are afraid of
of hitting the ball out. They decelerate and stop the racket. Make a fluid full swing.

6. On the overhead smash, players can get too excited and nervous and they can over swing on this shot. Macci encourages players to be aware of balance, control and placement when executing this shot.

7. Macci feels that players ought to use the backhand slice more often. This shot is reliable and accurate and can be be a real weapon in matches.

8. To be ready to hit a tennis ball, Macci reminds people to use a split step prior to the time that your opponent hits the ball.

9. Many players do not toss the ball high enough on their serve. Macci reminds players that the service motion is a lot like throwing a javelin. You want to hit up and out at the ball. You need a high toss to do this well.

10. Players stand in the same spot when receiving a second serve. Move up three or four steps on many players’ second serve.

11. When playing doubles, forget about the alleys. Focus on the center of the court.