Today we practised hitting the net. Sounds strange, right? Not exactly a skill most tennis players aim to master. But there was a method behind the madness!
Most of the time we focus on our standard rally shot. Plenty of topspin and a low to high racket path. What I’d noticed, though, was that I was trying to play that shot on almost every ball, even when it wasn’t the right option. It’s easy to become obsessed with repeating the shot you’re most comfortable with.
The goal of today’s lesson was to focus on placement and racket path. By deliberately aiming lower and even trying to hit the net in specific spots, we had to think much more carefully about the arc of the swing and how to adjust it. In a match, not every shot needs the same shot and being able to control and think about that range really helped.
It felt odd being praised for hitting the net, but when we moved into practice games afterwards, I found myself paying much more attention to the path of the racket and the shape of my shots.
Overall, I’m starting to see more consistency in my game (although when it goes wrong, it still goes very wrong!). I’ve also realised that in recent weeks I’ve become much more driven during lessons.
Up until now, I’ve tried not to take it too seriously, partly to avoid putting pressure on myself and partly because I enjoy having a laugh with everyone. But I’m finding a better balance now: still enjoying it, while also pushing myself to chase every ball, move faster, hit with intent, and improve my accuracy.