Wednesday and Thursday lessons

1-16-11--Lesson With J.--

We started with a warm up where J. emphasized keeping our heads still and keeping our eyes on the ball.

We worked on court positions in doubles.  There are really three combinations:  split=one up and one back, both back and both at net.  When both are at the net, the opponents need to get a bit back so that they are in the position to return the ball.  The most effective ground stroke from the baseline is usually down the middle and cross court rather than down the line.


We worked on serve and J. told me that I need to vary my serve more and sometimes hit a soft serve on my first serve.


We worked on the movement of the player who is not the receiver.  It is important to aggressively take the net if your partner makes a good cross court return.  If you are not assertive in moving up to the net and just inch up there, your opponent is not afraid of you at all.  He noticed that the non-receivers in our lesson don't move much after their partners return a good cross court ball.


1-17-11--Singles Lesson With K.


Today we worked on defensive shots.  A defensive high shot is hit with a continental grip and a firm wrist.  There is no follow through and the pop comes from stepping into the shot like you would do on a volley.  We worked on cutting off a return lob.  Again, you keep you wrist firm, have no follow through and footwork gives the pop to the ball.