Technology has enabled us to closely analyze the game of professional tennis. Slow motion and numerous perspectives offer an opportunity to study the techniques of players like Federer. Coaches are particularly fascinated by top players like Rafa, often obsessively attempting to imitate their style of hitting the ball.
We believe that by imitating Rafa’s swing, we can achieve his level of ball hitting. However, tennis would be much easier if that were the case. All we would need to do is watch the film, go to the gym, find a mirror, watch the video, and repeatedly try to imitate the perfect swing.
If you have some athleticism, it may take around four or 5 hours to master the swing. However, once you can replicate the swing accurately, you will face a ball on the court. You will attempt to hit the ball in the same manner, but ultimately you will modify the swing completely to adapt to the ball.
Having a professional swing doesn’t guarantee successful shots. Most mistakes on the court are not related to swinging technique. It is the underlying fundamentals that determine your success or failure. This course focuses on those fundamentals.
I will discuss the essential aspects of technique, the causes of common mistakes, and ways to avoid them. By the end of the course, you will understand the key elements to enhance your game. Let’s begin with the topic of ball observation.
I believe that over half of the mistakes at any level are caused by two factors: improper ball observation and anxiety or tension affecting the swing. Your swing pattern is unrelated to these mistakes.