A frequent issue spotted among club-level players is neglecting to RECOVER – the final stage of the ‘shot cycle’.
What Does This Mean?
Each shot has a four step ‘cycle’, and you must finish the cycle before that shot is complete. For each incoming ball, the cycle looks like this:
1. You are in the ready position, at the best possible spot on the court, waiting for your opponent to play their shot.
2. As your opponent contacts the ball, split step in order to get an explosive start toward where you will contact the ball.
3. Get your body into position and execute the stroke.
4. RECOVER – the circle only closes when you are back at the start – in the ready position, at the best possible spot on the court, waiting for the opponent to play their shot.
What Does This Mean For Your Tennis?
Put simply, if you:
- Do not recover
- Recover too slowly
- Recover to the wrong place*
you may struggle to cope effectively with your opponent’s next shot.
*For details of WHERE to recover to, see TCI’s Facebook post
This is the fourth article in our Tennis Unlocked series by one of Ireland’s most experienced coaches, Peter Farrell. The series will build into a library of knowledge, specifically designed for club-level players, that can help make your match play more effective.
