One of the keys for a good tennis stroke is balance. If you’re not in balance you will put a lot of focus on your upper body, especially the arms, doing all the work and control will suffer.
The way to be balanced for a shot is good footwork, trying to keep the feet moving through small steps and preparing as early as possible for your shots. Just look at the way Rafael Nadal runs around his backhand to hit a forehand, he takes so many small steps that you would think he’s a flamenco dancer. Just search for Nadal footwork on Youtube for some videos illustrating one of the main reasons for the Spaniard’s success.
The king of good balance in my view though is Roger Federer. Federer practically glides around the court and he always seems to be in perfect stance to hit a shot. People often wonder how he can hit does penetrating shots with those “spaghetti” arms of his. The reason is that his footwork and balance makes for a great transfer of his body weight into the shot. Nadal hits a lot more with his upper body while Federer basically walks into the shot with really aggressive footwork. This is why it looks so easy when he plays, because he’s seems to be constantly moving forward.
Keeping your weight forwards is actually the tennis tip of the day. Many beginners and intermediate players have a tendency to keep the weight on the back foot and that’s why their shots go long or get dumped in the net. The key is to keep your weight on your front foot and almost be leaning into the court. This way you will use your weight better in the shots, achieve better balance, and play a technically better stroke.
A quick tip that I hope will benefit your game. Don’t hesitate to comment on it!
