Serving big with a fantastic forehand is good but may not translate to a point automatically. No doubt that mastering efficient techniques and developing your strengths on court to improve your game can work in your favor, but still–you’ll have to work harder if you want to win matches.
A player’s technical knowledge of the game, regardless of how he executes it during a match, does not dictate his on-court performance. Someone gifted with a good tennis IQ will still have to work on determining the appropriate time to use his skills during a face-off. What aspiring tennis players need is to hone their tactical awareness and make their skill sets work for them when needed. That means perfecting consistency and mastering techniques are a must in order to win matches.
Combining both your technical and tactical skills helps you make quick decisions during tense match situations and mastering the art of consistency is the way to go in achieving this.
Consistency in your game
Being consistent means having the ability to perfect your footwork and technique when they matter most. Keeping the ball in the court is always your objective, which means you’ll have to focus on not committing unforced errors as much as possible.
Every return should be answered with the right angle, trajectory, and speed as your opponent will constantly apply pressure during each play. Mastering the appropriate positioning and footwork within all areas of the court can reduce the number of unforced errors and give you more control of the ball while it is in play.
For example, focus on the net height of the court and try various tactical strategies to make it work to your advantage. As per the International Tennis Federation (ITF), standard tennis nets have a height of three feet and six inches. However, if you look closely, the center of the net droops to only about three feet which makes it more logical to hit rally balls over that area than anywhere else. This will give you a higher chance for control and lower instances of forced errors.
Here are some other drills you can practice to develop consistency:
Crosscourt cone drills
Developing your consistency for the game requires regular training and drills that help you master repetitions. Doing crosscourt battle cones during practice, wherein you’ll divide the court in two and position yourself on the service line while your practice partner assumes the opposite stance while you both try and hit the cones via a crosscourt rally, helps you focus on your shots’ consistency and accuracy.
Groundstroke consistency
Try hitting groundstrokes with your practice partner until a forced error is committed. Maintain your footwork to lengthen rallies and shoot the ball in pre-designated targets to improve your stroke techniques and consistency. While doing this drill, focus on net clearance to achieve your objectives.
One-minute rally and swap
When practicing with other players, group yourselves in groups of three wherein two players rally for a minute initially as another player allows a different player to take his place.
For example, let player 1 exchange shots with player 3, while player 2 sneaks to the other side of player 3’s side of the net to answer a return shot from player 1. Do this while changing players every minute, practicing your deep shots to keep the rally going.
Serve consistency
When working on your tennis serves, consider your height and the level of difficulty when hitting the ball down. Repeat your serves on the service line several times to perfect your motion while determining the right angle, speed, and topspin at different points of your opponent’s side of the court.
Ask yourself if you need more or less slice depending on your height–the taller you are, the more you need to have a better chance of getting a higher first serve percentage and in clearing the ball over the net. As a guide, players as tall as Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Andy Roddick deliver serves by letting the ball rise and drop a little to produce more topspin.
Tossing drills
To further work on your topspin, toss the ball a bit higher than usual to its peak and strike it while it is just beginning to drop. The upward motion and the ball’s descent will create a topspin that makes it easier for you to clear the net while still being able to dive down into the service box.
Applying a faster serve motion won’t allow you to produce enough topspin, so you’ll have to let the ball rise higher slowly and strike it a few inches from its peak as it starts to fall.
Rhythmic drills
Aside from working on your topspin, applying a slower tempo on your deliberate serves helps you master the right rhythm which makes you more relaxed as you repeat them. Mastering your service rhythm increases your service percentage as opposed to relying on faster motions that can simply break down your serves while under pressure.
Perform several repetitions of this drill on your serves to improve your consistency, control, and better topspin.
Deep crosscourt drill
In this particular drill, have your coach feed you the ball and hit it into a target spot crosscourt where your practice partner returns it down the line or crosscourt down the middle. This will develop your crosscourt strokes, force easier returns from your opponent, and prepare you for a more dominant position to either shoot the ball down the line or via a short angled cross court shot.
Practice makes perfect
Most champions work on their game consistency by integrating their tactical and technical skills. Doing these drills regularly will help you polish your game from your serve down to improving your net game. Just look at pro stats and you’ll soon discover how the player with the better combination of first serve percentage and points won from them usually takes the game. That’s because the serve is the most important shot of the game in that it dictates control of the ball throughout the match.
So, remember to toss your ball at the right height and work your tennis consistency from there. Most important of all– practice, practice, and practice.
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