Tennis Tip #21

The inside-outs, and inside-ins all stem to one important thing, positioning. When you hit these shots, you will hit the ball as a forehand because of the power that you can get from this shot. So, lets discuss positioning, just like a drop shot, one important piece stressed was disguise. When you hit these shots, you don't want to make it obvious where you will hit these shots. Looking at the woman to the left, you see her preparing for a forehand, but you have no idea where she will be hitting the ball. This is how you can tell if your preparation is at a high level. You will either hit cross court (inside out), down the middle, or down the line (inside in). When you are about to make contact with the ball, you will make your decision where the ball will go. This will provide less time for your opponent, and more time for you to prepare for your next shot. When you hit this shot, you will be in a closed position; this is when you are perpendicular to the net. If you are open, or parallel to the net, you will have a tough time hitting down the line. So now that you have an understanding of this, tomorrow we will discuss good ways to work with your inside-out / inside-in shots, and to perfect like a pro.