Hi Team Stony Tennis,
Have you ever seen yourself on a video recording and thought “Is that what I look like?”
It’s a common trap. We watch Alcaraz or Swiatek on TV, see that effortless, whip-like motion on their forehands, and then get frustrated when our own swing looks a bit more "homemade." We start to believe that because we don’t look like a pro, we’re limiting our potential to be better.
I’ve got to tell you that most of the time, it’s your belief that is holding you back, not your technique.
Most club players are obsessed with Aesthetics and how the swing looks. They’ll study hours of YouTube footage, watch every instructional video and fail to be able to put this into their game. You don’t win points for looking good…tennis isn’t figure skating! The ball doesn't have eyes and it doesn't know if you look like Roger Federer or a windmill. The ball only responds to Physics. If you really want to build a game that actually wins matches, you need to stop chasing "perfect" and start chasing "functional." When you stop trying to look pretty, you free up your brain to focus on what actually matters.
Instead of worrying about the angle of your elbow or the "pro-style" follow-through, focus on these three things. If you hit these, the ball must go in:
Everything else is just "style."
There is an international 14&U Tournament in France each year and when you look at some of the juniors reaching the quarterfinals or semi-finals, they have some very interesting technique but they arrive in time and manipulate the racket to get good contact with the ball to achieve their desired outcome. Some of the toughest players to beat at the local level have the "ugliest" strokes but ‘Why’? It’s because they aren't overthinking their technique. They are focused on the target, the movement, and the strategy.
When you realise that your "homemade" game is capable of hitting the lines just as well as a textbook stroke, your confidence will skyrocket. You’ll stop apologising for your technique and start using it to dismantle your opponents.
The win counts exactly the same, whether the shot was "pretty" or not.
The Team Stony Tennis Coaches are always on hand to help players find what works for them. We know that there is a range of acceptability with technique and that what works for one player will not work for another, but it’s about establishing the fundamentals for each individual or your “Tennis DNA”. When you understand what you’re trying to achieve (strategy) you can implement the tactics to achieve it.
So next time you’re on court, focus on getting into position on time and contacting the ball in front rather than how you look. I promise, you will see better results
Happy tennising!
John Cavill
Director of Tennis
Have you ever seen yourself on a video recording and thought “Is that what I look like?”
It’s a common trap. We watch Alcaraz or Swiatek on TV, see that effortless, whip-like motion on their forehands, and then get frustrated when our own swing looks a bit more "homemade." We start to believe that because we don’t look like a pro, we’re limiting our potential to be better.
I’ve got to tell you that most of the time, it’s your belief that is holding you back, not your technique.
Most club players are obsessed with Aesthetics and how the swing looks. They’ll study hours of YouTube footage, watch every instructional video and fail to be able to put this into their game. You don’t win points for looking good…tennis isn’t figure skating! The ball doesn't have eyes and it doesn't know if you look like Roger Federer or a windmill. The ball only responds to Physics. If you really want to build a game that actually wins matches, you need to stop chasing "perfect" and start chasing "functional." When you stop trying to look pretty, you free up your brain to focus on what actually matters.
Instead of worrying about the angle of your elbow or the "pro-style" follow-through, focus on these three things. If you hit these, the ball must go in:
- The Contact Point: Is the ball in front of your body? If yes, you have power.
- The Balance: Are your feet in position with your head and shoulders still at impact? If yes, you have control.
- The Recovery: Are you back in position for the next one? If yes, you have a future.
Everything else is just "style."
There is an international 14&U Tournament in France each year and when you look at some of the juniors reaching the quarterfinals or semi-finals, they have some very interesting technique but they arrive in time and manipulate the racket to get good contact with the ball to achieve their desired outcome. Some of the toughest players to beat at the local level have the "ugliest" strokes but ‘Why’? It’s because they aren't overthinking their technique. They are focused on the target, the movement, and the strategy.
When you realise that your "homemade" game is capable of hitting the lines just as well as a textbook stroke, your confidence will skyrocket. You’ll stop apologising for your technique and start using it to dismantle your opponents.
The win counts exactly the same, whether the shot was "pretty" or not.
The Team Stony Tennis Coaches are always on hand to help players find what works for them. We know that there is a range of acceptability with technique and that what works for one player will not work for another, but it’s about establishing the fundamentals for each individual or your “Tennis DNA”. When you understand what you’re trying to achieve (strategy) you can implement the tactics to achieve it.
So next time you’re on court, focus on getting into position on time and contacting the ball in front rather than how you look. I promise, you will see better results
Happy tennising!
John Cavill
Director of Tennis
RSS Feed
