Grips and Practice (Part-2)
In smashing, your grip is about the same as in serving. One uses the wrist more in smashing, to get power in the stroke and to get "top" on the ball.
In gripping a racquet the fingers should be well spread. This makes the control of the racquet more uniform and the balance more distributed to each finger of the hand, and it also gives free wrist play.
Lobbing may look easy, but it is not. Very few first class players have it down to a science. To play a good game of tennis it is essential to learn to lob well. But there are different ways to lob, and varying tactics in the use of the lob. Lob high and deep to get yourself in position when you are out of court. When the adversary is at the net a little short lob just over his head is very effective, but be sure it is out of your opponent's reach, as it would be an easy "kill" for him if he gets his racquet well on the ball. In fact, he could smash it like a service shot. He cannot get under a short lob, as it is not high enough. In case he lets it drop, the ball bounces away from him.
Of the two lobs, however, the high lob is more often useful. It gives one time to recover position in court.
The lob is a great help when under difficulties, such as being out of court or too near the ball to have a swing at it, or when you have no chance to pass your opponent and wish to get him back.
In lobbing players should direct the stroke upward. To keep the ball in court it is necessary to finish "up" on your stroke and not "out."
To improve in tennis players should practice their strokes. Learn your strokes properly from the start. After you have control over the ball is time enough to begin to play games. By practice one is drilled in choosing properly his position in court for different shots He gets ball after ball which he might not receive in play. A player pays more attention to his
stroke and less to points and has a chance of correcting faults. When playing he is after points, and so thinks less about his weak strokes.
Have some one play to your weakness. In learning to volley stand at the net and have some one drive balls to you. Do the same to him until you find it monotonous. .When tired of practicing smashing have your practice partner lob to you. Then reverse and lob to him.
Practice your ground strokes for half an hour a day. The trouble is that players have not the patience for this, but it is the best and quickest way to improve one's game. For instance, in playing net, you are lucky if you have one or two volleys to return. In practice one has ball after ball. A player is bound to improve with that practice. But do not practice until you are tired out. Get variety by playing a set for a change. Then practice a little more where you discovered weaknesses.
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