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The Drive In Tennis
he forehand drive is the at once attain the position to
opening of every offensive receive it with the body at right
in tennis, and, as such, angles to the net.
should be most carefully studied.
There are certain rules of The forehand drive is made up of
footwork that apply to all shots. one continuous swing of the
To reach a ball that is a short racquet that, for the purpose of
distance away, advance the foot analysis, may be divided into
that is away from the shot and three parts:
thus swing into position to hit.
If a ball is too close to the 1. The portion of the swing
body, retreat the foot closest to behind the body, which determines
the shot and drop the weight back the speed of the stroke.
on it, thus, again, being in
position for the stroke. When 2. That portion immediately in
hurried, and it is not possible front of the body which
to change the foot position, determines the direction and, in
throw the weight on the foot conjunction with weight shift
closest to the ball href="http://www.york7.com" pace of the shot.
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the ball.
The receiver should always await
the service facing the net, but All drives should be topped. The
once the serve is started on the slice shot is a totally different
way to court, the receiver should stroke.
favourable plane is on a line
To drive straight down the with the waist.
side-line, construct in theory a
parallelogram with two sides made Never step away from the ball in
up of the side-line and your driving cross court. always throw
shoulders, and the two ends, the your weight in the shot.
lines of your feet, which should,
if extended, form the right The forehand drive from the left
angles with the side-lines. Meet court is identically the same for
the ball at a point about 4 to 4 the straight shot down your
1/2 feet from the body opponent's forehand. For the
immediately in front of the belt cross drive to his backhand, you
buckle, and shift the weight from must conceive of a diagonal line
the back to the front foot at the from your backhand corner to his,
MOMENT OF STRIKING THE BALL. The and thus make your stroke with
swing of the racquet should be the footwork as if this imaginary
flat and straight through. The line were the side-line. In other
racquet head should be on a line words, line up your body along
with the hand, or, if anything, your shot and make your regular
slightly in advance; the whole drive. Do not try to "spoon" the
arm and the racquet should turn ball over with a delayed wrist
slightly over the ball as it motion, as it tends to slide the
leaves the racquet face and the ball off your racquet.
stroke continue to the limit of
the swing, thus imparting top All drives should be made with a
spin to the ball. stiff, locked wrist. There is no
wrist movement in a true drive.
The hitting plane for all ground Top spin is imparted by the arm,
strokes should be between the not the wrist.
knees and shoulders. The most
The backhand drive follows strive to ace your returns,
closely the principles of the because a weak effort would only
forehand, except that the weight result in a kill by your
shifts a moment sooner, and the R opponent.
or front foot should always be
advanced a trifle closer to the Do not develop one favourite shot
side-line than the L so as to and play nothing but that. If you
bring the body clear of the have a fair cross-court drive, do
swing. The ball should be met in not use it in practice, but
front of the right leg, instead strive to develop an equally fine
of the belt buckle, as the great straight shot.
tendency in backhand shots is to
slice them out of the side-line, Remember that the fast shot is
and this will pull the ball cross the straight shot. The cross
court, obviating this error. The drive must be slow, for it has
racquet head must be slightly in not the room owing to the
advance of the hand to aid in increased angle and height of the
bringing the ball in the court. net. Pass down the line with your
Do not strive for too much top drive, but open the court with
spin on your backhand. your cross-court shot.
I strongly urge that no one Drives should have depth. The
should ever favour one department average drive should hit behind
of his game, in defence of a the service-line. A fine drive
weakness. Develop both forehand should hit within 3 feet of the
and backhand, and do not "run baseline. A cross-court drive
around" your backhand, should be shorter than a straight
particularly in return of drive, so as to increase the
service. To do so merely opens possible angle. Do not always
your court. If you should do so, play one length drive, but learn
to vary your distance according Again I urge that you play your
to your man. You should drive drive:
deep against a baseliner, but
short against a net player, 1. With the body sideways to the
striving to drop them at his feet net.
as, he comes in.
2. The swing flat, with long
Never allow your opponent to play follow through.
a shot he likes if you can
possibly force him to one he 3. The weight shifting just as
dislikes. the ball is hit.
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THE DRIVE IN TENNIS.
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