What is the Split Step and Why is it so Important

The split step is the most important piece to being effective at moving from the baseline to the net. You can have a fantastic approach shot and fabulous volleys and still not succeed when transitioning from the baseline to the net. Usually the overriding answer is you forgot to SPLIT STEP!

What is a Split Step

The split step is utilized while transitioning from the baseline to the net and in between volleys. The split step is a movement with your feet that allows you to equalize your body weight on both legs. This is accomplished with a quick little hop-skip step that allows you to land on the court with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. This equal distribution allows you to easily and efficiently change directions and move to your next shot.

Why Split Step

When approaching the net we need to stop our forward momentum by utilizing the split step. The split step helps you to balance your body to better react to your opponents next shot. It would be wonderful if our opponents would just hit the ball right back to us so we do not have to split step, but unfortunately they aren’t normally so nice. The split step allows us to move left, right, forward or backward. This is an extremely important point. The split step is giving us time to prepare our body for our next move to the ball. This helps us move in a more controlled manner without any diving or lunging after shots. The split step also helps to keep us from just looking at shots going past us without any chance of making a play on the ball.

The split step is also important in giving us time to read what kind of shot is coming to us. What do I mean by read? I mean to register how fast or slow, high or low, far or close the ball is coming at us. To me this is the overriding factor for utilizing the split step. This allows us to start moving to a ball that is to our left early and help make a more controlled and precise volley.

How many times have opponents lobbed you because you were too busy trying to get to the net that you couldn’t even make a play on a mediocre lob. The problem: No split step. The split step would have allowed you to read and react to the lob earlier. It helps us to determine if we should be backing up for an overhead or chasing down the lob.

Where on the Court should I Split Step

There is no definitive area in which to plan your split step. Usually the split step is used around the service line. However, I do not want to perpetuate just running and stopping at the service line. That could cause you to split too late to be effective in moving to your next shot. The where depends on many factors: how hard and how deep your shot is hit, how quick you make the decision to attack the net and how fast you are moving to the net. This means you may find you split step behind the service line, at the service line or in front of the service line all during the same match. I know this ambiguity makes it sound like the split step is going to cause more problems than it will success, but that is just not the case. Do not get discouraged, the split step will take some practice with trial and error testing to get your timing down, but the benefits will soon appear in more controlled and successful volleys.

When Should I Split Step

The accepted philosophy for when to split step is when your opponent starts their swing. This would allow you to read the ball and determine your best course of action. However, lots of people tell me that they know when to split, but they cannot keep their feet from sneaking in some extra steps, which causes them to be ineffective and unprepared at the net. Therefore, I tell people to say I need to split when my shot bounces on my opponents side of the court. That way if my feet try to sneak those extra steps in, I still am stopped in time to read my opponents shot. This should allow me to feel more controlled, prepared and effective while at the net.

Problems Associated with the Split Step

If you did split step and you still are having trouble with your transition game it can usually be traced back to two reasons.

Reason #1: You ended up waiting where you split to hit your next shot, without ever moving to the ball. Remember the split step is not an opportunity to set up camp. You should not pitch a tent where you split step and plan to play the point from there. The split step is just a pause before you move to your next shot.

Reason #2: Not splitting at the right time, usually splitting too late. Yes, we all know that we should split when our opponent is getting prepared to strike the ball. But if any of you are like me sometimes you feel like your brain knows you are supposed to be stopping, but your feet just keep going. I have found that by telling yourself to split step when your shot bounces on your opponents side of the net your feet end up splitting when your opponent starts their swing. Perfect timing!

Reasons for Not Split-Stepping

Many people tell me that the split step keeps them from getting to the net. The split step may cause you to hit an extra shot or possibly two before reaching your volleying comfort zone, but it is just a pause it is not a stopping point. You should always remember it is more important to be ready for the next shot than it is to be really close to the net!

Hopefully, I will see lots of successful split steps out on the court and improved transition games as a result. Good luck and always remember the party is at the NET!!

To Poach or Not to Poach that is the Question by Billy Mendler

"When should I poach?" is a very common question that is asked of myself and the other pros all of the time. I believe that before you can know the right time to poach, you have to first realize what poaching really is. Once you understand what the poach is, you have to then factor in your opponent and your positioning. Once you can do all that you will be able to answer your own question, "when should I poach"?
What does poaching really mean in tennis? Before I can answer this question you must first recognize that it is not merely moving to the other side of the court during a point when you are at net. If you are following the ball when you are at the net and you merely reach out towards the middle to hit the ball, it is not a poach but rather a good net player's point. Likewise, if I tell my partner I am going to switch sides after he serves, therefore, forcing the server to cover my side this also is not a poach. A poach is when the net player takes a risk by leaving their alley open and moving towards the middle of the court in the hopes of cutting off their opponent's shot. The poach can be done with or without your partners knowledge of the poach. If your opponents read your poach, you will lose the point, but when it is done at the right time you can gain an easy and satisfying point.
Now that you understand what a poach is, recognizing your position and that of your opponent's will be critical to executing a successful poach. The best time to poach is when your opponent is having to hit a more difficult shot than normal. This can mean they are on the run or simply the ball is pushing them back behind the baselline. If you try to poach when they are not in trouble, you can get burned down your alley. You must also factor in your postioning too. As long as you are not in a defensive position, such as at the service line, you should be able to poach effectively.
Now that you are armed with all of the knowledge about the poach it is time to try it. If your positon is good and your opponent's is in enough trouble, you should start to sneak to the middle of the court before they strike the ball. Yes you are leaving your alley open but if you correctly factored in your position and that of your opponents, it should be a very successful poach and a very difficult shot for your opponents to return. Remember, you will lose some points from poaching but it's okay to keep trying. It will drive your opponents crazy.

"Find the Ball" by Randy Cummings

Find The Ball

The Argentinian Oscar Wegner has a great tennis tip which he refers
to as "find the ball."

Simply stated it means to be patient, determine first where the
ball is going to land and with how much pace, spin,
and bounce, and then prepare your swing accordingly. Another
way to picture this is to just move to the ball as if you were
going to catch it with your racquet hand.

Watch the pros. Their first move to a ball, whether forehand
or backhand, is a slight movement sideways with their shoulder
as they lean in the direction of the ball. Their arms and hands
are initially still, with the the butt of the racquet pointing
toward their navel (not much different than their ready
position). The racquet face is more-or-less parallel to the
net. Their non-racquet hand remains close to or on the
racquet. They "stalk the ball" in this position until they get
really close to it, then they begin preparing their swing. Often
they wait until the very last instant before they take their
backswing.

If their time is drastically reduced, they shorten their
backswing so their stroke is almost a block. If they have more
time to set up, then they will take a bigger, longer backswing.
This is why the best of them hit so smoothly and never appear
rushed. Their swing is always measured. They match their
effort (their swing) to the task (the ball's pace, spin,
bounce).

Watch Agassi's forehand. He hits many balls inside the baseline that look like
half-volleys, his backswing is that compact. His backhand has
has even less backswing, accelerating almost directly from
the "find the ball" position into the contact zone. This is
also what makes his return of serve among the best: there
is virtually no backswing once he has found the ball.

The opposite of this would be the big-hitting Fernando
Gonzalez, who begins his backswing before the ball has barely
left his opponent's racquet. Lindsey Davenport is also guilty
of not always finding the ball.

One important note: finding the ball at the pro level does have
its idiosyncrasies. Roddick, Agassi, Federer, and Henin
might look a little different in the way they find the ball
(i.e., the position of their racquet face, their hands, arms)
but all of them are finding the ball --stalking it-- before
they take their full swing at the ball.

Finding the ball is probably different than what you have
been taught (turn, take your racquet back, etc.), yet
it is what the pros do and it is actually a more natural
approach to striking a tennis ball.

Next time you are on the court, try to find the ball first, then
prepare your swing. You'll discover that you have more time
to execute your shot (because you'll never be rushed) and you'll
be hitting more naturally.

"The Volley" by Collin Crawford

Proper technique as demonstrated by Arianna Stenta

In the midst of all the ongoing USTA matches, I thought it might be appropriate to narrow the focus for the tip of the month to the forehand volley. Forthcoming are two reminders that should help improve the consistency and quality of your forehand volley. Many players tend to swing at the volley. This is a major cause of inconsistency. How many times have we swung at a volley and instantly realized the fact after the ball has landed out, or in some cases has hit the curtain? Two ways players tend to swing at volleys are by snapping their wrists at contact, and by taking the raquet back before contact, as if to hit a ground stroke. Two reminders: lock your wrist back and keep your elbow in front.

Notice how Arianna has her wrist locked back in the photo. Her wrist locks back before and after contact. If the wrist stays locked, she can't force the tip of the raquet forward when she hits the ball. Snapping the wrist or forcing the tip of the raquet forward is considered a swing.

The other area to focus on in the photo is Arianna's elbow. Notice how the elbow is in front of her body. The elbow should always stay in front as the ball approaches. Players tend to bring it back as the ball approaches making it very difficult to hit the ball in front and make a solid volley. Once the elbow goes back it is considered a swing. Keeping it in front as the ball approaches maintains consistency and also gives the volley more pop because it is hit in front of the body, not late.

Just remember, to increase the consistency and quality of your forehand volley--lock your wrist back and keep your elbow in front

"The Lob" by Bob deVente

The Lob- Monthly Pro Tip by Bob deVente

The lob is one of the most misunderstood and under-utilized weapons in both singles and doubles. The lob can be hit to accomplish offensive as well as defensive objectives.

A lot of players think the lob to be a "sissy" shot." However, top players understand that the lob is an important shot for a complete game. The lob is a specialty shot like angles, drop shots and high loopers. A complete game includes both power and touch shots. This combination of power and finesse makes your opponent defend in all four directions: left and right, up and back. If you draw your opponent to the net, the lob or lob-volley allows you to hit the open backcourt and win the point.

WHEN DO YOU LOB?
* If your opponent is effective at staying at the baseline, never choosing to advance to the net, the best strategy is to force your opponent to come in toward the net. Using defensive short ground strokes, dinks and drops shots you can pull your opponents out of their comfort zones, making them come to the net. Their skill at the net will determine your success in using the lob and/or passing shots. If they are weak at the net, you can exploit their position tirelessly.
* Even players who often come to the net and are good at volleys and overheads should be lobbed on occasion. The lob creates the opportunity to beat your opponent by improving the effectiveness of your passing shots.
* When you are forced deep into the backcourt, it is best to lob rather than try a passing shot. The lob allows you time to reposition and continue the point. The passing shot is more vulnerable to being picked off because it has to travel 8 to 10 feet further.
* Your opponent's position on the court ultimately determines when to lob or when to pass. Lobbing occasionally forces your opponents to adjust their position to protect for the possibility of a lob. They now become more vulnerable to your passing shots. Alternating between cross-court, down-the- line passing shots and lobs will force your opponents to move right, left or back to a more neutral position on the court, increasing your options to pass or to lob more effectively.
* If your opponents never see you lob, they stop positioning to guard against it. You must use the lob to push your opponents back from the net area toward opening opportunities for you to pass.
* When you are caught in a defensive situation, the lob can be the answer to keep you in the point or force your opponent to hit the "put you away" overhead. It can be a big momentum breaker for your opponents if they miss the overhead on a key point!

BASIC LOB TECHNIQUE:
* The flat lob is hit low to high and is disguised as a regular groundstroke with a slightly open racket face, aiming 10 to 15 feet over the net using less power.
* The underspin lob is hit slightly high to low more like the slice or chip ground stroke and is the easiest lob to execute when in trouble. For the opponent, the underspin makes this lob a more difficult overhead to smash.
* The topspin lob is a well-disguised hit with a low to high motion together with excessive racket head speed. This lob is the most effective offensive weapon.

DOUBLES ANYONE?

Good doubles teams use angles, drop shots and the lob to set up opportunities to close out points. The lob is the tool in doubles to back a team off the net and create openings for you to pass. The lob is used more frequently in doubles than singles, ranging from lob return-of-serves to topspin lob winners!

CONCLUSION
* To master the lob takes time and practice, so make it a point to practice it under all playing situations.
* The lob should be used at all levels of play and be part of your game. The lob sends a message to your opponent that you will lob even if you have little success early in the match. You then have a better chance of passing because there will always be a chance that your next shot will be a lob.
* You may lose some points as your opponent punishes your short lob with overheads or a swinging volley. Don't let that discourage you from using the lob when the situation is right. The more you practice and use lobs in your match play, the more successful you will be at executing the lob!

The Comfort Zone - Monthly Pro Tip by Libby McGovern

THE COMFORT ZONE

In order to play your best at the net, you need to find your comfort zone. The comfort zone is that place on the court where your volleys can be aggressive, controlled and confident, but most of all comfortable. In the comfort zone you should be able to step forward into all of your volleys.

If you are stepping backwards, sideways or standing still you most likely are too close to the net. However the question now is: If I am supposed to step into all of my volleys aren’t I going to get too close to the net and out of my comfort zone? The answer is just a little fancy footwork. Once you reach your comfort zone, for every step forward to the volley you must step back after the volley and return to your comfort zone. By staying at your comfort zone you can still play confidently at the net and be an aggressive volleyer, yet still be able to cover a lob.

Court awareness is extremely important in finding your comfort zone. It's also difficult because your comfort zone may change based on your opponent's style of play. If your opponent hits hard driving shots you probably will feel more comfortable farther away from the net. If your opponent hits soft shots you may feel more comfortable closer to the net. If your opponent hits soft, loopy shots you may feel more comfortable closer to the net. If your opponent likes to lob, you may feel most comfortable in the middle of the service box. In this case the lob does not look quite as open and easy to get over your head.

The comfort zone is unique to every player. Finding yours can make a vast improvement in your volleys. Just remember that no one's comfort zone is at the baseline because the party is always at the NET!

by Libby McGovern

Net Positioning

The basics of positioning at net are black and white with a lot of gray area mixed in, too. Let's keep it simple and chat only about the basics of playing the net when your partner is serving. While you may stand anywhere on the court, the best position is up at the net. When you are at the net you have two main objectives: to win the point, with your volley, and not to lose the point.
To win the point you must be able to volley for a winner. To hit this type of volley, how close to the net should you stand? You want to stand close enough to the net to put any volley away. The farther away from the net you are, the more difficult it is to accomplish this. Standing very close to the net makes it easier to hit a winning volley. Standing too close limits your reach and makes you susceptible to the lob. Each player will have to decide how close to the net he or she can stand and still feel confident in putting the ball away.
The second object of not losing the point means protecting your alley. If your opponent hits into your alley, he or she will win the point (unless it's a lob and then your partner will be able to retreive it). You must stand close enough to your alley to be able to volley any attempt to go down it by your opponents. At the same time, you want to cover as much court as possible, thereby giving yourself the greatest chance to hit a winning volley. A good rule of thumb is: Never stand inside your alley. At the same time, you must look for an opportunity to poach towards the middle for the volley. So stand next to your alley, not in it. Next, we want to follow the ball as much as possible as long as we stay in between the singles sideline and the center of the court. Crossing the center line will give your opponents a very good look at your alley, which we cannot let happen.
All players from beginners to the pros have these two objectives when their partner is serving. They will be standing in different positions but still have the same objectives. So keep moving and put that volley away.

Monthly Pro Tip

Many of you have heard about the open stanced forehand. If you watch pro tennis live or on TV, you will see virtually all the pros hitting open stance fore hands. They utilize this technique every chance they get. Some of you have tried this technique, without supervision, and found your forehand sailing out of control! Back to the old forehand in a heartbeat. Most teaching pros still teach the traditional cross-step forehand, (stepping into the shot with your front leg) at least to adults. Yet the open stance has taken over the junior, college and pro game. A few tips on how to attempt this new-wave shot.

....First and foremost, turn your shoulders sideways. Do this before you run to the ball. Most people make the mistake of thinking open stance means to hit completely open. The phrase "open stance" refers to your legs (your stance), not your upper body

....Take your racquet back a bit higher. Shoulder height is good.

.....Your last running step should be taken with your back leg. If you are right handed, this would be your right leg. Try to allign this leg up close to the tennis ball.

.....Once you plant this leg, bend your knee (sound familiar?) and put your weight on this leg. Do not move your back leg. Keep it still. If all your weight is on this leg, you can't move it! That is good.

......Begin your swing by dropping your racquet underneath the ball to create a low to high trajectory. At the same time, your weight should begin to transfer off your back leg into the shot. As you meet the ball you can really rotate your right hip into the ball for explosive power. Because the left side of your body (assuming you are right handed) is not in your way, you should be able to generate lots of racquet speed and power. Explode into the ball as they say. Your contact point will be further back than the traditional step forehand, giving you more time to set up for your shot.

This is a fun shot once you get a feel for the ball. If you try the above and are still hitting the curtain, call your local tennis pro. We will be posting monthly tips on our site the 1st week of each month. We will also field any questions you might have. Simply write your question in the comment column. We will post it and then answer it as next month's pro tip.