How to Use Court Movement When Playing Tennis

Players and fans recognize that playing tennis well requires extremely good hand-eye coordination and reflexes. However, 2 components of the game they often overlook in training are court movement and footwork. These are just as important to building a strong tennis game as coordination, and players of all skill levels can benefit from adding them to their practice sessions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Stand on the balls of your feet during rallies and points. Standing flat-footed makes reacting to shots difficult and reduces your time to return the ball.
2. Split step as your opponent strikes each of his or her shots. To split step, simply hop into the air and with your feet spread about shoulder-width apart.
3. Return to the center of the baseline after hitting each of your shots. Staying in the middle of the tennis court makes it easier for you to reach your opponent's shots.
4. Shuffle sideways along the baseline instead of turning 90 degrees and running forward to reach balls. Shuffling allows you to keep your eye on your opponent's movement and react more quickly to his or her shots.
5. Take a few steps backward as your opponent strikes the ball to give yourself more time to reach the shot on your side of the net.
6. Move in quickly on short balls and weak shots to put them away.
7. Remember to take small steps around the court. These let you precisely adjust your position so you can accurately meet the ball.