Importance of the Tennis Warmup

Tennis, as any avid player will tell you, can be one of the most satisfying games in the world one minute and one of the most frustrating the next. It's hard to beat the triumphant feeling of a well-struck passing shot down the line for a winner as your opponent charges the net in vain. On the other hand, nothing can be as deflating as a straightforward groundstroke hit inexplicably into the net or a foot or more past the baseline. What explains such a disparity in performance from day to day and even from game to game? The answer may be simpler than you think.

Having proper mechanics is, of course, a prerequisite to success in any sport. If your techniques and movements are fundamentally sound, you will have (barring total strategic foolishness!) a solid and respectable game. So then, one key to a consistently good game is figuring out why those proper techniques and movements sometimes disappear and taking corrective action. Assuming you know the fundamentals of serving, groundstrokes and volleying, here is one of the simplest reasons your game fails you at times.