How to Get Tennis Pro Results with Recreation Skills: Part 1

Watching tennis on television can sometimes cloud your judgment. You watch the likes of Roger Federer and Justine Henin hit the ball in incredible ways with such ease that you assume you can do the same thing. You'll usually find that it isn't the case. Your forehand lands in the fore court, your backhand hits the back fence, and your volleys are more like set up shots for you opponents. It's almost not fair.

The good news is that you can still add some of these elements to your game in a way that doesn't put you at risk for tons of unforced errors. It's true; the pros have been playing tennis much longer. You don't have their training. But the good news is that anyone can use the tennis tactics they use. The even better news is that you can do it with the tools that you more than likely already have.

Let's look at all the shots that you have and how you can amp them up to have greater success on the recreation courts.

Forehand

The forehand is usually the bread and butter shot. It's probably the easiest shot in tennis to hit. In this day and age, there are many pros whose games are built around a big serve and a big forehand (see Andy Roddick). Usually, the problem isn't that people can't hit the forehand with topspin or pace. The problem is that people go for the lines. Big no-no! You honestly don't want to aim for the line, especially during a tense situation in the match. There's no margin of error for that.
Yes, hit with pace, but aim for a foot inside the line. Besides, the best line to aim for is the baseline. Most recreation players have trouble returning shots that land near the baseline because their footwork isn't the best. At the least, you'll push them back and force them to give up territory.

And please, don't ever neglect the hard struck forehand up the middle of the court. It does wonders. Footwork is the Achilles' heel for many people. Tennis is a game that uses your legs and feet. If you don't know what to do with them, you won't do well. Hitting a shot up the middle means that they have to pick a shot and move out of the way. Just make sure that the shot is deep when you do it, or you'll be giving your opponent a short ball.

Backhand