By Luke Jensen, French Open Doubles Champion
Summer tennis is upon us and it’s so exciting! From hard courts, clay courts, and even some grass courts, there are opportunities to play all over America.
On the world tour, the French Open is behind us but Wimbledon is underway, and now it’s the big run for the final major of the year — the US Open! Have you been? Are you thinking about an end-of-summer trip to one of the big tournaments on the tour calendar? I say go for it! The summer fun circuit is a blast from outstanding destination tournaments such as the D.C., Canadian, and Cincinnati Opens to the Big Apple Bonanza that is the US Open.
I promise you that the tennis is amazing, and the energy of these pro tournaments makes you want to get on the court and run like Coco or serve like Shelton! I enjoy the beginning of all these events. The younger players and the veterans alike are fun to watch. From practice court viewing all the way to the massive stadiums, it’s a great experience!
With such highly visible access, it is easy to see what the pros are doing to improve their games, but what are you working on these days? I am on the court all the time in various capacities from playing (with no cartilage in my right knee) to coaching and working for ESPN.
What I am noticing is a lack of confidence from all levels of players regarding the mid-court volley — the shot around the service line that is not high enough for an overhead but hard to put some punch behind with a firm volley. So, what is the right shot selection? A solid option is a well-placed, high-percentage volley deep with a sharp angle. I’m also a big believer in the modern swing volley that is your groundstroke swing but hit just below your shoulder height. It’s an aggressive cut to end points on your terms and crush moon ballers.
Set up a ball machine for that tricky shot situation and place targets around the court for singles and doubles placement. Moving yourself into the proper position is key, so have the ball machine move shots side to side to keep your feet active. If you can improve your performance in this area, your level in singles and doubles will take off!
Remember, understanding what has to happen in practice comes from evaluating how you are winning and losing points in matches. If you are thinking, you are winning!
