I want to ace some one already!

So far in my blog we have covered the importance of having a good attitude and not being afraid to lose in the quest to better yourself in the game of tennis.  I believe your mental game in tennis is the most important when playing, however it's about time we took a break and explained a few shots! But the question is: What shots should I put in the blog?  So I will cover 3 important shots: The Ground Stroke, The Overhead, and The Serve.  These are my 3 favorite shots and I have had to practice them the most, even more than my backhand slice!!!(which is tough since I'm right handed)

The Ground Stroke: This is the base for all tennis players. Once you can hit the ball you are ready to go out and practice. For beginners this is the hardest because they are still getting used to being able to see where and when to make contact with the ball. Most players play with the continental style of holding a raquet. I find this to be the most comfortable and it lets me put the most top spin on the ball. Now, as my first tennis coach would say, "Hold the raquet like you would a bunny! Don't strangle the bunny!" You don't want to choke the neck of your raquet, you want be able to correctly hit the ball. So as you stoke, remember to hold firmly but not hard. When you make contact with the ball you want the face of your raquet (the part with the strings) to face outward toward your target. It is a common mistake for players to face the raquet upward. Just remember, the ball will go wherever you tell it to, including the sky. The follow through is also important. As you hit you want the ball to be pushed out from you, using your core. This is completed by letting your arms follow and push the ball as far as you can till the release point. This stroke takes practice but it will be your best friend!

 The Overhead: This is probably the most athletic shot in tennis, it demands respect and lots of practice.  The easiest way to describe how to do this shot is as a lob come up over your head, move backward (position yourself sideways) and hit the ball high, drilling down into your opponents court.  It is important to stay sideways and follow the ball with your free hand to avoid a nasty spill or the humiliation of wiffing (completely missing the ball for those of you who don't play tennis).  If you don't feel that you can do this shot it is usually best is you just run back to hit a ground stroke.  However, this is a deadly shot and will allow you to easily close a point if you can do it successfully.

 The Serve: The serve is my personal favorite. It determines the point in my style of the game and it can determine if my opponent sees me as a threat. There are many different types of serves including slice, flat, and the dreaded kick serve.  But we will stick with a normal slice serve.  When serving remember to hold your raquet like you would a volley, this allows for the slice to happen.  The toss should be slightly in front of your body but straight up above the head of your raquet at its highest point.  You will make contact with the ball above your head at the highest point before your raquet begins to drop again. Don't try to drive the ball into the opposite court, this will end with the ball going into the net! Trust gravity to work and focus on hitting the ball correctly.  When you get the motion down correctly and feel comfortable you can add in the power of your legs to really drive that ball and catch your opponent off guard.  Trust me, its the best feeling to take a deep breath, toss the ball, bend the legs to store up energy and power, and release all the power you have on that little ball and ace your opponent on match point! With practice and a little time you too can get this ace down, The Ace in Life.