Jak Beardsworth Tennis

OCTOBER 2008

Insights to Mastering your Game, from Jak

Reading Their Mail

Misperceptions abound regarding reading an opponent’s shot in the midst of a point. “Watch their racket.” “Look at their hips and shoulders.” Those are two that I constantly hear from well intentioned, motivated players keen to improve.

But this is wrong!

Anticipating the direction of the opposition’s shot prior to impact is a crap-shoot at best, especially if you’re literally thinking/analyzing what’s probable and then attempting to “guess right,” as the TV analysts have an unfortunate penchant for repeating over and over.

As usual instead, it's all about the ball! Remaining visually connected to your own outgoing shot, or your partner’s shot in doubles, all the way into an opponent’s strike zone, is the key to reading your opponent's shot.

Veteran teacher/coach Peter Burwash coined the term “triple vision” long ago, and his take on this readily developed skill still holds up, and always will.

Since the eyes and the brain work in concert, exclusively tracking the ball, while maintaining a peripheral awareness of both the opponent and their court position, will allow you to predict where the ball will be struck in relation to an opponent’s body.

Clean ball striking requires that all groundies, volleys, and approach shots be struck in front of one’s body in a relatively small, optimal hitting area. A closer look reveals that cross court shots are struck the furthest in front, down-the-line shots the least in front, and balls directed up the middle of the court are contacted in between those two, albeit subtle, extremes.

All players utilize this technique either by design, or in the instance of the less experienced, accidentally.

Observing these differences at the point of impact, as they are taking place, results in the ability to move comparatively far sooner than previously, in the appropriate direction precisely at the moment an opponent’s shot is being struck.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised to realize how do-able this reading technique can be integrated into your game; focusing primarily on your own shot in its outgoing path, and not on your opponent or the court.

You’ll get off the mark quicker and more effortlessly than ever before, to simultaneously defend your end of the court more effectively and strike your own shot - not only more cleanly, but with a bonus perception of more time to get it done, as well.

This tip is adapted from Jak's book More Than Just The Strokes

Questions and comments are welcome at anytime for all tips present and past via email.

Tips Archive

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March, April, 2013 SELF-TALK: Good, Bad, or Indifferent [read more]
January, February, 2013 BOOK-A-MILLION: Do Tennis Players Read? [read more]
December, 2012 THE KEY TO TOUR LEVEL BALL STRIKING: And How to Learn It [read more]
November, 2012 ARE YOU A THUDDER, A TWANGER, OR A PINGER: Racket Dampeners [read more]
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July, August, 2012 TEN TOP STRESS REDUCERS [read more]
June, 2012 MAKING YOUR LESSONS STICK [read more]
May, 2012 THE IMPOSSIBLE: Accelerating and Decelerating Simultaneously [read more]
April, 2012 PLAYER DISCONNECTION [read more]
March, 2012 BENDING THE SERVE IN [read more]
February, 2012 UNDERSTANDING TERMINOLOGY: Drill vs Clinic vs Team Practice [read more]
January, 2012 PLAYING SCARED? [read more]
December, 2011 CUTTING OFF THE ANGLE…VERTICALLY [read more]
November, 2011 WHY COACHING? [read more]
October, 2011 THE EASY BALLS ARE NOT EASY [read more]
August/September, 2011 NEVER TOO LATE FOR OLDER DOGS [read more]
June/July, 2011 HARD COURTS, SOFT COURTS, and YOUR BODY'S ADAPTATION [read more]
April/May, 2011 JAW DROPPNG [read more]
March, 2011 CLUB DOUBLES' INCREASINGLY MISSING LINK [read more]
February, 2011 TIP 2 | POOH POOHING DOUBLES STRATEGY SESSIONS [read more]
February, 2011 TIP 1 | CLAY TO HARD, HARD TO CLAY [read more]
January, 2011 ICING THE SERVER WHEN RECEIVING IN THE BIG MOMENTS [read more]
December, 2010 JOHN ISNER’S “GOOD MISS” [read more]
November, 2010 THE MOST NEGLECTED SHOT IN THE GAME [read more]
October, 2010 BALL BOUNCING and the SERVE [read more]
September, 2010 TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE BALL [read more]
July-August, 2010 SUMMER SCHOOL COURTSIDE CRIB SHEET [read more]
May-June, 2010 THE 2-HANDED JUMP BACKHAND: The Dumbest Shot in Tennis [read more]
April, 2010 THE STANDING AROUND SYNDROME [read more]
March, 2010 THE ELUSIVE SERVICE TOSS [read more]
February, 2010 PREPARING TO START THE POINT: Serving and Receiving [read more]
January, 2010 DEBUNKING THE MODERN GAME [read more]
December, 2009 RELAX – IT'S JUST A RALLY BALL [read more]
November, 2009 DEFEATING THE POACHER [read more]
October, 2009 PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE [read more]
September, 2009 SERVING SUCCESS: Warming-Up vs Match Play [read more]
August, 2009 THE SPLIT STEP: Defending the Court, Rushing the Net, and More [read more]
July, 2009 THE THIRD GROUNDSTROKE [read more]
June, 2009 HOW MANY HANDS DOES IT TAKE? [read more]
May, 2009 THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL [read more]
April, 2009 PLAYING IN THE FLORIDA WIND [read more]
March, 2009 Letting them Play for Peak Performance in Clubland [read more]
February, 2009 SUPPORTING YOUR GAME [read more]
January, 2009 RESPECTING THE GAME: Top 10 Do's & Don'ts [read more]
December, 2008 Getting the Warm-up Right [read more]
November, 2008 Visualize...Realize: The Mind Body Connection [read more]
October, 2008 Reading Their Mail [read more]