Original source: Feel Tennis Instruction
This video from Feel Tennis Instruction covered a lot of ground. Streamed.News selected 4 key moments and summarises them here. Everything below links directly to the timestamp in the original video.
To stop hitting long, you must first have a clear mental picture of where the ball should land and the trajectory it needs to get there. The solution starts in the mind before it is executed by the body.
Lack of Clear Visualization Is a Primary Cause of Hitting Long
Hitting the ball long often stems not from a visible technical flaw but from an unclear mental intention. Without a precise visualization of the ball's desired depth and height, even a mechanically sound stroke will lack accuracy. Players must form a clear mental image of a target area, typically in the opponent's mid-court, and the specific 'window' above the net through which the ball must travel to land there.
The long-term solution is to train this visualization skill through repetition, using on-court targets like cones or a ball machine to provide immediate feedback. This practice calibrates the player's mind, allowing them to intuitively understand the relationship between swing speed, trajectory, and depth, leading to more consistent groundstrokes.
"You're not visualizing clearly how you want your ball to go. So your intention is not clear."
Poor Ball Perception Causes Reaching, Leading to an Open Racket Face
A second major cause of hitting long is being positioned too far from the ball, which forces a player to reach. This reaching motion mechanically causes the racket face to open at the contact point, sending the shot deep. This open racket face is merely a consequence; the root cause is poor positioning, which itself originates from a lapse in perception.
The first psychological barrier to overcome is the tendency to multitask with the eyes by watching the opponent instead of the ball. The solution is to commit fully to watching the ball's flight, which provides the brain with the necessary data to position the body at the correct distance and prevent reaching.
"The racket face is too open because you're reaching. If you're not reaching, my racket face is correct. If I'm reaching forward, it tends to open."
Leaning Backward During Contact Opens Racket Face, Causes Long Shots
A third reason for hitting groundstrokes long is being off balance, specifically leaning backward at the moment of contact. Even if the player is the correct distance from the ball, this loss of posture mechanically opens the racket face. Attempting to swing with high speed from this compromised, leaning position will almost invariably send the ball beyond the baseline.
The long-term solution is not to consciously manipulate the racket face with the hand, but to maintain postural control through the core and lower back. A player must learn to absorb the force of high or deep shots without letting the ball push them backward, ensuring their body remains stable and balanced through the hitting zone.
"When I lean backwards and I don't do anything with my hand, the racket face opens. So, now if I swing very fast with such an open racket face, the ball will go too long."
Skilled Players Learn to 'Abort' Full Swings to Prioritize Control
When positioning is compromised by a bad bounce, wind, or a simple misjudgment, players often make the error of proceeding with their planned, powerful swing. Attempting to generate full acceleration from an imperfect setup is a primary cause of unforced errors, particularly hitting the ball long, because control is sacrificed.
The solution is for players to develop the ability to 'abort' an aggressive swing the moment they recognize they are not in the optimal position. Skilled players instinctively know when to slow their swing down, pull back on power, and prioritize control to ensure the ball is returned safely into play, avoiding an unnecessary error.
"The moment the ball is not in the right spot you slow down and you prioritize control of the ball."
Also mentioned in this video
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- Hitting the ball too hard, or breaking one's speed limit for their skill level,… (11:32)
Summarised from Feel Tennis Instruction · 13:42. All credit belongs to the original creators. Streamed.News summarises publicly available video content.
