Check out some tips to improve your Ground Strokes from our very own Nike Tennis Camps at Crescent School coach Claudia Poluga whose impressive pedigree, in addition to being a former teammate of Denis Shopavolov, has given her a wealth of knowledge and experience in the tennis world.
Lesson 1: How to Improve your Ground-strokes
Make sure your racquet is positioned head-up slightly away from your body. Also be sure that you are facing sideways at a 90-degree angle towards your dominant side. For better balance and impact point approximation, make sure your non-dominant (racquet holding) hand is positioned outwards as if you grabbed the ball just before impact. This technique ensures that you are not too close or too far from the ball at the point of impact.
At impact, make sure you aim to hit the ball at waist height, as this is the optimal impact point for a ground-stroke. Once you have mastered hitting the ball in the strike zone, advanced players try to hit the ball at waist height and never let the ball start to drop. It's best to hit the ball in the strike zone on the rise or when the ball has reached its peak BEFORE letting it drop back down again.
After impact, accelerate the racquet forward and extend your arm forward as if you were reaching forward. Avoid hyperextension of the arm though as this could lead to a choppy swing, which will tamper with the final result of your shot. Finally, make sure to finish with the racquet over your shoulder after extension to ensure a nice clean finish to your shot (this part is the cherry on top)