Tennis TIPS: ‘Triple vision’ determines the best next move



My students get tired of hearing me say, ‘It depends.’

My students get tired of hearing me say, ‘It depends.’

Often, students will ask a question and are looking for an answer that works 100% of the time. The truth is, in tennis there rarely is a time you should use “always” or “never.”

For example, when asked, “What should I do when I am approaching the net? Where should I hit the ball?” my students get tired of hearing me say, “It depends.”

Everything depends on the follow­ing three factors: where you are on the court, where your opponent is on the court, and where the ball is (in relation to you and your op­ponent). It’s what we call “triple vision.”

In the question above (Where should I hit the ball on an approach shot?), I would tell my student to factor in triple vision to determine where to hit the approach shot. If your opponent is pushed out wide to the backhand side, then the approach should go to the open court. If your opponent is in the middle of the court, you would want to approach the weaker side.

A great drill for practicing triple vision is to grab your partner and both of you start a rally ball at the same time and try to keep two balls going at the same time. This drill will help you practice executing your shot and help you be aware of the incoming ball at the same time. This will also help you with your footwork by not allowing you to stand around watching your shot, but automatically moving to hit the ball coming toward you.

Adam Lane is director of instruction at Bonita Bay Club. He can be reached at Spotlight@swspotlight.com

Adam Lane is director of instruction at Bonita Bay Club. He can be reached at Spotlight@swspotlight.com

Triple vision is key to recognizing your opponent’s weakness and taking advantage of it when you have him or her in a bad position.