Beginning Tennis​​

First, I have to say—man, that video is intense!

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Second, I have a problem when sports commentators ask tennis pro' how they plan to win during pre-match interviews. The pro isn't going to reveal their actual game plan. So instead, they all reply, "I just have to play my game." It's all a farce! No elite player's plan is to simply "play their game" as if it were running a computer program! Sure, they have a game plan, but it's totally adaptive—like water.

 

On the court, your opponent will be unpredictable and dynamic; regardless of how much film you've watched in preparation. You must—like water—adjust to a continually changing environment. One cannot do this by assuming a tennis stroke is a rote kinetic chain of events. Rather, think of every point as a fluid experience. (E.g., Reactive and balanced, not inflexibly "perfect".) Players behave mercurially throughout the match; sometimes their energy is high, and other times it's low. The score is a major factor that can mentally affect even the most mentally tough players. And any player who fails to adjust to their opponent's stroke pace, spin, depth, or energy level is a fool. You must be patient and ready to adapt your plan. Like so many war strategists have said, "no plan survives contact with the enemy." (Colin Powell, Eisenhower, Molkte, Duke of Wellington, Sun Tzu, Napoleon Bonapart, etc.)

 

Here are 4 principles of a fluid tennis approach:

1. You start with an overall game strategy (e.g., attack his mid-court backhand). Strategies are typically developed before the match after studying your opponent. The plan is then adapted throughout the match as you observe flaws in your opponent's game at that moment. (E.g., if they are exhausted, make them run by forcing your opponent into the net with a drop shot and then lobbing them to make them run back to the baseline.)

2. Like picking up a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, you need to see each ball coming and decide how to metaphorically flip it around so it fits into your game plan. Good opponents will give you less time get into the perfect position to enact your plan. Never try to smash a puzzle piece [hit] into a place that doesn't fit. Do your best with what you've got. (E.g., Hitting deep and cross court is always a solid strategy for consistency when you're hitting from an unbalanced position.)

3. When recovering into your next hitting position, your power always initiates from your metaphorical roots [feet; especially your back foot]. 

4. Once you have drawn your balance and power up through your roots, make adjustments all the way up your body while maintaining a low, balanced core. Each shot approach will be different based on what the ball is doing, where you positioned relative to the ball, and where you want the ball to go.

 

This explains why big, buff athletes can have wimpy or inconsistent strokes.  Power and consistency is not merely about maximizing your flexibility, loading preparation, and explosiveness—it's about holism. Holism/connectedness/fluidity/water (it's all the same thing) can explain why iconic servers, like Karlovic, Roddick & Sampras, have greater range of motion in their shoulders, why they appear so graceful, and why they don't look like they're simply tossing the ball up, loading, and erupting up like a volcano. Holistic movement explains why someone 180 pounds can serve 150 MILES PER HOUR into a tiny box less than 60 feet away. The same goes for Bruce Lee, who was arguably the greatest martial artist in recorded history. Bruce's movements were always fluid; and always adjusting to his opponent.  (E.g., look at Bruce's footwork at 1:05 in the video against the balanced, but lumbering and predictable Chuck Norris.)

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TL;DR Like water, you must adjust to court conditions [e.g., your opponent and the ball].