Tennis Stroke Timing Off?

Question

I'm doing very well during training plainly because i'm used to the balls i use, however whenever it comes to tournament, when they use new balls, my stroke timing goes OFF. i can't strike like i used to and eventually lose confidence in my strokes. the balls spin faster and gets too heavy for me to handle consistency. i guess i need more tournament experience. otherwise, anyone please help? im desperate.

Answer 1

Well I would give two suggestions. It sounds like a two-fold problem. Either you aren't practicing in similar conditions or you don't have enough variety with your practicing partner.

Meaning, if you have difficulty with using new balls in tournaments... use new balls in practice as well. There's no way of getting around that. Also make sure you are practicing on the same court surface as your tournament. Meaning if you are on a Hard-Tru court and your tournaments are on clay there's a problem.

Secondly you probably do just need more experience. It may not be so much a conditional factor but experiential factor. Get some variety in your practice partners that way you get a better mix of play styles. You often hear this analogy... Mastering the tennis game is like mastering music. You can't play an entire song with one note.

Answer 2

Happens to me too.... don't worry. It all relies on you keeping your eye on the ball. When you hit the ball, hit through it. Don't worry about where it's going to go, and don't look at it. Keep your eyes on the ball for 2 seconds, THEN look where it goes. If the ball is too heavy for you, stand back and keep your racket back before you hit the ball (take the ball early). That should help. =)

Answer 3

Also depends on what grip you use. If you use a semi-western, the one Nadal uses, and you try and generate the top spin, you need to hit the ball slightly in front of you. hitting it when it is parallel to you will not give anywhere near as good a shot.

However, if you use the western grip, then you will need to hit the ball when it is parallel to you. Hitting it in front of you makes it go a little high and drop stupidly.

So check out what grip you are using and hit the ball respectively. And check out these grips on the internet and see whether your coach has anything to say on this matter.

You were saying about match experience. That is a very good call. When you are nervous and suddenly he points start counting for something, you may start to find that you are tightening up and hitting the ball far too early or late. It all goes back to what i was saying. It messes with your shot on the grip.

Keep going. Hope you get better.

Answer 4

well what can help is if u buy the tennis balls in a can they r in pressure so they r always fresh and it will be more like the trunament balls nonlike the ones u keep in ur hopper and in the bag so by the ones in the cans if u need anything elts Email me at [e-mail]

Answer 5

is your racket the right for you measurement you need a quality racket or your get tennis elbow that belive me has not gone for years in me playing with a wrong size,you need to mbuild up your strength and stamina and learn to relax .it's better to hit it miles long then to be cautious.maybe pratice with different balls similar ,your wrist is not strong enough you need to train hard.but i feel its flaw in your racket the measurement make it difficult to get around the ball because there more heavy ,so it's your racket,get a better one or you won't get very far