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Low compression balls are great tools for fine-tuning volley technique.
© Tennis 15-30
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To better time your swing to contact, have a partner hold up a towel for you so you can practice making a strong impact where it counts.
© Tennis 15-30
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Have a partner use a resistance band or jump rope to hold you back as you practice service returns.
© Tennis 15-30
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By Mark Dalzell and Pat Dougherty
Use these three low-tech tools to work on your volleys, serve and return.
1. Soft Ball Volleys: Low-compression tennis balls aren’t just for the kids. Because they don’t have as much bounce as regular balls, they’re a great tool for fine-tuning volley or groundstroke technique against a hitting wall.
2. Towel for Serve Power: A big problem club players have on the serve: They don’t reach maximum acceleration soon enough. To better time your swing to contact, have a partner hold up a towel for you so you can practice making a strong impact where it counts.
3. Resistance Return: Have a partner use a resistance band or jump rope to hold you back as you practice service returns. Not only will this teach you to drive your legs into the return, it help you shorten your take-back and hit the ball out in front as well.
Mark Dalzell and Pat Dougherty both teach at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy.