Cutting Stroke
In tennis, a cut stroke is a stroke where the angle towards the player and behind the racket, made by the line of flight of the ball, and the racket traveling downward through it, is greater than 45° and can be 90°. The club face passes slightly outside the ball and to the side, cutting it, as the man cuts the wood. Rotate and curve from right to left. It is made of steel wrist.
The slide reduced said 45 degree angle to a very small angle. The club face passes in or out of the ball, depending on the direction desired, while the stroke is primarily a twist or a wrist slap. This slap gives the ball a decided slippery break, while the cup "pulls" the ball off the ground without breaking.
The footwork rules for both strokes should be the same as for practice, but since both are performed with a short swing and more wrist play, without the need for weights, the footwork rules can be rejected more safely and the body position is not as carefully considered.
Both of these moves are primarily defensive and are great labor saving tools when your opponent is on base. A chunk or slice is very hard to drive and will break any driving game.
It's not a blow to use against a blow, as it's too slow to pass and too high to cause any concern. It should be used to land short, soft shots to the feet of the man at net as he enters. Do not attempt to pass a reticulated man with a cut or slice except through a large opening.
The slam dunk is a very soft, sharp-angled chopping blow played entirely with the wrist. It must fall within 3-5 feet of the net to be useful. The face of the racket goes around the outside and under the ball with a characteristic "wrist spin". Do not swing the racket from the shoulder during a stroke. Cushioning has nothing to do with stopping. The drop shot is all wrist. There is absolutely no wrist for the stop kick.
Use all your wrist swipes, chop, slice and drop, just as an aid to your traditional game. It aims to disrupt your opponent's play through various ball tricks.
Half a Ball
This stroke requires more perfect timing, sight, and paddle work than any other, as its margin of safety is the smallest and its multiple chances of mishaps are innumerable.
It's a van. The ball hits the ground and the face of the club at about the same time the ball bounces off the ground, off the strings. This shot is a short, stiff movement of the wrist, like a ball with no follow-up. The racket face moves along the ground with a slight tilt over the ball and towards the net, keeping the ball low; The stroke, like all other tennis games, must be transmitted across the face of the racket, along the short strings. The face of the racket should always be slightly away from the ball.
The half-volley is primarily a defensive strike, as it should only be performed as a last resort, when knocked out of position by your opponent's shot. It is a desperate attempt to get you out of a dangerous situation without restraint. Never intentionally half a hit.
Court Position
The tennis court measures 39 feet from the baseline to the net. There are only two places on the tennis court where a tennis player should wait for the ball.
- Approximately 3 feet behind the baseline near the middle of the court, or
- About 6 to 8 feet from the net and approximately opposite the ball.
The first is the location of all the major players. The second is the net position.
If you come out of these positions with a shot that you need to return to, do not stay where you hit the ball, but get to one of the two mentioned positions as quickly as possible.
The distance between the baseline and about 10 feet from the net can be considered "no man's land" or "empty". Never slow down, because the deep shot will catch your feet. After hitting the ball out of space, as you often must, step back behind the baseline waiting for the return, so you can move forward again to meet the ball. If you are adjusted short and cannot safely back out, continue until you reach the net position.
Never stand and watch your shot, as that just means you're not in position for the next shot. Strive to get to a position so that you always get to the point where the ball is going before it actually hits it. Run hard while the ball is in the air, so it doesn't rush to hit you after it bounces.
In learning to do this, natural anticipation plays a huge role. Some players instinctively know where the next comeback is going and take a position accordingly, while others will never sense it. For this last category, I favor the position of the field and always recommend coming from behind the baseline to meet the ball, as it is much easier to run forward than backward.
If you get caught in the net, by your opponent's short shot, don't stand still and let him overtake you at will, as he can easily do. Choose which way you think he'll hit and jump towards him suddenly as he swings. If you guess correctly, you win the point. If you're wrong, you're not worse off, because he would have hit you with his ball anyway.
Your stance should always strive to be such that you can cover as much ground as possible without sacrificing safety, as the forehand is the safest and most dangerous and must be covered. It's just a matter of how much more ground can be kept than directly in front of the ball.
A solid knowledge of the location of the court brings many points, not to mention the many breaths expended in long runs after hopeless shots.