Thanks for mapping these skills out so clearly! My (small) 13yo son and I are both working on becoming 4.0 players (he’s farther ahead than I am). I’m a very defensively minded player with a control paddle and he’s more offensively minded with a power paddle. He’s very good at speeding up, including off the bounce, so I’ll just stand across from him and have him attack everything he can. This trains me to develop less attackable dinks and drops as well as my ability to reset hard, well-placed drives and speed ups back into the kitchen. I’m also figuring out how to read out balls and get out of their way. In turn, he’s learning patience at the kitchen and how to read which balls are actually attackable. Throughout this process I’m trying to develop my drives, counters and speed ups. That way he’ll be forced to develop his blocks, resets, drops and dinks.
Thank you for your rapid response. Yes, I do understand that very clearly, but in the examples you showed at the beginning, he was going back and back and it’s not that he was being pushed back. He was not being aggressive as he should. He clearly had every opportunity to get back to the kitchen with the soft drop that he was giving. I believe if I’m not mistaken, his partner was already up there. happy holidays.
A lot of the drops are topspin. Do you feel that's a requirement for 4+ play? This is one of your first videos where you talk about making the shot when your position is awkward. I find at higher levels of play other than the serve and return, most shots end up being awkward because that's the goal of your (high level) opponents. When I was a good tennis player I won not because my stroke or footwork were so exceptional, but rather that I could make the shots on the run, falling back, being jammed, etc. I'm finding it hard to realistically drill these shots though so I've been playing more and drilling less. Lastly, I notice that some of the players are backing up from the kitchen line when it's obvious an attack is coming. I have mixed feelings about that. Yes, it gives you more time if you back up, but it also gives your opponent more angle to put it at your feet or to hit it wide around you. Thoughts?
Nice content, but the fellow on the right side with the hat who you claim is doing great drops, which is true, makes no attempt to get to the kitchen. One of the purposes of this drop is to get yourself time to get to the kitchen, which he had-that in my opinion is not a good technique
He does ultimately get up in a progressive way after multiple drops. That’s how it’s done at high levels. You can’t run to the NVZ after one good drop anymore. You’ll get crushed on your way in.
Yes, you will get crushed if you have a poor drop, but if you have a good drop as you were stating and as shown, he should have no problem getting to the kitchen and not getting crushed
Those first " good drops" where done with poor footwork and spacing They both should have been approach on and were not because he used a static stability that even had him backing up, A dynamic stability with forward momentum on the shot would have been a much better choice. There are times for defensive drops but with enough time putting yourself in a position to get forward when hitting the ball is a much better option.
Thanks for mapping these skills out so clearly! My (small) 13yo son and I are both working on becoming 4.0 players (he’s farther ahead than I am). I’m a very defensively minded player with a control paddle and he’s more offensively minded with a power paddle. He’s very good at speeding up, including off the bounce, so I’ll just stand across from him and have him attack everything he can. This trains me to develop less attackable dinks and drops as well as my ability to reset hard, well-placed drives and speed ups back into the kitchen. I’m also figuring out how to read out balls and get out of their way. In turn, he’s learning patience at the kitchen and how to read which balls are actually attackable. Throughout this process I’m trying to develop my drives, counters and speed ups. That way he’ll be forced to develop his blocks, resets, drops and dinks.
Awesome! You’ll get better together: love it!
Thank you for your rapid response. Yes, I do understand that very clearly, but in the examples you showed at the beginning, he was going back and back and it’s not that he was being pushed back. He was not being aggressive as he should. He clearly had every opportunity to get back to the kitchen with the soft drop that he was giving. I believe if I’m not mistaken, his partner was already up there.
happy holidays.
I’ll have to take another look. Thanks for your comments! Happy Holidays to you too.
A lot of the drops are topspin. Do you feel that's a requirement for 4+ play?
This is one of your first videos where you talk about making the shot when your position is awkward. I find at higher levels of play other than the serve and return, most shots end up being awkward because that's the goal of your (high level) opponents. When I was a good tennis player I won not because my stroke or footwork were so exceptional, but rather that I could make the shots on the run, falling back, being jammed, etc. I'm finding it hard to realistically drill these shots though so I've been playing more and drilling less.
Lastly, I notice that some of the players are backing up from the kitchen line when it's obvious an attack is coming. I have mixed feelings about that. Yes, it gives you more time if you back up, but it also gives your opponent more angle to put it at your feet or to hit it wide around you. Thoughts?
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I feel im just now at the 4.0 level even though my Dupr says otherwise. We dont really use it where i am.
Nice content, but the fellow on the right side with the hat who you claim is doing great drops, which is true, makes no attempt to get to the kitchen. One of the purposes of this drop is to get yourself time to get to the kitchen, which he had-that in my opinion is not a good technique
It would be great to have everyone on a universal rating system that’s accurate. Still a work in progress.
He does ultimately get up in a progressive way after multiple drops. That’s how it’s done at high levels. You can’t run to the NVZ after one good drop anymore. You’ll get crushed on your way in.
Yes, you will get crushed if you have a poor drop, but if you have a good drop as you were stating and as shown, he should have no problem getting to the kitchen and not getting crushed
How do you “feel” you’re at the 4.0 level 😂. If your DUPR is not 4.0, then you’re not at the 4.0 level. 😮
4:04 should have double backhand that one
It’s another option for sure. As long as you can cover the ground you leave open and hit a good forehand. Forehand works on that too.
Those first " good drops" where done with poor footwork and spacing They both should have been approach on and were not because he used a static stability that even had him backing up, A dynamic stability with forward momentum on the shot would have been a much better choice. There are times for defensive drops but with enough time putting yourself in a position to get forward when hitting the ball is a much better option.
I agree that forward momentum is certainly better whenever you can get it.