Anyway just wanted to ask the biggest issue I have with this is that mentally it makes no sense to me. How do you hit the ball straight (racket face and strings) at contact and keep the ball on the strings yet can direct the ball cross court? I learned to hit the right side of the ball and almost cover it from the side. For me mentally this is such an odd picture and transition. I literally cannot fathom how or why it works, thus it makes it very uncomfortable to do it mentally (even though it works!)

Thank you for directing me here from your newest post. I will immediately implement this into my play. One of things I notice about my ball fight on ground strokes is that it often has side spin. Following the advice here seems like it would correct that since it keeps you from “pulling off” the ball too soon, thus creating side spin.

Hi Ged,

Sure, long follow-through can happen only if we hit the ball in the correct contact point well in front.

If you hit the ball late – almost next to you – then you’ll have to improvise and adjust your stroke technique to get the ball over and that surely won’t look very nice.

So yes, as you can see even on the pro level players always look to put fundamentals in place as only then their strokes work best.

I’v been learning to hit ground strokes with wrist lag and a laid back (stable) wrist.

Last week when I hit with my pro, Mike Castillo, I felt as you demonstrated, hitting without much follow through in the direction of the shot.

I think I was trying to follow through, but it wasn’t working for me to well.

I realized my mental image of the contact point was not out front enough.

I have heard pro’s like Serena Williams say one day she is just not finding the correct contact point. I think we need the right contact point for the follow through to work.

Our follow through maybe should begin even before contact- racquet face being on target longer, throughout the swing path.

You’re very welcome, Pascal.

Keep in mind that 99% of the advice on this blog is instructional, meaning it helps recreational tennis players develop the fundamentals.

They need to get the fundamentals right and then the variations of strokes will develop naturally and correctly for example for defensive or other situations in the game.

Thanks alot for the tips.