In a few days we get to see all the best players in action again at Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam of the year. Nadal is the defending champion just as he was at the French Open. Last year he was able to overcome Federer in the final in what most people say was the best match EVER 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 6-7(8-10), 9-7.

So how are these accomplishments possible? Last time we talked about mental toughness, and without a doubt, both Federer and Nadal have this characteristic in abundance. Their ability to be confident, focused, and determined in the most high pressure situations and perform at their highest capacity demonstrates mental toughness. In almost every sport, another crucial ability is FOOTWORK. In tennis, when you talk about footwork, you think of the grace and nimble of Roger Federer or the strength and athleticism of Rafael Nadal. Footwork is the ability to always be in the right position for a shot. This of course implies speed, but even more than speed it implies anticipation and intuition. A truly 'fast' player has the intelligence to know where the ball is going to be before his opponent even returns it. This intelligence is the sense, acquired through hours and hours of practice, to know where your opponent must hit the ball due to the way you've hit the ball. So, very simply, footwork is the ability to get to the ball and to put yourself in the position that allows you to most easily complete the shot that you want. Again, both Federer and Nadal demonstrate this ability in abundance.

So, again, what can we mortals do to improve our footwork? Good footwork starts with good posture. You need to be able to keep your weight over the balls of your feet at all times. Keeping your knees flexed will help you make this possible. Try keeping your back straight and lean slightly forward from your waist. This is the starting position or 'ready position'. Next, you need to develop a quick first step. This is done by making a split step just prior to your opponent making contact with the ball. A split step is a move where you push off both feet at the same time and land with both feet back onto the court. Think of this as a hop but off both feet. The timing of this step is essential to having good footwork. Lastly, is the recovery step, which is a step to maintain balance and movement back towards the center of the court. This step takes place just after you make contact with the ball and can vary depending on the degree of difficulty of the shot. Most importantly, the purpose of this step is to maintain balance allowing you to be ready for the next shot. Remember, when approaching to hit a shot smaller steps increase your chances of making a more balanced shot, thereby giving you more time to recovery for your next shot.

The pros make tennis look much easier than it is in reality. This year Andy Roddick and Fernando Gonzales have both made great improvements in their footwork and their results prove it.  With this quick checklist you can be on your way to moving better on the tennis court:

1) Ready Position - weight on the balls of your feet
2) Split Step - timing and balance before every shot
3) Recovery Step - maintain balance by taking smaller steps before contact

 

Remember, the better your footwork the better tennis player you can be.
 
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Matt Copland