The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis. Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo
Short-Angle (Side-Door)
In a tennis match, most players prefer hitting hard to running hard. A short-angle, or side-door, shot is a terrific short-ball option that forces opponents to produce shots from an uncomfortable position. Instead of crushing the ball back, a player creates a short angle and demands movement, fitness, and agility from the opponent. Like any undeveloped tool, this is a risky option if attempted without training and repetition. When executed properly,
however, it results in taking opponents’ legs out from under them (wearing them out), putting opponents on the extreme defensive, or even giving the player an outright winner.
Unlike the high looper, the target window over the net for this shot is typically lower than on a standard drive. Because this is a cross-court shot, the ball travels mostly over the middle, or lowest part, of the net. Adding extra spin, especially topspin helps bring the ball down quickly into the court, and the resulting bounce can drag the
opponent even farther outside the court.
Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
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