How to Aim for Tennis

Learning how to hit a spot and figuring out the proper way to hit the ball in tennis can be quite challenging to any player who is just learning the game. Players tend to overthink where they are going to hit the ball, and, instead of executing a shot properly, they are still thinking about where the ball is going to land even while they are executing the stroke. Knowing where you want to go with the ball before starting your backswing will give you a better opportunity to hit the ball accurately.

Step 1

Drive the ball to the rear of the court on the large majority of your ground strokes. You will not want to aim for the back line because that is too narrow a target and too difficult to hit. However, if you can get the ball in the last 2 or 3 feet of the court, you will challenge your opponent to hit the ball with authority.

Step 2

Plan to make your opponent run after executing your shot. By making your opponent move to get to the ball, you will dictate the pace of the point and have a better chance to win it. Your opponent will have to extend to catch up to the ball and hit it and then you can hit the ball in the opposite direction on the next shot. If your opponent is on the left side of the court, hit it to the right side of the court and do the opposite if your opponent is on the right side of the court.

Step 3

Strike the ball between shoulder and waist height when you are executing a shot from the backcourt. You have to step into your shot, take a back swing, make solid contact and then follow through after hitting the ball. When you hit a ball that is sitting between your shoulders and your waist, you have a better chance of directing the ball where you want it to go.

Step 4

Hit the ball with a consistent swing each time. You may have decided to drive the ball hard to your opponent's backhand side because she struggles to hit that shot. That may be an advisable strategy, but it won't work if your shot is not hit with accuracy and power. You need to step into your shot, bring the racket back quickly, drive through the ball and then complete your follow-through to hit the ball to the spot for which you are aiming.