Tennis Tips - Court Position

There are many various types of skills and knowledge you'll learn in professional tennis lessons. One of the of these things is tennis court position. Normally tennis lessons are visual and should be done live or watched on video.

However, there are a number of areas that you can learn by reading. This article is not a professional tennis lesson but it will give you a pretty good overview of court position. A tennis court is 39 feet long from baseline to the net and there are basically two places on the court that the tennis player should be when awaiting the ball.

The first place is about about 3 feet behind the baseline near the middle of the court. This position if for baseline play. The second place is about 6 to 8 feet back from the net and almost opposite the ball. This position is for net position. If you are ever drawn out of either of these positions by a shot then you need to return to one of them immediately after you return the shot.

Anywhere from the baseline to about 10 feet from the net is generally considered the no-mans land. You should not be in this area for any significant length of time since a deep shot will come at your feet. After making your shot from this area retreat behind the baseline to await the return so that you can again come forward to meet the ball. If you are drawn in short and cannot retreat safely then simply continue all the way to the net position.

Do not stand and watch your shot because this will put you out of position for your next stroke. Strive to get into the spot that the ball is going before it actually gets there. This will require you to do your running while the ball is in the air and try to predict where the next shot will fall. This will come more naturally to you as you play more tennis and you will learn to anticipate it.

The goal is to instinctively know where the next shot is going and find the best position. This is another area that professional tennis lessons can help you. If you can't instinctively anticipate where the ball is going, then follow the court position rules. It's also best to always come in from behind the baseline to meet the ball because it easier to run forwards rather then backwards. If you're caught at the net from a short shot by your opponent, don't stand still. Instead pick the side where you think the next shot will go and get there as your opponent swings.

If you guess right then you'll win the point but if you're wrong you're really no worse off because it would have beaten you anyway. At least by guessing you have a 50/50 shot. You should always strive to be in a position that will allow you to cover the greatest area without sacrificing missing the straight shot which it usually both the surest and most dangerous shot, and must be covered.

The question is really how much more court than that immediately in front of the ball can be guarded. Knowing court position will save you points and energy. Become familiar with it. You can learn more lessons like these with professional tennis lessons.

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