Tennis Groundstroke Cleaner
July 16th, 2010 | 
Author: When Coach Kyril and Coach Mauro were here in Virginia Beach doing their video shoot I heard Coach Mauro say something that has really stuck in my mind. He said that down the line shots are “stroke cleaners”.
I’m assuming what he meant was that a down the line shot is not as natural as a cross court shot and that you really had to execute your stroke mechanics properly to effectively hit down the line.
So, I got the trusty ball machine out yesterday and set up targets and I only hit down the line. Right now I only have about 50 balls in the machine.
My goal was simply to hit past the service line on the down the line side of the court for both forehands and backhands. I would get one point if I accomplished the goal and zero points if I didn’t hit the ball to the proper target area even if the ball was still in.
The most I could get was 36 out of 50 and one time I only got 29 out of 50. This will be a drill I keep coming back to to increase those numbers.
I will tell you that after doing this that the cross court shots I hit after that were much cleaner. So, spend some time hitting down the line and watch your groundstrokes improve.
Note: our philosophy around here is to hit crosscourt because it’s a higher percentage shot and hitting down the line can get us in serious trouble fast, so I’m only suggesting this drill as a way to improve your stroke mechanics….not because I want you to have a down the line match strategy.
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“Right On” again Tom!! It’s always a tremendous pleasure to work with such great students of the game like you!! The down the line shot (parallel to the sideline) is in my opinion like a “stroke cleaner shot” when it comes to having correct and smooth groundstroke mechanics, both on the forehand and backhand side. To be able to “intentionally” hit the ball down the line, it’s very much “a must” to do these “3 basic things”: n#1, Turn Shoulders Sideways (Coil Upper Body Well) to “line up” a good stroke path, n#2, Follow Through Well swinging towards the target (down the line), which straitens up your stroke path inside the contact zone, and n#3, Keep Your Wrist Firm, Not Stiff, Tense, but just Firm in Place, “staying away from Flicking The Wrist like a pinball machine flipper” at impact point, to be able to then maintain the racket head steady and squared to your chosen target inside the contact zone, aiming towards down the line. You can get away with making stroke mechanics mistakes and hit the ball cross court, but down the line, in my opinion, only “mostly” by luck, unless you do do things right. Keep working on it Tom, and those numbers “29 & 36 out of 50″ will soon increase for sure, although they are not bad at all for your first time, but actually very good!! I totally agree with your percentage shot phylosophy, but besides being sharp on the bread’n butter crosscourts, it does not hurt to be able to Make The Down The Line Ones You Try, when it comes to it, at the right time of a match, so practicing it for “clean-up purpose” will also add that extra gear to your regular arsenal of shots you have confidence in!! Cheers!! SALUTennis!!
(Coach Mauro)