The hierarchy of misses
Tennis is a Simple Game: Why Missing Long is Better than Missing in the Net or Wide
Tennis is simple, right? You see the ball, you move to the ball, and you hit the ball. Sounds easy! But anyone who’s picked up a racket knows it’s not. Tennis has become a game of strategy, not just skill. Instead of trying to hit the most winners, players focus on forcing their opponent to make mistakes. It’s like a mental tug-of-war—both players trying to get the other off balance.
Here’s the truth: everyone misses shots. Even the best players in the world make mistakes. The key is learning how to miss better. That’s where something called the "Hierarchy of Misses" comes in.
When I played tennis at Clemson, my coach, Chuck Kriese, drilled this into my head:
“Nothing wide, nothing in the net!”
This left me two options: hit the ball in the court or miss it long. Sounds strict, but it changed how I understood the game and helped me play smarter. Let me explain why.
The 3 Types of Misses
When you miss a shot, it usually falls into one of three categories:
In the Net
Wide
Long
Let’s break these down.
1. Missing in the Net
This is the worst kind of miss. Why? Because the first rule of tennis is this: the ball has to clear the net to have a chance of landing in the court. Missing in the net usually happens for a few reasons:
You’re not confident.
Your balance is off.
Your swing isn’t working right (maybe your wrist is too tight or too loose).
To stop missing in the net, focus on lifting the ball. Imagine you’re giving it a little extra “push” up and over. When you commit to getting the ball over the net, you can swing more freely. This makes your shots smoother and more consistent.
Plus, here’s a bonus: hitting the ball over the net puts pressure on your opponent. If you miss in the net, they don’t have to do anything—they just get the point. Don’t give them that advantage!
2. Missing Wide
Missing wide happens when your ball goes too far to the left or right. This mistake is often psychological. Maybe you’re trying to avoid a long rally and want to end the point quickly. You might even be going for a “highlight shot” that’s too risky.
My advice? Don’t go for too much too soon. Stick to playing high-percentage shots—shots that are more likely to land in the court.
A rally is like an argument. Keep the ball in play and make your opponent hit one more shot. If they win the point with an amazing shot, fine! That’s better than you giving it away by missing wide.
3. Missing Long
If you have to miss, missing long is the best option. Why? Because it shows you’re playing with confidence. Missing long usually happens because you’re swinging too hard or not using enough spin. Both of these are fixable.
When you miss long:
You’ve cleared the net, so you’re already doing better than if you missed in the net.
You’re hitting within the court’s boundaries, which means you’re not trying anything crazy.
To adjust, try adding more topspin to your shots. This helps the ball dip back down into the court. Missing long also means you’re finding your range—that “sweet spot” where your shots land in the court. You can’t figure this out if you’re constantly missing in the net or wide.
Coach Kriese’s Lesson
Coach Kriese’s advice—“Nothing wide, nothing in the net!”—is simple but powerful. It teaches you to focus on clearing the net and playing within the court. It also reminds you to stay patient and let your opponent make the mistakes.
Final Thoughts
Tennis might look simple, but it’s a game of strategy and patience. Learn to avoid missing in the net or wide, and if you’re going to miss, miss long. You’ll play with more confidence, keep the pressure on your opponent, and improve faster.
Thanks, Coach Kriese, for a lesson that sticks with me every time I step on the court.
Tennis is a Dance
Tennis Is a Dance
The sun is low. You hold the racket loose in your hand. The ball waits for no one. It is not a game you play. It is a dance, and the ball leads. You must learn its ways. The pace of it, fast or slow, high or low, spinning or straight. The ball tests you and it demands that you move—balance on your toes, step lightly, glide into position. The wrong step, the wrong turn, and you are late. The point is gone.
Balance is the core of your movement. Without it, you are clumsy, stumbling across the court. With it, you are steady. You hold your ground even as the ball spins and twists and forces you to follow. Balance is the anchor that lets you pivot and swing, turn and strike.
And rhythm is the heartbeat of the rally. The ball bounces, you step. The ball rises, you swing. You must feel the tempo and the timing. You cannot rush it, and you cannot drag behind. If you lose the rhythm, you are out of sync.
The eyes never wander. The ball is the partner you cannot leave. Watch it. Study it. See how it moves, where it goes, what it wants from you. Each shot it sends carries a message: high topspin, low slice, a heavy drive to the corner. Your job is to answer, to meet it as it comes, to adapt your steps to its demands.
Consistency is the prize. A dancer repeats the same steps until they become second nature. It is the same with tennis. The slice backhand, the deep forehand, the angled volley—they are no good unless they can be repeated, again and again, until they are yours.
Tennis is a ballet. The power is there, but it is wrapped in precision and grace. So you step onto the court, not as a warrior but as a partner. The ball leads, and you follow. And when you move together—when the balance, the rhythm, and the focus are right—it is beautiful.
The Importance of Proper Footwork on the Tennis Court
Proper footwork is the unsung hero of a strong tennis game, serving as the foundation for balance, consistency, and the ability to react to any shot. Mastering your footwork will not only elevate your performance but also keep you one step ahead of your opponent—literally and figuratively.
Let’s start with balance. Tennis demands constant movement, and staying balanced allows you to maintain control of your shots. Proper foot placement and body alignment help you hit with precision, whether you’re delivering a forehand winner or defending against a lob.
Rhythm is another crucial element. Moving smoothly and maintaining a consistent rhythm ensures that you’re always in position to strike the ball cleanly. Footwork sets the pace for your game, helping you adapt to different shot types—whether it's a deep topspin forehand or a low slice backhand.
Keeping your eye on the ball is essential, but without proper footwork, it’s difficult to position yourself effectively. Good movement allows you to track the ball early, enabling you to react quickly and execute the right stroke.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of refined footwork is its role in improving consistency. With proper positioning, you’ll hit more balls in your comfort zone, leading to fewer errors and a steadier game.
Invest time in footwork drills and focus on staying light on your feet. Whether you’re chasing a drop shot or running down a deep corner ball, your ability to move efficiently is key to maintaining control and dominating the court.
Learn the one-hander for longevity on the Tennis Court
The one-handed backhand is a gem for amateur tennis players, and if you’re looking to improve your game—especially as you get older—it might be just what you need. This classic stroke has a lot to offer, combining reach, flexibility, and spin variety to help you stay competitive on the court.
Let’s start with reach. With a one-handed backhand, you can extend your arm farther to get to those wide shots. This is great if your reflexes aren’t quite what they used to be. It means less scrambling side-to-side and more staying in the point without wearing yourself out. Plus, it’s easier on your joints, which is a win as the years go by.
Then there’s flexibility. A one-handed backhand lets your arm move in a natural, fluid way—no awkward twists or over-rotation like with a two-hander. It’s a smoother motion that’s gentler on your shoulder and elbow, making it a smart choice if you’ve ever dealt with nagging joint issues.
And let’s not forget the fun part—spin. A one-hander is your ticket to creating all kinds of spins that’ll keep your opponents guessing. The slice is a standout here, perfect for sending the ball low and making life tough for younger, quicker players. Add some topspin to your arsenal, and you can hit deep, controlled shots that stay aggressive but within bounds.
As we age, versatility becomes the key to staying competitive, and the one-handed backhand brings plenty of it. It’s not about raw power—it’s about finesse, placement, and strategy. Whether you’re throwing in a deceptive slice or a sharp topspin, this stroke helps you play smarter, not harder.
So, if you’re looking for a way to elevate your game and keep it sharp for years to come, give the one-handed backhand a try. It might just be the edge you’ve been searching for!
“Owling” in Doubles Tennis
This is a public service announcement for all doubles players and aspiring double players!
There is a pervasive epidemic through out the tennis community. It is called “Owling” and it must be stopped NOW!
What is “Owling?”
Owling: Is the dubious action of a tennis player, who is stationed at the net, of turning around to watch their partner hit the ball in a game of doubles.
I think we can all agree that we are intrigued by the great bird, the Owl, for it’s wondrous gaze, it’s “who, who” call in the night and especially it’s distinctive ability to turn it’s head one-hundred-and-eighty-degrees in the opposite direction from it’s front. Although this particular characteristic has given the Owl a predatory advantage in the wild, it is a trait in tennis certain to be the undoing of many a doubles player!
There are certain nuances in the game of tennis that players of all skill levels need to understand, and adhere to. These nuances are mostly understood intrinsically but often are either lost, neglected, or even unlearned at the amateur level.
Hitting through the middle of the court in doubles, for instance, is a staple of the game. As is communicating with your partner during AND in between points. These are two important strategic and mental characteristics of a winning doubles player. But just as there are specific attributes that make great players, there are peculiarities that I find popping up in the tennis community that will hold our games back. One of these idiosyncrasies, which I call ‘Owling,’ is a bad strategy. For a number of different reasons and none is more important than the fact that your safety and ability to protect yourself is compromised when your head is turned. Keep in mind that once the ball has passed by you it is your partner’s responsibility to hit the ball. There is nothing you can do to help them by watching them. Spending one-third of the point with your eyes diverted away from your opponents is not a healthy tactic. So, get out of spectator mode and fast!
One thing that you will learn by keeping your head and eyes facing forward is that your opponents will tell you everything that you need to know (if you know what to look for) and more importantly, what is to come next. They will follow the path of the ball with their movement and their eyes, and you will become more adept at reading these subtleties in their movements.
Remember the first person that you need to worry about is the net person on the other side of the court. They will have the first chance at hitting the ball as your partner’s shot passes over the net and if they do poach or volley at that moment you will be ready for it because you are watching your opponent(s) and not your partner. If they do not volley that ball it will most likely go to their partner and here is where you may decide to be aggressive. Start to notice when you are ‘Owling’ and notice when your opponents are doing the same. Who knows, it may be the adjustment you are looking for and an opportunity to steal some points by reflexing your opponent’s ball back or poaching. It will certainly make you a better, quicker, more anticipatory doubles player and most importantly, you will be protecting yourself.
Together, let’s put a stop to Owling!
Return of the Return Of Serve
The battle between the serve and return is a quintessential case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, and this clash of styles has given us some epic matchups over the years.
Every tennis player wants the biggest serve on the block. Who doesn’t want to pop one off, maybe two aces per service game and throw in a service winner or two? It’s tennis with no mess, and no fuss. Right?
Not so fast bombardier!
In singles, we serve half of the match and we only serve a quarter of the time in doubles.
Given this truth, I will argue that the return is the most important stroke in tennis, yet players only dedicate a small portion of their practices to its development.
Players such as Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Chris Evert and Novak Djokovic, to name a few, have become legends by dedicating themselves to the craft of the return, striking fear into some of the biggest and baddest servers of all time.
Here are five steps to tipping the return game in your favor …
Clear your mind
Returning a serve is an event. Everything else that has occurred previous to this moment should be put out of your mind in order to give yourself the best chance of winning this next point. You never know when or where the breaking point of your opponent will happen. It may take a ripping return or it could be a squeaker that barely makes it over the net. Take a couple of deep breaths and get yourself into an athletic “ready” position. You never know what you are going to get and you just have to be ready for it.
Anticipation
A common characteristic that the great returners possess is the ability to anticipate where the server is going next. As the match progresses, you should be able to get a better understanding of which is your opponent’s favorite serve. Do they like to hit it to the “T,” or do they prefer the wide serve? They will most likely go to their best serve in the biggest moments and you will be there waiting for it.
Shorten your back swing
The return of serve stroke is really a hybrid. A cross between a volley and a groundstroke. It takes a ball traveling at 100 miles per hour approximately a half-a-second to cover the 78 feet from baseline to baseline. That’s little more than the time it takes to blink your eyes and certainly not enough time to take much of a backswing. I teach my students to prepare like a volleyer (using a volley backswing), keeping the follow through after they’ve struck the ball. The short backswing ensures that they have ample time to connect with the ball and the follow through will help control the ball by keeping the ball on the strings.
Pick your target early
Knowing where you’d like to go will keep the process simple by eliminating as many variables as possible. A common misconception for returners is to play the return without any notion of where they want to hit the ball. I like to have a plan going into each return point. I may choose to return the ball down the middle of the court, or I may decide that I’m going to hit it up the line. In either case, I have an idea where I want to go when the ball arrives and I will do my best to execute the plan knowing that I can make an adjustment if I need to.
Determination
There is nothing more frustrating for a big server than to hit their best serve only to have it come back again and again. The goal for any returner should be to make the server play each point. As the returner, you are in a reactionary situation. You cannot directly control what the server is going to do, or how they will perform from point to point. But forcing the server to play each point will have a cumulative psychological impact over the course of the match.
So get out there and practice your return of serve each time you play. Keep at it and you never know when “your break” will come.
Why We Play the Way They Play
I’ve seen it time and again. Players working on their open-stance forehand with their bent elbows and breaking wrists trying to hit the ball like Rafael Nadal. I get it, just like you, I’ve dreamt of hitting just one forehand as big and as bad ass as Rafa’s … and yet it’s never happened.
But why?
We both live in the same physical world, we both breath the same air, my tennis balls are yellow too!
Maybe it’s because I started playing in the seventies with wood racquets and was taught by an Australian who demanded that I learn the one-handed backhand and serve-and-volley game. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the Northeastern United States where slap-shot-indoor-tennis dominated the ranks.
As it happened, my inability to hit the ball like these western-grip wielding legends started me to thinking why I or any amateur should be trying to hit the ball like them. We don’t have to deal with the same pace as they do, and rarely if ever do we face the same ferocious spin that they put on the ball. So then why do we try so vigorously to hit the ball like our heroes?
It’s because we have a need to mimic them
I’m the first to admit that I’ve tried to serve like Johnny Mac and volley like Martina. I’ve tried rip a Wawrinka backhand up the line and yes I’ve played around with perhaps the most elegant stroke in the history of the game, the Bjorn Borg two-handed backhand (you’ve got to let go of the racquet with the left hand at the end of the stroke). Does it make me a better player? I’m not so sure. I’ve taught thousands of hours and probably played more and yet the thing that helps me the most as a player and as a coach is my understanding of the ‘classic’ game of tennis. The game I grew up playing. The game that was so prevalent for decades and has been over shadowed by the smash and crash, monster serve and gnarly forehands of the ‘modern game’ or as I prefer to call it the ‘professional game’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m amazed by the dynamism of today’s tennis. These players have an almost unnatural ability to drop the ball on a dime from eighty-five feet away (the court is 78 feet long) in the biggest moments and though I marvel at their skills and how professional tennis has evolved I also believe that, unfortunately, the ‘modern game’ is, from the everyday player’s perspective, misunderstood.
What’s Different
You see, the playing style changed to accommodate the heavier spins that began to take hold in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Then with the advent of the polyester strings the spins and by consequence the grips became more extreme in order to hit the high ball with consistency and strength. Players had to be bigger, stronger, faster and hit with more racquet head speed than could be previously imagined in order to keep up with the new face of tennis.
I know you already know all of this stuff though, so I’ll get to it. The point is that although we would like to play a ‘professional game’ the truth is that a huge majority of us would benefit from being trained in the ‘classic method.’ As I lamented earlier, we simply don’t hit the ball that hard, nor do we spin the ball that much, but just as important, the players that we are facing do not hit the ball with the vigor, spin and pace of the pros we admire so much. And although we were left behind we have tried determinately to play as if we are on the pro tour.
What we can take from the “Classic Method”
The classic game is the basis and the structure for today’s ‘modern game’. The uninterrupted and rhythmic footwork, the focus on the contact point, the proper spacing and full extension at contact, the use of body weight for power and leverage, the follow through, the recovery and one’s ability to recreate it successfully and then do it all again and again and again…
But again and again I see players practicing the open stance and blasting away at their groundstrokes. But what about the low ball or the approach shot or the volley for that matter? In many instances we have forsaken our backhands for bigger forehands but have found ourselves out of position. We have turned away from learning the art of coming to the net and putting pressure on our opponents in order to produce results. Some would say that serve and volley is dead. But tell that to the Men’s first seed at the Australian Open this year. The truth is that these shots and styles are possible with one’s ability to transition to one grip. The Continental.
Ten Shots, One Grip
I’m a great believer in the notion that if you practice something properly and often then you will get better at it. I often see juniors and adults play a terrific point from the baseline and then receive a low-short ball or a wide shot that they are unable handle efficiently because they cannot use the most basic grip in their repertoire, the Continental Grip. The difference between great ‘modern style’ players and not so great ‘modern style’ players is their ability to transition from one grip to another with ease and with little or no thought. The Continental is truly ‘the utility grip’ in tennis and the greatest ‘modern’ players in the world are able to exploit it in the most intense situations. Every player should have it in their arsenal yet it is often neglected in practice and therefore botched in match situations. Below are the ten shots in which a player can use a Continental Grip:
1. Serve (first and second)
2. Backhand (one and two-handed)
3. Slice Backhand
4. Wide Slice Forehand
5. Low Short Balls (Forehand and Backhand)
6. Forehand Volley
7. Backhand Volley
8. Half Volley
9. Drop Shot
10. Overhead
Practicing the Continental
Let’s get on the same page here. I think that you should, for the most part, stick to what got you to this point but find opportunities to work on the Continental grip. For instance your warm up is a great time to work on it. Feed the ball with a Continental when starting a rally. Imagine how you could simplify your game by adopting one grip whenever you go to the net. We are always trying to simplify our lives. Why not our games too? Start to feel how you’ll have to move your feet and rotate to the side in order to get the desired result. Get a sense of how much easier it is to get under a low ball with the proper grip. Believe me it won’t be easy at first but in time practicing the Continental grip will help you strengthen your arm and clean up some of the difficulties you’ve been having on some of those tough shots.
In the mean time I’ll set my sights a little less loopy and dream of hitting the ball just once like Roger Federer… I know, fat chance. But I can dream.