Footwork: How important is it?
Players of all levels can benefit in improving one of the most basic fundamentals in the game, footwork. Countless times on the tennis court I see players of all level who need a ton of improvement in this area. No matter what skill level you are, if you improve your footwork I guarantee your level of tennis will jump up one or two steps.
As a coach I wonder why something so fundamental and basic is lacking in the game of tennis today? The answer is simple, there is no glory in great footwork. Coaches and players alike spend hours upon hours working on technique and repetition. Players should practice footwork and court movement as much if not more than groundstrokes, vollies, and serves.
So many times I see players who do not keep their feet moving. If your feet stop moving, your not playing tennis. I see people who do not split step every shot, or step into a volley. More times than not I see players cemented into the court especially in doubles. If you keep your feet moving you will be amazed as to how much easier the game becomes. Do not be lazy, force yourself to move your feet.
Take a look at this situation from a coaches viewpoint. If a player is in position to hit a ball clean, they are then maximizing the ability to make a great shot. If a player is out of position, then the odds pile up against the shotmaker. It is inevitable that sometime or another you will be out of position, even if you do have the best footwork in the world. Yet with quick feet and correct court positioning you will put a limit on how many times you are caught in a situation that is unkind to the tennis player.
Roger Federer plays the game in a very beautiful way. Everyone says he makes his shots look so easy. The reason it looks easy is because he is in perfect position most of the time to hit a great shot. He moves, anticipates, and plays angels better than anyone on the tour. Another great example is Pete Sampras. Pete moves in a completely different way than Fed, yet his fast feet enable him to be the most dominate serve and vollier tennis has ever seen. It is not a fluke that he rarely got passed. He was always in position to hit the next shot.
This is where the chess match comes into play. A player whos feet do not get tired and can set up a point three shots ahead will obiviously have a much better chance to be in position to make a great play on the ball. If you are not thinking ahead in the point then you will be reacting late, thus becoming out of position. Footwork and court position do not solely rely on speed. It is also about intelligence.
So, the next time you get out on the court move your feet as much as possible. It may hurt and you may get tired to begin with, but once you do get used to it, your game will jump up levels. Check back for some great foot work and reaction drills.
