We have so many tennis players transitioning to pickleball. And while there are many transferable skills, there are differences. Today let’s talk about the “Tennis V”.
Tennis V
I have written about some of the differences between tennis and pickleball…like the contact point when striking the ball, the movement to the ball, and how you move with your partner. Let me explain why the “tennis V”, something I routinely did when hitting a high slice volley, is not transferrable to pickleball. When pickleball players cock their wrist, a few things can happen:
- If your paddle tip is pointing up instead of down it limits your ability to get a ton of balls earlier. The tendency is players let the ball get too low instead of cutting the ball off earlier;
- When transitioning from a dink to a volley, players can get stuck…or when moving from a forehand to a backhand they are being forced to step back;
- Tension in the forearm can impact your range of motion and your ability to feel the ball.
simplify
Instead of focusing on the “tennis V”, I would encourage you to simplify the motion. On most forehands, I imagine dropping my
palm open to the ball. My intent is to simply open my paddle and utilize my arm to either lift the ball or bring it down. I want to create “length” on my follow-through. I focus on remaining loose and allow my body to flow. If I can simplify my shots, I’ve learned, I play better.
