Private Lessons: Measuring Ball Height

The Hitting Zone

One of the most common errors I see everyday in my teaching is the inability of students to find the “hitting
zone,” or the right contact position in the course of their swing. Players are obsessed with technical elements in their
strokes – preparation, wrist position, followthrough, etc, but they consistently misjudge the height of the ball in the
hitting zone. This is a major source of backcourt errors at all levels below the pro game.

Measuring ball height is the key to taking the ball at a comfortable height for your particular stroke.

Many of the most basic problems in tennis stem from the inability to
measure ball height correctly, that is, in the hitting zone. These include making
consistently late contact, reaching or flailing for the ball, and the inability to
hit up on the ball and develop confidence in hitting with topspin.

The correct ball height at contact can
range from the knees to the chest, depending on the
grip and the particular stroke.

On the forehand side, the correct height is determined in large part by the grip position. For players with traditional grips, the optimum height is the lower half of this…