Timing and the Feel of the Racket Head

Timing and ball striking--essential skills to reach the top. Timing is a fascinating but curious subject. Compared to such topics as the open stance forehand, almost nothing has been written about it. But timing is an absolutely essential skill to reaching the upper echelons of the game. And for maximizing your potential at any level. A top player may not necessarily have great foot speed, be the best athlete or have a huge serve. However, all great players can time their swings to generate effective shots off the tremendously challenging balls they receive in top flight tennis. Take a player like Lindsey Davenport. She has been one of the top players in the world for years not withstanding the fact that players ranked hundreds of spots below her cover the court better. But Lindsey is a ball striker par excellence and great timing is at the heart of those ball-striking skills. The racket head and only the racket head strikes the tennis ball. You might acknowledge the importance of timing but argue that you are either born with good timing or you are not. But this view is too simplistic. You can draw an analogy between movement and timing. Genetic...