Practice tips
One thing to try for each of the problems I see most. They're quick fixes; in a lesson we'd find the real cause.
A serve in the net usually means the toss is too low or too far in front, so you hit down on the ball too early. Toss a little higher, just in front of your hitting shoulder, and reach up to hit it at full stretch. Practise ten tosses without swinging: each one should come down in the same spot, in front of your front foot.
A long serve usually comes from a toss drifting behind you, which opens the racket face at contact. Keep the toss slightly in front, hit up and over the ball, and let the racket turn over after contact. Aim for the middle of the box, not the lines.
Most double faults come from hitting the second serve like a slower first serve. A second serve needs more spin, not less speed: brush up the back of the ball so it clears the net with room and dips into the box. Practise a basket of second serves only, and count how many land in.
Forehands into the net usually mean the swing is too flat or the contact is late. Start the racket below the ball and finish high over your opposite shoulder, and meet the ball out in front of your body. Aim about three feet above the net: that height is your margin.
A forehand that sails long is usually hit flat with an open racket face. Brush up the back of the ball for topspin, so it dips down into the court, and finish the swing over your shoulder instead of straight at the target. Aim deep to the middle, a few feet inside the baseline.
A weak backhand usually starts with a late turn. As soon as you see the ball coming to that side, turn your shoulders so your back is partly to the net, then swing from low to high out in front. Rally backhand to backhand cross-court with a partner until it feels routine.
Rallies end early when every shot aims too close to the lines or the net. Aim higher over the net and deep to the middle of the court, and count your rallies: try to beat your own record, not your partner. Consistency comes before power.
Being late is usually a footwork problem, not a swing problem. Do a small split-step just as your opponent hits, so you're on your toes when you read the ball, then take small adjusting steps before you swing. Shadow it at home: split, turn, swing, recover.
At the net, less is more: no big backswing. Keep the racket up in front of you, turn your shoulders, and punch the ball with a short motion, stepping forward as you hit. Start close to the net with a partner feeding gently, then move back.
Most players tighten up because they try harder shots under pressure. Pick a simple plan before the match, like deep cross-court until you get a short ball, and use the same short routine between every point. Practise with a score, too: games and tie-breaks, not just rallies.
A wall is the best practice partner there is: rally forehands and backhands against it, aiming above a line. A basket of serves on an empty court builds a reliable toss, and shadow swings in front of a mirror fix technique without a ball. Short and often beats long and rare.
Keep it short and playful: catching and throwing, bouncing a ball on the racket, rallying over a line on the driveway with a soft ball. A few minutes several times a week builds more than one long session. In lessons, young beginners use slower, softer balls, so they rally sooner.
A tip treats the symptom. In a lesson I watch you hit and fix what's behind it.
Booking just holds the time: no card, no deposit. You pay in person.
