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Show Tennis Tips Swinging with style by MARK JENSEN tennis professional Park Meadows Racquet Club There are many sports that require the player to hit an object with an implement imple-ment in his hand. Golf, baseball and tennis are three popular American sports that involve swinging at a ball. When one thinks of the great swings in these different sports, certain names come to mind. Ben Hogan and Gene Littler in golf, Ted Williams and George Brett in baseball, Don Budge and Chris Evert Lloyd in tennis boast but a few of the many great swings in sports. In tennis, there are many styles of swings. Even though there are hundreds of styles of hitting a forehand or backhand, there are certain fundamentals that are characteristic of all good baseline swings. One fundamental characteristic is a linear swing. Whether you are hitting a baseball, golf ball or tennis ball, the implement should be swung at the ball in a smooth, straight line. In tennis, the ball will most often travel in a straight line. It makes good sense, then, that the racquet should be swung along the same line as the trajectory tra-jectory of the ball. The longer the straight line of the swing toward the ball, the more potential of making a solid hit. Visualize three tennis balls sitting on a table approximately 6 inches apart. When you swing your racquet along the table, you will sweep all three balls off the table. Now visualize the ball moving toward you as you are standing on the baseline. With fast feet, line up the ball on the table and swing along that plane, long and smooth. Pow! What a feeling a solid baseline drive. |