Tennis Tip

Tennis Tip: How to Hit a Tweener

So you approached the net and your opponent lobbed you. What do you do next? The easy thing to do is hit a high percentage lob shot back. Or, you can get risky with a fun shot, the tweener. Though this shot is hard to master and tough to pull off, when done correctly it can be very rewarding and give a lot of swag to your game. Read below to learn how to hit the tweener:

Technique

• Tracking and positioning are the most important basics to a tweener.
• As the ball comes over your head you must be sure to let it bounce and do your best to get in front of it.
• With a continental grip, swing downwards with the inside edge of your racquet first. As you approach the ball, rotate your racquet so that the face is square when you hit the ball.
• When you make contact, the ball must be located between your legs either directly below you or a tad behind you. If the ball is out in front of you, you will swing down and hit the ball straight into the ground.
• The lower the ball is when it is directly between your legs the easier the shot is to hit.

Practice

• When practicing, make sure you are in “No Man’s Land” where you will realistically execute this shot in a match.
• Start with a stationary ball and just drop it right in front of you. This basic step will help you master the grip, downswing and the comfortability of where to hit the ball.
• Progress to tossing this ball out in front of you, making it so that you have to chase the ball down a tad more and get in position for the tweener.
• Lastly, you can have a partner stand behind you and throw the ball over your head, to mimic the lob you could see in a match.

Being able to get comfortable with timing is key to improving this shot. Tracking and positioning of the ball will help you find that sweet spot to hit the crowd-pleasing point winner. Enjoy fun shots like this and other tennis tips at a tennis camp near you!