PRO TIP OF THE MONTH: FAKE POACH

Use takes to hide a mediocre serve. If one of your serves is misfiring, you’ve got to find other ways to hold serve. One thing you can do is employ takes. That is when the net player uses a subtle step toward the middle to trick the receiver into believing that he is poaching, but he actually stays put. For instance, if your team is serving into the deuce court, the server hits a kick serve down the “T”. A split second before the net player would normally move, he takes a step toward the center line with his right foot. Before the returner contacts the ball, the net player jumps back into position. The hope is to con the opponent into hitting the return right to the net player or cause some indecision that lends to an error. Good Luck!

Mikael Andersson
Director of Tennis