Everything You Need to Know About Rallying

Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the country, with 23.84 million participants. It’s a sport that people of any age and skill level can enjoy. Even if you’re a beginner, it’s an opportunity to socialize and learn something new. As a new player, you can only say you’ve mastered tennis fundamentals when you can participate in a rally. 

A rally is a group of continuous shots between players within a single point. Whether you’re a casual or competitive player, rallies are the core of the game. Many players focus on mastering the art of rallying to enjoy the game and provide the same enjoyment to their opponents. The following tennis tips for beginners can help you improve your rallying, understand the game and set new goals with your tennis pro. 

Understanding the Basics of Tennis Rallying

Rallying makes the game of tennis exciting. You can feel the tension building when you get it right as players push themselves to score that elusive point. Before you can play with the best of them, you need to master the different elements of tennis that make up a rally. 

Tennis biomechanics begin at your feet. It’s the beginning of a series of movements called a kinetic chain. From your feet, the kinetic chain extends through your legs, hips, chest, shoulders, arm and wrist. This movement is the buildup, storage and release of energy that allows you to hit the ball. Biomechanically correct tennis prevents common tennis injuries and lets you play the game however you want. 

Tennis consists of six basic strokes, which allow you to rally competitively. Some basic tennis stroke mechanics include: 

• Serve: The serve is among the most technically complex strokes of the game. It involves throwing the ball above your head and smashing it over the net. Many matches have been won or lost on a serve. 
• Forehand groundstroke: A groundstroke is a tennis stroke you hit after the ball bounces once on the ground. The forehand is often one-handed, using your dominant hand. 
• Backhand groundstroke: With the backhand, the ball bounces once on the ground, usually to your less dominant side. It can be one-handed or two-handed, and you hit the ball with your dominant hand facing the direction of the stroke. 
• Forehand volley: A volley is played closer to the net, and the ball doesn’t bounce before you hit it. Like a forehand groundstroke, you play this shot with your dominant hand. 
• Backhand volley: Like the forehand volley, this shot is played close to the net. When you take the shot, the back of your dominant hand will face away from your body. 
• Overhead smash: In this shot, you hit the ball with the racket above your head and drive it down similarly to the serve. 

Tennis Rally Tips to Elevate Your Game

Like any other sport, tennis excellence comes from practice. Tennis basics for beginners include mastering your tennis stroke consistency and rally skills. The more time you spend on the court, the better your game. Joining a country club is an excellent way to elevate your skills and improve your rally, but you need to know what to do when you get there. The following tips can help you boost your game and aim for longer, more successful rallies:

1. Get a Good Contact Point

A contact point in tennis is where the ball is in relation to your body and your racket when you hit it. You want to find the ideal spot as you strike to get the boost out of your kinetic chain. The ball should be in the following places when you strike:

• Level with your waist: For groundstrokes, you want the ball around waist height when you make contact. This positioning lets you move your racket comfortably from low to high and get the ball over the net.
• In front of you: When the ball is in front of you, you can use your body weight behind it to get more power in your shots. 
• To your side: You want to position your body to the side of the ball so you can swing your racket. Play with the distance so you’re not reaching for the ball or unable to swing freely. 

2. Think About Rally Speed

While it can be tempting to hit the ball as hard as possible, hitting it too hard or fast for your skill level can stop a rally in its tracks. Of course, if you aim for a winning shot, you want the power behind it, but not every shot needs to be a winner. Instead, focus on easy, comfortable rallying until you have your basic skills in place. 

3. Focus on Shot Preparation

In tennis, you want to give yourself as much time with the ball as possible, which means preparing for your shorts early. You must work several things out quickly when your opponent hits the ball. You need to know where to position yourself to return the shot as effectively as possible. The first thing you see when the ball leaves your opponent’s racket is whether it’s coming to your forehand or backhand side so that you can get your racket back early.

Try to gauge the ball’s depth, speed, spin and height so you can position yourself and get your racket back in time to hit the ball with maximum power and accuracy. 

4. Watch the Ball

This tip may sound obvious, but as a rally wears on, players often lose focus. The moment you become disengaged, the chances are that your opponent has the point, and the rally is over. Stay engaged in each point, focusing on where the ball is and ready to move when needed. Breathe at the baseline to keep a robust and healthy energy flow. Commit to each shot until the rally ends. 

5. Recover Behind the Baseline 

After every shot, you must move to a central location to recover and prepare for the next one. Being too far forward is a common tennis mistake. It allows your opponent to hit the ball up around your head — a challenging shot to return. Instead, the proper baseline position in tennis is a few feet behind the baseline. When you stand back, you have more time to prepare for your next shot, read the ball accurately, get into the best position to hit it back and keep the rally going. 

You’ll step forward to meet the ball when you recover behind the baseline. If you’ve ever run backward to meet the ball, you know how important that is. You can conserve the energy needed to run backward and position your body behind the ball for maximum power. If you’re in front of the baseline, your contact point will often be too high. Instead, allow the ball to reach its peak and begin to come down before you hit it. Hitting a falling ball gives you more time to prepare before you send it back. 

Tennis Swing Technique — The Foundation of a Good Rally

Another fundamental ingredient to a good rally is to improve your tennis strokes. Your swing is the pendulum movement in a forehand or backhand that gives the ball power and moves it up over the net. The following tips can help you develop a natural tennis swing that keeps a rally going: 

• Improve your strike quality: Think about how often you hit a stroke you’re delighted with. As the ball leaves your racket, give yourself mental feedback. If you hit the ball correctly, your swing will feel effortless. You can also listen to the sound the ball makes as it leaves your racket. Aim for a crisp sound every time. 
• Get into a ready state: Standing in the ready position in tennis is different from being ready. Many players stand still, waiting to see which direction the ball travels. In a ready state, you’re moving. You’re either shifting your weight from foot to foot, doing a little dance or bouncing. If you’re moving already, you can get to the ball quicker. The body movements keep you more alert so you can react faster, setting yourself up for a natural swing with every shot. 
• Keep your swing alive: Two main actions can kill your swing — hitting at a high contact point or hitting too hard. Again, stay behind the baseline and avoid engaging your muscles too early in the swing. Instead, keep a natural rhythm and relaxed muscles until your racket makes contact with the ball. 
• Aim for a low contact point: One of the main reasons you recover behind the baseline is to give the ball time to come down before you hit it. Your swing should move the ball upward, which means your racket makes contact at a lower contact point — waist level or slightly below. 

How to Avoid Beginner Tennis Mistakes

Tennis beginners and even intermediate players are prone to errors. It’s the nature of the game. The sooner you come to grips with these errors, the more fluid and controlled your rally. Some common beginner tennis mistakes and strategies to fix them include: 

• Neglecting your footwork: Tennis footwork and positioning are the foundations of a successful rally. It will differ depending on the shot you want to take. If you’re serving, your stance will vary from delivering a groundstroke. For example, when delivering your forehand, you want to bend your knees and have your non-dominant leg in front of your dominant one so you can push with maximum power. 
• Sticking to one shot: Many players find the forehand the most straightforward shot, so instead of mastering the others, they stick to the most effective stroke for them. As a developing tennis player, it’s essential to master new shots and skills to avoid becoming predictable. 
• Focusing on power instead of technique: Assuming that the harder you hit the ball, the better you are as a player is a common mistake. While attacking the ball, your opponent often waits for you to land a playable shot. Instead, you’re hitting the ball as hard as possible, landing everywhere — the antithesis of a good rally. Balancing tennis power and control is an integral skill for rallying. Slow down and focus on your technique first, so putting power behind the ball adds to the game. 

The best way to conquer mistakes is to work with an experienced tennis pro who can pinpoint errors and give you actionable strategies for fixing them.

Improving Tennis Reaction Time

So much of tennis is about timing and rhythm. You want to take time away from your opponent while giving yourself as much time as possible to approach the ball and deliver your shot. To achieve these goals, your reaction time must be excellent. Even beginners can sharpen their reflexes during training. Some tips and tricks to improve your reaction time include: 

• Watch your opponent’s contact point: You react faster to every shot if you see your opponent’s racket strike the ball. You have the information you need from the beginning to position yourself as you watch the ball travel toward you. 
• Follow the ball on both sides: While it’s obvious to keep your eye on the ball when it’s on your side of the court, once you’ve returned it, it’s easy to lose focus. The more visual information you can gather about the ball, the better your reaction time. Try to pick up the ball in focus as often as possible. 
• Work out: Improving your brain’s reaction time is only half the job. You also need to ensure you can make it to the ball, which means boosting your cardiovascular fitness. The best way to train for tennis is to play tennis, so get as much time on the court as possible. You can also run, swim and work out in the gym if you enjoy these activities. 

Tennis Practice Drills for Effective Rallies

Improving your rally takes time and patience, but the following drills can help you achieve controlled tennis rallies:

• Alley Rally: In this drill, the ball is only considered “in” if it’s within the tramlines, which means you have a tiny space to focus on. Play to five points and then swap sides. This drill helps you develop consistent, accurate forehand and backhand strokes. 
• Serving targets: In this simple drill, place a target where you want your serve to land and practice your serve until you hit the target. 
• Side-to-side forehands and backhands: Stand in the ready position, and have a friend toss balls to your forehand and backhand. When you have achieved consistent strokes, ask your friend to call out whether they are tossing a backhand or forehand so you can focus on your stance and footwork. 

Once you’ve mastered these simple drills, the tennis pro at your courts can make them progressively more challenging. Over time, you’ll feel comfortable enough to rally with the best of them!

Elevate Your Tennis Game at Colonial Golf & Tennis Club

If you want to improve your tennis game, Colonial Golf & Tennis Club in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is the perfect location to level up. When you become a member, you have free access to our tennis, golf and swimming facilities, including four tennis courts, lighting for evening matches and a sophisticated patio bar for refreshments after the game. 

Let former grand slam competitor Maja Palaversic help you improve your rally. With over 20 years of experience and a passion for introducing beginners to the game, she is an ideal option for anyone looking to elevate their game in a peaceful, pleasant environment. Become a member and rally on Harrisburg’s finest tennis courts today.