Practice strategy

Top 3 major areas to work on are:

1. Work up to running 12k intervals at Kezar. It breaks down to a 1 hour of up and down heart rate training that spans the length of a typical match.
2. Ghosting around the court with increasing variety, intensity, and lunges; special work on turning shoulders completely and pivoting before moving laterally.
3. Following the ball with my eyes and watching my opponents' preparation, position, and follow through swing.

Extra drill work:

1. Volley drills with increasing pace & shorter distance; volley drills straight & cross
2. Volley & half volley drop shots (removing pace from a fast ball, from T or back court but not from front court)

New areas to work on:

1. Lob and drop volley from the front court only off my right foot!
2. Half volley cross court before they reach the back wall, especially when the ball is fast and low.
3. Cross courts with more width & depth. Drives above the service line and beyond the service box.
4. Stay away from the back corner and turn my back to the side wall to dig out balls tight against the back wall.
5. slow the pace of half court or trickle boast
6. watch for the backhand cross court volley drop shot
7. stop when my opponent is ready to hit the ball;
8. Don't look up after hitting my shot; 'stop and pose' for half a second to ensure the ball stays true to where I want it to go.
9. holding my shot for a feint.

Drilling & lesson Notes:

• When I take lessons as I did with Niki, I improved because I practiced at full speed. I need to speed up to slow down. I don't internalize what I learn when I practice or take lessons at a comfortable pace.

What I Have Improved:

1. driving straight from the back wall and catching my opponent covering a boast
2. back hand preparation
3. back hand straight drive off of a 1 wall cross court
4. recognizing and calling lets
5. chopping a volley into the forehand corner
6. defending the back court
7. forehand cross court drives
8. hitting off of either left or right foot for forehand and backhand drive.
9. feint a forehand drop into a straight drive
10. feint a short cross court drive into a straight drive
11. feint a backhand straight drive into a cross court drive
12. footwork balance is much better
13. front court backhand straight lob
14. lob serve
15. fast low service line serve