2 inches

The Pacific Athletic Club hosted last week their second annual PSA pro tournament. The winner was Olli Tuominem ranked once in the top twenty. It was an amazing sight and taught me something I have long ignored, that you have to crouch really low to get to and hit balls that are just 2 inches from the floor and 4 inches from the back wall. Olli's final consisted of shot after shot of returning and driving balls that were glued to the side wall and was only 2 inches from the floor when it was struck. I started practicing with that in mind tonight, driving straight balls against the front wall midway below the service line and picking up the shot off the back wall. Ball focus is essential and very still posture an absolute necessity. I surprised myself. I could drive the ball off the back wall over and over again to length with the kind of pace that would be pressure for most players to return. I even picked up balls that came off mere inches from the back wall and hit them straight and to length. If I can do that I know I have what it takes to play awesome. This tournament reminded me that nerves again take their tolls on my consistency and ball focus. I don't really see any other way to inoculate against the nerves than to meticulously and intensely drill my straight drives, volleys, and drops. I would add cross to this regiment except I don't know a good way to drill cross solo. Doing the figure 8 is the best I know how. I think also I will have to do the drill exercise as part of the 2 minute on court match warmup. It will at least let me gauge how much the nerves have affected my top performance for that moment.

As a footnote I wanted to comment on a couple of things. For one, I can't emphasize how important it is to not take my eyes off the ball after I hit it. I almost need to stare for an extra second at the space where the ball had been the moment I hit it, just so I do not jerk my head up to look at where the ball is going. That is what coaches say is keeping your eyes focused and head still. The second thing is about hitting the ball off the back wall. When the ball is only 3 inches from the back wall and mere inches from the floor, I can still get it if I make sure one, my chest is squared off to the side wall. Two, my elbow is close to my side. Three, my shoulders are bent low towards the floor, and finally I swing up and behind me. The motion is like I'm lunging and reaching down in front of me to pick up something to toss over my shoulder behind me. Again the key is to not turn around to look at the path of the ball, but to keep my head facing the back of the court for a moment longer after the ball is struck. This motion is not something my muscles will remember right away next time I go on court. I'll have to keep practicing it until it sticks. It is curious however, that I instinctively hit the ball correctly right off the bat tonight. As I got a little bit warmed up and tired, the muscles immediately forgot what they had done a moment ago. I don't understand why these discoveries and new skills don't stick, but it is the primary reason why I play inconsistently.