© Mark Papas Step 3 p.3 /4
pointing into the ball, stepping into the ball with the front foot prior to contact finds both feetidentical and the contact between their width (3D).Diagram 3D also includes what I consider a proper open stance, which is called a semi openstance in 3A. Contact is made between identical feet, though very close to the back foot. Youwon't be at full strength with an open stance because it's like placing the heavy box closer to oneof your feet instead of in-between them before lifting it, and you're not stepping forward into the ball.The forward stance, for a tennis player, is the main theme. You should plan to use it more oftenthan not. But, if you can't get to the ball in time, use the open stance. If the ball is just too closeand too fast, use the open stance. If you don't want to move into the ball to begin with or stepinto it with the front foot before you swing, use the open stance, or the neutral stance of diagram3A. If you need to compensate, go ahead, just don't make it the heart of your game. Thesestances can work, but they make you work more for your shot. And withRevolutionary Tennis,remember, less is more.
THE OPEN FORWARD STANCE
There is an open forward stance that accommodates fast ballsand high balls for a western grip which I'm seeing onoccasion in the pros. Prior to contact, 3E left, the front foot prepares to take the last step prior to contact, the 2 of a 1-2and hit rhythm of Step 2. It steps into and toward the ball,3E right, but it doesn't take as long a step as with the forwardstance. Instead of planting your back foot before swinging,the open forward stance allows you to take a (small) stepforward into to the contact.
HIT OUT IN FRONT?
What about hitting out in front, or ahead, of the front foot?This is a old misconception brought by the closed stance (or was it the other way around?). Today's tennis still urges youto stand sideways and hit out in front/ahead of the front foot.This means contact is made to the outside of the front foot,which leaves you unsupported, and as a result the open stancedeveloped. Well, hitting out in front/ahead of the front footseems to be happening when you look at the contact spot from the side, 3F. But if you look atthe contact from the body's point of view, you would see it lies between the width of the feet andin front of the body's center, not out in front/ahead of the front foot. This is the alignmentstructure for a strong hit. "Out in front" really means don't hit late.The contact zone has always been described as optimally located between the hips and theshoulders, a location that suggests height is everything. I don't know about you, but the tennis ball never sits at just the right height when I hit it. Instead, the contact zone should be seen aslying between the width of the feet, allowing you to strike the ball at whatever height. After all,there is only one moment in time when the ball can be hit on time, and height is secondary to thecontact's horizontal placement between the width of the feet. Contact too far ahead and you're