We started using these classifications to score positive and
negative points for our developing Juniors.
You may like to read them, and consider which
apply to you.
The good qualities below will help you win, will give you more stamina,
will help you be noticed by coaches, and will help to make your
opponent feel that you know what you're doing and have depth.
The bad qualities listed will give your opponent the advantage, will
make it harder for you to play the shots you want, will let
the opponent think they have the advantage, and will tire you.
Being honest with yourself, monitor your positive and negative scores
over the months as you
develop your style, your shots and your strategy.
| Good |
Generally good playing habits |
| Style |
High racket, stretching for the shot, strong follow through |
| Stance |
Good steady base for balance in the shot, and ready to return to the T |
| High-racket |
General high racket on both the forehand and the backhand |
| Tucked-in |
Racket tucked in at top of backswing, especially on the backhand |
| Stability |
Playing shots with feet well planted early |
| Tempo |
Controlling and varying the pace and style of the game using lobs and drops |
| Teeing |
Always getting back to the T quickly, early and smoothly, with racket ready |
| Watching |
Watching and reading the ball and opponent's shot preparation |
| Gliding |
Moving smoothly and early to the next shot without haste with racket high |
| Timing |
Clean timing of the shot, with smooth racket swing and clean hit |
| Serving |
Well placed serves hitting the side wall, with steady and varied strength |
| Digging |
Digging a ball out of the back corners well, with boasts or rails |
| Fhandrail |
Close rail shots with good stance and forehand swing |
| Bhandrail |
Close rail shots with good stance backhand swing |
| Powering |
Generally hitting cleanly with power when required from the front or back |
| Deceit |
Using delay and feint to camouflage shots and wrong foot opponent |
| Railing |
Keeping a rally on the wall till an opportunity presents |
| Snapping |
Late hitting with short quick swing when driving from front |
| Flicking |
Playing a cross court shot from short swing in the front |
| Placement |
Generally placing ball away from the opponent with good length |
| Slicing |
Putting backspin on both long and short drop shots to keep the bounce low |
| Chopping |
Playing a short kill with a quick chopping action in the front |
| Dropping |
Stretching well to make a repeat straight or angled drop shot |
| Grabbing |
Making the most of opponent's poor shot and soft or wild return |
| Lobbing |
Playing a straight or crosscourt lob from both front corners |
| Volleying |
Steady clean take of volleys without snatch, mishit or falling back |
| Digging |
Digging shots out of the back corners for rail, drop and boast |
| Reaction |
Handling sharp front court shots with strength and fade |
| Deadreact |
Playing reaction shots with a dead racket well to the corners |
|
| Bad |
Generally bad playing habits |
| Quirks |
Personal oddities of movement and shot making |
| Pirating |
Taking the shot with one leg raised, pivotting on one leg |
| Over-run |
Running on through the shot, with no timing or stretching |
| Misshit |
Missing the sweet spot, or using racket edge often |
| Cuppa/taxi |
Standing watching after a shot, with no return to the T |
| Weedram |
Playing in a loose or woozy style with laidback focus |
| Uncocked |
Using a broken wrist and droopy racket on backhand shots |
| Rigidwrist |
A forehand with a rigid wrist, lacking wrist power in the shot |
| Rigidelbow |
A forehand with a rigid elbow, lacking triceps power and reach |
| Tuckedelbow |
A forehand with the elbow stuck to the body, lacking swing |
| Chesting |
A forehand without bringing the shoulders round in the shot |
| Doming |
Racket head coming from low, up to the ball and down again |
| Floppist |
Playing with the wrist flopping round, with too little shoulder |
| Shouldown |
Dropping the trailing shoulder and slicing backhand shots |
| Flooring |
Following through too low on forehand or backhand shots |
| Transparency |
Telegraphing the coming shot, with no delay or punch |
| Squandering |
Losing concentration, losing next serve or rally after good win |
| Overserving |
Serving with too strong a swing and shot, and serving out |
| Middling |
Continually playing ball back to the opponent on the T |
| Gifting |
Playing an easy ball that opponent can pounce on |
| Stargazing |
Looking up early after playing shot risking mishits |
| Cornercramp |
Not leaving enough space to dig the ball out of the corner |
| Cramping |
Generally getting too close to the ball to play a good swing |
| Delimbing |
Hitting own body during shots, generally from cramping |
| Smashing |
Smashing a high ball that would have bounced off the back wall |
| Monotony |
Lack of variation in pace or shots, following opponents pace |
| Weakboast |
Not giving boasts enough lift for them to reach the front wall |
| Glassshot |
Lazy running and hitting ball off the back wall too often |
| Gripping |
Too tight a grip, or tennis fist gripping the racket |
|
