Locked knees and weight on your heels delay your first step.
Keep your knees soft and balance available in both directions.
OPEN COURT SKILL STUDIO
Ready position & split step
Build a balanced start so you can react in either direction instead of waiting for the ball to reach you.
TENNIS · 8 minutes focused practice
1. Stand about shoulder-width apart, soften your knees and hinge gently at the hips.
Diagrams explain direction, not prescribed joint angles. Orange shows the ball or movement direction. Adapt your stance to the incoming ball.
Step-by-step technique
- 1
Stand about shoulder-width apart, soften your knees and hinge gently at the hips.
- 2
Hold the racket in front with your other hand supporting the throat; watch the opponent and ball.
- 3
Use a small split step around the opponent’s contact, landing softly rather than jumping high.
- 4
Push toward the ball, adjust with small steps and recover your ready position after contact.
Common mistakes & fixes
A large jump leaves you in the air.
Make the movement smaller and focus on timing.
Court drill
Have a partner signal left or right. Split, move two steps and reset: three sets of eight. Use small steps if space is limited.
Self-check
Try five starts each way. Can you move directly after landing without first standing upright?
Match application
Use this for returns and rallies. Time the movement to the opponent’s contact, not a fixed rhythm.
