Getting Rid of Weaknesses (Part-1)
TO improve your game do not play against the same player too often unless he is the better player. Vary your opponents. By playing against the same man too much you soon learn each other's weaknesses and do not improve. The strokes are the same all the time and each one knows where and when the ball is coming. If you play with different players, you will meet new strokes, fresh tactics, and varying temperaments. Play as much as possible against men who can beat you. Beating will do you good from the start, as you will know you are getting good practice.
When you know that you can beat a man, you will not be forced to your best, which makes you careless in stroke.
If one could remember to practice his weak strokes when playing against a poor player it would do a world of good. Do not be content to give him a bad beating.
For example, if you have a weak backhand, leave openings in your backhand court for your adversary to put the ball. He being out to beat you will keep on putting ball after ball there. Thus you can get good practice. The opponent, being a poorer player, gives you more time, and is not forcing you on your strokes. You thus get time to correct your form and improve your game. If one's net game is weak he can get good practice by going up on practically every ball. Against a good player he would not dare go up so often.
The easiest way to learn strokes is to take a dozen balls on the court. Stand a foot behind the base line. Drop the ball so it will bound about knee or waist high and to one side of you. Judge it so you have a free swing and drive it over the net. Start well back with the swing and finish out your stroke. Keep this up until you send all the balls into the other court. Then go in the other court and return them. Do this for a half hour or so a day. In this way you are not hurried on the stroke.
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