I’m practising my footing now, but i think footing is a continuous challenge – as you get better you oppents also follow. how ever getting a sufficient smash i waht i want to achieve and a good defence.

Had good plans for the summer to build on my singles game. This plan unfortunately went out the window today. I picked up a knee injury 2 weeks ago which I didn’t think was too serious but found out today I face surgery and physio  with an 6-8 month recovery. Looking at an October return. Been injury several times before, two serious. So not too put out by missing out playing. So my new challenge is my recovery. Making out my plan already to make a competition at the end of November (defending champion). 

I think with any injury a positive outlook is vital. I always told myself that the day I lose a game and didn’t care is the time to call it a day and quit. No where near that yet so need to make a recovery plan and get working. Will be following Paul’s armchair exercises in the mean time to keep my arm flexible and strong. Once the surgery is out of the way and knee is strong enough plan to hit the bike looking forward to the summer evenings out cycling and some light running on the beach. 

Have a few new players to coach over the summer, may have the first few sessions we my on crutches so they will just have to listen instead of watch me demonstrate a shot .

I guess my biggest challenge is my own self…before, I used to get so so nervous that all of my experience and training that i’ve gone through are put to waste.I can’t even hit a simple sliced forehand dropshot from the back court…

Maybe because it’s my first time playing with europeans men as they’re a heck alot of bigger and more powerful than us asians. But as time goes by, I’m getting the hang of it..maybe this is what we call ” experience” ? Experience to face our own fears and nerves. 

Skill and techniques can be improved quickly with the correct and proper teaching, but i guess training our mind is pretty hard as no two human minds have the same way of thinking and works in the same way.

Just my 2 cents.

Hi,

As for me, I’m a progressivist. My greatest challenge is always to improve my overall game. I’m very into researching tips for whatever I feel needs attention at the moment, and I always look at what’s successful (i.e. what works). If it comes from an top pro, that’s as good as it gets. I’m amazed that I didin’t find out about you earlier, Paul.

Anyways, I can’t always find what I’m looking for, and so I have two questions to present in this topic:

1) Backhand drop: My backhand crosscourt drop has gotten me out of trouble countless times and I’m as proud of it as I am of my backhand clear. But my straight drop worries me. I use the same preparation I would any overhead backhands, but my straight drop isn’t steep enough to really count. It can land past the front service line if I try to put some pace, or barely in front of it when I go for a slow drop (which usually loses me the point then and there anyways). I’m always wary of my footwork and take the shuttle in a straight arc over my shoulder and slightly behind my head. I’m not sure what else to put here, and I lack the video camera I would need to show you what I’m doing wrong.

2) Net drops: This one is a simple question. When performing a straight drop shot near the net, should I contact the shuttle on or near the sweet spot, or nearer the top strings? I know switching to the latter for my short backhand serves has done a tremendous amount of good for my game, but I can’t find any information on contact point for net drops.

I’m looking forward to replies, both from Paul and from more enlightened members.