Tennis Tip: The Right Distance To The Ball

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In this tennis tip OTI Instructor Nadim Naser shows you how to get better spacing to the ball on your topspin groundstrokes.
A lot of players get too close to the ball especially when the ball comes right at them and as a result they can't hit with power.

[@vinceduque7115]

This was so great and something that I wasn't even aware I was doing for years - my coach wasn't telling me how to make the spacing; I was always told "you're too close to the ball," or "you're swinging late." FINALLY. A GAME CHANGER. Thank you so much.

[@betterthanamasterofone4451]

Excellent insight! Getting too close to the ball is a chronic problem for me. An additional benefit is that it keeps the feet moving. Thanks.

[@Schnazola]

Me, too. My spacing is chronically bad. When I'm tired, I don't move out of the way when balls are hit at me. When I move to a wide ball, especially on my FH side, I don't set my feet soon enough and find myself crowded.

[@jodunkley3452]

Excellent tips Nadim and very clearly explained, I know exactly what to work on now Thank you!

[@MarkusDages]

Thanks for this video. Stepping back and sidewards gives me the key for a better timing and distance to the ball. I can recommend this to everyone with problems on hitting too late or swinging too close to the body.

[@tennisman2k]

Always a good tip on helping all of our games ..

[@catherinemitchell6333]

Nadim, this is such a great video lesson. One of the very best. Thank you!

[@UweGries]

Great demonstration.Thanks a lot!

[@williamb19]

This is one of the most helpful videos I've seen in awhile. I've had problems handling heavy topspin players, where the ball gets up high and close to my body. I used to just move over but ended up hitting the ball late. I tried this out, back and to the left, giving me time to get my weight into the shot. Instant fix. Thank you

[@lordbyron3603]

This inside-out swing path you teach is great. It was the element missing from my forehand and backhand.

[@mikie6453mikie]

Great video, very good presentation and very clear!

[@quadcondor8619]

Excellent fundamental instruction, other videos totally miss this , yet it's the most important detail, very well done

[@royaladjemian5801]

Nadim another concise, plain language , straight forward, excellent examples, practice drills, for getting to the right distance to the ball. As an advanced beginner, this is exactly the information I need . I enjoy my practice and drill time and will incorporate this ASAP. Your video's have been a great adjunct to my learning process . I took the game up six months ago and have loved the learning process. I have a Professional tennis coach I meet weekly with, and have been invited to play with a group of men who play doubles three times a week. havAlso, found hitting partners who play above my level. I call myself a 68 year old newbie to tennis. Again, your videos have been valuable for progress on the court . Keep on rocking !

[@rcc398]

Great video and clear demo. Looking forward to more of them.

[@cabinio1]

Excellent lesson, thanks!

[@johnsonchen5506]

This is one of the best videos I have ever seen !!! Congratulations !!!

[@charlesvanheyden3504]

A much needed demonstration of correct form. Lucky to have it.

[@cgtennis]

This is the best tip I got to fix my forehand spacing issue. Thanks!

[@markusszelbracikowski956]

Great instructions!

[@JohnDoe-dp4kx]

Really clear! Great tips! Thanks!

[@cristim5620]

all of your lessons are very useful. you helped my game a lot. thank you

[@betsysumesh2247]

Great technique Nadim , very helpful . Thanks 🙏🏻

[@SydneyPortraitsLilyfield]

Great tips - thank you!

[@YONGHOTennis]

Thanks for your teaching!!

[@virendradr]

Brilliant,powerful,explosive both in words and in action love you sir

[@stockton350]

Excellent and clear explanation. Thank you.

[@tinaethel9035]

Great demonstration, thanks so much

[@Tony07UK]

This is a very good teaching point and the guy explains it well.

[@balispiritual]

Thank you so much. Happy day.

[@joegatto6389]

Excellent lesson! I can't wait to go out and give it a try!

[@hmelo1]

Very good explanation!! Makes total sense!! Thumbs up!!!

[@paulharvey9693]

Great video with clear instructions.

[@TNToncourt]

Profesional coaching. Thank you.

[@WilliamJPwa]

Very nice class, Teacher Nadim!

[@michaelsobel8504]

All of your vids are fantastic.

[@HT__00]

This is a solid video and right on the money. My friends are hitting partners for top pros at Rogers Cup. I'm surprised there are coaches on here that do not understand the powerful principle of "force multiplier" just as it's shown. Since when can you not practice/learn/improve technique during a game. Many top players shadow swing after a missed shot to get the technique right.

[@ingridrobertshaw2283]

OTI has the best instructios. Best camp ever!!

[@lowgascostsorangeman2688]

Very good and instructive.

[@boyang7868]

thanks, cant wait to try it out

[@ronniemcinerney3273]

Great coaching,top coach!

[@eldartop1634]

This is a great lesson! Thanks 🙏

[@skalenskij]

Thank you very much for clear explanation

[@FairwayJack]

very good !!

[@Etnoplasmic]

Good vidéo easy to undersatand thanks!

[@MrMalibu50]

What a game changer. Thank you

[@johnwright2460]

Great explanation thanks very much.

[@TooleyPeter]

Nadim rocks.

[@tassilofeldbausch5042]

Thank you, nobody told me before what it means, Spacing, and how my swing path should be. I always thought that it felt bad when i hit the ball and the ball was too long and than i tried to make more top spin, and so on. Problem by Problem. And nothing helped. And i was depressed. So now the feeling is much better, thanks for this golden TIP. Sometimes i think that the trainers don't want you to get better faster.

[@klausroethel5961]

Thank you, that was fantastic !!!!!!🎾👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@alexandrecastro3749]

Great explanation. I watched this vid a couple of months ago and tried to apply in court and it helped me so much. But as it is with everything that is still not incorporated and has become a habit, I've forgotten to use it and my game decreased again. Now that I re watched it, and employed again, it's become clear to me how this helps not only to proper distance from the ball as to correct balance and weight transfer. I use much more power on my strokes whenever I try this. Thank you Nadim and OTI!

[@paddlepower888]

Haha. Watch this again! I’m putting this on my list of tennis videos to watch again! Mustn’t forget this one!

[@danielgomez9908]

Great video !!

[@ckn711]

Excellent coaching

[@gregorbaum5]

One of the best coach

[@hsiang-yehhwang2625]

Great tutorial!!

[@K4R3N]

Great lesson

[@hughsmith3983]

Great instructions ............ALEX.

[@scottnagle2516]

I am confused why you have any thumbs down. You are quite clear and get right to the information you are sharing. Perhaps some of the viewers are already familiar with your content (many of us are coaches), but that is no reason for a thumbs down. Good video.

[@legneasil]

Scott Nagle I'm a tennis coach, and anyone who gave this video a thumbs down is not a nice person. They are a troll, as they say.

[@waynetaylor3895]

Pretentious Pilates I am a tennis coach and gave this a thumbs up. Perhaps he talks so much that they can’t follow it anymore. Besides he talks very fast. This video could be done in 2 minutes.

[@leontxyee]

Great insight! Than you.

[@ttrdf]

I see my countrymen still rocking the courts, good on you coach! :D

[@donho4109]

Great video 👍

[@azarshahriari837]

Great video

[@tessareddecliff6163]

Great instruction. I have a request. I have incorporated the half position into my serve and it is working beautifully!! I’ve never served more consistently, thank you. But now I need a video showing how to connect the half position to a full swing (for more power?). I’d also appreciate tips on how to control the direction. Thanks Nadim , I hope to meet you in Ft. Lauderdale some day.

[@thomasj3989]

Great video for solving a very common, rec and club level problem, THANKs! Now, where can I get a pair of shorts like that???

[@RaduAndreiTennis]

thank you

[@kayakgurusu372]

thx for tip

[@timlee5661]

Similar to hitting a draw in golf? Makes sense and never heard it explained like this before....will give it a shot

[@gavlatennis2824]

Good video.

[@tennis5126]

By coincidence this is the exact information I was looking for and have been pondering for a few weeks. I never knew the terms but now I do. What are the disadvantages/advantages of an inside out FH path compared to outside in path? Is it situational for example if the ball is coming fast to your body is that when you use the outside in? Also which one gives me racquet acceleration? Also say if you had a dimitrov technique but with a bent elbow on contact. How does one go inside out if the elbow is already extended at racquet drop? I understand how this would work for a player as Kei Nishikori since his elbow is close to his midsection it's easier to do an inside out FH swingpath. Thank you in advance.

[@yimingzhh]

Any visual q for proper spacing? non-dominant hand?

[@Mickey_McD]

Hi Nassim. Does this approach also work when getting jammed on a return of serve? So, if you're receiving and if the server hits a body serve to you, should you also try to back up on a diagonal, then step in, and hit the return of serve with an inside-out stoke? Thanks for this excellent video about the inside out swing path and how to handle getting jammed.

[@Tony07UK]

He knows what he's talking about and understands the concept well, though in demonstrating the strokes he could allow the follow-through to be loose and relaxed (as the pros play it) and properly wrap around or extend on forehand and backhand. Slow motion clips of Federer demonstrate the desired follow-through as well as footwork spacing.

[@e.j.f8349]

Thank you. I have been having the issue of spacing for as long as I can remember.

[@spartaktennis6884]

Very good job! But I would prefer to change contact point for stroke direction. For inside out stroke I contact later. And I never think to change my swing path for this stroke. What do you think about?

[@kentclark9616]

Wow!!

[@AntonChayev]

Hi Nadeem. Inside out forehand and inside out swing path are 2 different things. Right?

[@6291390]

hi, I do have a question regarding the inside-out swing path. to me, it seems more intuitive to use inside-out swing path when I try to hit down the line forehand or running-around inside-out forehand. but for sharp angles, I found it's more natural to use outside-in swing path. so my question is, should I use inside-out swing path to hit sharp angle forehands as well? it's kinda difficult to hit the outside of the ball when swinging from inside to outside. thanks.

[@pbillings808]

The fact you need distance to combat being jammed is pretty obvious. Would have liked to see discussion/demonstration of efficient ways (footwork) to achieve that. IMO, those are the mechanics to be practiced/drilled.

[@AntonChayev]

Hi. When you hit an inside in forehand, is your swing path still inside out?

[@ksauto1]

I have a kind of different question on distance. If you are hitting a forehand and you turn 90% right compared to the net, what is the distance the ball should be between you and the net?? Would you be making contact say with the ball one or two feet before it gets to you-(closer to the net)? Would it be about even with your left or your right leg? So I am asking more about the distance between the net and myself as opposed to the distance away from my body going out straight from my body and towards the sideline. I feel like I am hitting the ball to early so a lot of my swing is used up already before making contact with the ball. I think if the ball were more in front of me I would be able to keep the ball on the racket longer and get more power/speed. Hope you can figure out what I am trying to ask, thanks!!!

[@StrageSrebreniy]

- Отл! - Спасибо!

[@lordbyron3603]

I was mistaken. I thought it was bad technique to take a step or two back. But I see the steps taken are diagonal. That’s me, never moving when the ball comes to me. I didn’t move because I didn’t know how. Now I do. Thanks

[@georgecorrent3271]

proper mechanics- what it's all about

[@bogypiano]

I play for tennis for 20 years and I still learn how to improve my tennis. Thanks for great lesson Bogdan

[@user-wt8bg1ey9w]

Should you hit the ball next to you or a little infront?

[@vanlendl1]

If you are entering a tennis court, you have to be focused on your feet. Btw, a professional player is WORKING tennis. If you lose only one or two tenths of a second because of the lack of concentration, you get in trouble. Amateurs let the ball often pass the net, when the they start moving their feet. It is hard work to concentrate three sets on every point.

[@lukexiong5945]

At times the ball comes in too fast you have no time to back and step aside at all then the best you can do is do a short stroke and flip the wrist. Or jump to the left then swing forehand for returning on higher ball.

[@ashaikh147]

Hi, I want my son to be a good player. he do practice everyday for 2 hours. but I can't afford fitness fees so do you have any video related to tennis fitness ?

[@writer684]

For many years I did that mistake to go across with the elbow too early

[@mariodeb]

but they teach to rotate around or not?

[@fastestindian3679]

when the ball is to you at 125 MPH forget about all the technique you got to do in that moment

[@cristim5620]

unless you play with those guys on tv, what you consider to be 125mph is actually 60, otherwise you wouldn`t be here.

[@GaryYoungUSPTA]

I would never encourage running around a forehand to hit a one handed backhand. It pushes you off the court and the motion doesn't let you recover back to the center. Running around a backhand to hit a forehand however is exactly the opposite and works. This is a staple move for Djokovic, Federer and most of all Nadal. The motion on a forehand pulls you forward as you swing and brings you back towards the center. If you're going to run around you should always use your forehand. Secondly there was too much discussion for such a simple concept. I found it very repetitive and somewhat confusing. It's a simple topic about dealing with balls coming up the center providing a player with no angle. My suggestion, rethink this one and put the emphasis on the benefit of using the forehand as opposed to a backhand for this scenario. Finally, there was no mention of the more advanced option of taking the ball on the rise with a half-volley 👍

[@sapientbudgie5652]

We will wait for you to post your video. This is just about getting your feet moving in the right position. I've watched pros do this for the past 30 years in variations. In martial arts it's called a male and female triangle. Used in multiple sports. If you are a pro, then I'm sure you know hitting a half volley is a risky shot. Rather move your feet if you can and hit a higher percentage shot.

[@GaryYoungUSPTA]

Sapient Budgie - all good points. You're correct this is a good idea for the average Club player and a higher percentage play. I still maintain that you should never run around your for forehand to hit a backhand unless it's totally necessary. Keep up the good work :-)

[@sapientbudgie5652]

Cheers!

[@sapientbudgie5652]

poida smith if you hit the ball too close to your body there is no helping you or your comments.

[@tiagolimp]

Good thing there was no suggestion of taking the ball with a half volley. If you´re talking more advanced, one thing is to take the ball on the rise (where you move back one or two steps only), another is to encourage hitting half volleys, which is wrong as you lose a lot of control. You see pro players doing it, not by their decision, but because they had no alternative, so it's not something you want to encourage, otherwise players will over do it. And even if they had mentioned the "on the rise" shot, it would still have to follow the inside out path, so the video is actually correct for any shot.. I also think you missed the point of the video when you say you wouldn't advice anyone to run around the forehand to hit the backhand. It's obvious that it's not what they are saying in the video..

[@nazneenakter4267]

Give speech with English subtitles

[@dunghoangduc9582]

bn

[@coachfaiz6924]

you made it too easy to understand sir

[@depigxy]

Thank you OTI. I just have been enlighten. If I can get into position on every single shot and have at least a minute to think about how, where, when and also ultilising the sun and wind to hit the ball then I'll be able beat the shit out of all the opinionated so call experts on this page..haha! even Roger Federer. I can't believe a simple topic about spacing can lead to all kinds of criticism towards Online Tennis Instruction about swing paths, run around forehands/backhands and other technicalities. Come on people, read the topic properly before you start shooting off your mouth with your two cents worth,

[@maccifj]

Sorry, but your emphasis on having to use an inside out shot on this is contradicted by your very demonstration on video. If you have the time to make more space when a deep shot is coming at you by moving back diagonally as you say, then you also have time to hit either an inside out or an outside in shot. In fact, you do just that on a couple of the shots in the demonstration (you went cross court). Furthermore, even if you were to use an inside out shot, that doesn't help you if, say in doubles, there's a guy at the net where your inside out shot would be heading.

[@sapientbudgie5652]

This video has nothing to do with an 'inside out' or 'outside in', tennis shot. 1. Shoulder (unit) turn, racket drops naturally due loose grip and relaxed arm and shoulder. 3 - slot position where the racket lags, cap of racket momentarily facing the ball, and acceleration....etc. The point of the video is that when you are in the 'slot' position and you are relaxed the swing path must go inside (lag phase) to contact (outside). If your legs, hips, shoulders are not in the correct position, you will compensate - compensate means you get jammed and have improper biomechanics. Video is excellent and a very good teaching point. You should delete your comment as it's completely missing the point of the video.

[@maccifj]

Online Tennis Instruction with Florian Meier- Here's the USTA definition of an inside-out shot. Just scroll down a bit, they define what it is: www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Rules/Rules-and-Line-Calls/Word_Meanings/

[@praveenbhide]

Hi Florian, nice comments. do you have any video demonstrating the inside out swing path?

[@jentster]

Not a bad video at all, but what a lot of people fall into the trap of on these videos is that it's too wordy. Too much talking. That's what is wrong with coaching in general. Keep the instruction simple and pointed.

[@peoplespeace]

Lol nonsense.

[@peoplespeace]

The one eyed leading the blind. Why is the sport of tennis so littered with scammers. Not just talking about u bro.

[@racquetup9457]

You took 5 steps to move back, way too slow. it just needs two steps.