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| ANGLE IN EQUALS ANGLE OUT Geometry was never a subject I enjoyed much in school. Now, as I study the game of tennis and transfer that knowledge to others, geometry has a much greater importance. One such factor is the angle of contact. One rule in geometry is, “the angle of entrance equals the angle of exit”. This means that a ball coming towards the racquet at a 90 degree angle to the racquet string face will rebound at the same 90 degree angle away from the racquet. One example that comes to mind the most is when a player is trying to volley a ball into an open court. Often players will try to make contact so that a perpendicular string face is pointed towards where they want the ball to go. This will cause a big miss on an apparent easy volley. Let’s say for instance that the opponent contacts a passing shot from the corner of the baseline and the single sideline. The shot was hit towards the center of the court. The volleyer tried to contact the ball exactly on the center service line. The racquet string face is pointed or perpendular to the center of the court at impact. The incoming angle of the ball would make the ball exit the strings at the same angle and it would travel towards the opposite singles sideline and baseline corner. Now if the player had angle their racquet string face towards the corner of the opposite baseline and singles sideline the same incoming ball would exit at a wider angle and would land well wide of the singles sideline. The key here is to recognize the incoming angle of the ball and aim for more of the center of the court. This will allow for the angle of exit to take the ball away from your opponent for an angled winner. Sure there are many other factors that come into play, the spin of the ball, the direction of your swing, etc. but the main point is that “angle in = angle out”. Many pros will tell you that it’s easier to return a shot the same direction the ball came from. This keeps the racquet face contact at the 90 degree angle of return. Any time you try to change the direction of the ball you will be dealing with the geometry of “angle in = angle out”. That’s why it is harder and more risky to try and change the direction of the ball. Doug Hofer, USPTA www.hofertennis.com December 24, 2007 |
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