Danger – Is Tennis a Contact Sport?

Tennis isn't a contact sport…Or is it?

If you've ever been tagged by an overhead smash hit by a net player 20 feet from you, you'll instantly understand that it is!

When you are playing doubles and your partner is behind you hitting a shot, you may actually be the target for the opposing team's net player!

At lower levels -3.0/3.5- players tend to get upset if someone drills them with a ball.

A well-coached player fully understands that if they are at mid court or in the forecourt zone, they need to be acutely aware of the looming threat and be ready to react defensively.

Your ability to respond to that attack is directly related your visual input.

Where are your eyes as your partner is about to strike their shot? 

If your partner is serving, I'd be willing to bet you are looking across the net at the player preparing to strike the return. It wouldn't make sense to look anywhere else, would it? After all, the opponents partner that isn't returning (their net player) loses the point if they touch the ball when it's in the air, so no need to look at them!

What about when your partner isn't serving? Where is the logical place to be looking?

Well, the opponents net player may now legally take the ball out of the air and is probably striving to do so. With that understanding, the only logical place to be looking is at them!!

Every time I watch club level doubles, I continue to be astounded at how many players (a very strong majority) are looking back toward their partner at the baseline as they are hitting a groundstroke.

If it makes no sense to look backward when they are serving and the opposing net player is no threat to you, how can it possibly make sense to look back when the opponent is stalking the ball and looking to drill you with it?

Sure, you can take a quick glance back to evaluate your partners balance and position yourself accordingly (on balance - move in a step or minimally hold your ground. Off balance - maybe back up a step and then bless yourself if you are so inclined) but then instantly get your eyes on the opposing net players racket and ready yourself for a ball hit hard directly at your kneecaps.

Tennis isn't categorized as a contact sport but there can be danger lurking on every exchange. So keep your head on a swivel and your eyes on the threat!