Respect!

Some are high, some low. Some are fast, others slow. They can be humming with spin like a buzzsaw or floating gently like a yellow butterfly. Every shot coming toward you during a tennis match has unique characteristics.

Those variables are the factors that define your response as either offensive, neutral, or defensive.

Some are more difficult than others but none must be considered as “EASY.”

Higher level players understand the necessity of keeping a firm focus on shots that appear to be less difficult, because as soon as you think, "this one is easy,” you will be tempted to look at where you want to place it, rather than looking directly at the ball, as you must do every time you swing.

A soft slowly falling ball has a very complex trajectory in relation to a ball coming toward you firmly on a horizontal line.

The brain's ability to formulate a response to a ball coming toward you at a moderate speed with a level flight line is much easier than figuring the racket face angle and swing path to deliver a ball safely and effectively back to your opponent’s court.

That complex trajectory, coupled with the idea that “I ought to do something extra with this ‘EASY ONE" is the kiss of death to the average player.

You must learn to deal with every shot in a tennis match the way a top-level golfer gives “Respectful Focus” to every putt, be it from 10 feet or 10 inches.

That slowly moving ball with the invitingly gentle demeanor must be treated with that same level of Respect.

What sits there before you is a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing - BEWARE!