There are a few different hitting stances when it comes to tennis. When a teaching pro introduces someone to tennis, they always start with turning the student sideways to hit the ball. This is the most basic way to hit a ball, mainly because you will have the most control hitting this way. This is called the “closed stance.”
As players progress, hitting in the closed stance 100% of the time becomes more difficult. You will use the closed stance when moving forward into the court. Aside from that, if you are in a match and your opponent is hitting the ball very hard, there might not be enough time to turn sideways. So what do you do then? This is where the “semi-open” and “open” stances come into play.
Semi-Open Stance
The semi-open stance is used quite often in tennis. Most people do not have the time to get into a completely closed stance in the middle of a point because of how fast the game has become. In this day and age, tennis is so fast. People are hitting bigger and faster balls than they used to. With this, we have adjusted how we hit the ball. The semi-closed stance is one way. This stance gives you the balance needed to hit the ball, but also helps you adjust to the speed of the balls coming.
Open Stance
The open stance should be a last resort. This stance should only be used when you are on the run or have a ball hit you so fast that you cannot turn. It is tough to be balanced when you hit with the open stance. It is also hard to use your hips to hit the ball entirely.
In this YouTube video, Sherif provides a detailed analysis of the different tennis hitting stances. He discusses each stance and when it should be used.
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