Watch the ball! And watch it from the opponent’s racket to yours. Try to focus on it so much that you can notice it getting slower and bigger. Look at the ball from the opponent’s hand when he toss it to serve. Watch it after the bounce, during the contact with the strings. Always keep watching it.
Watching the ball is one of the most difficult things on the court. Focusing on that yellow spot without taking your eyes off when the ball is going so fast, even at very high levels, is not an easy job. The normal thing is that you get distracted in the match, by the high intensity of the effort, by the movements of the opponent, by looking at the place where you want to send the ball, with the fatigue of a long rally, etc … But you have to try to get to see the ball in the best possible way. And it not only helps to gain the sweet spot, but also helps you with balance in movement, coordination, getting to the right place earlier and focusing better on the game.
Advantages of Watching the Ball
Watching the ball helps you to react in time and get there earlier, helps you in forced shot not to be uncoordinated. Many complain about their physical condition saying, “I am not moving well. I don’t get anywhere”. But it would be more correct if they said: I am not watching the ball. Reacting on time will make you play with more ease, and those milliseconds are very important on the court. I will repeat again: do not start watching the ball when it is passing over the net. Watch it from the opponent’s racket until it hits yours!
When at return, or at the net, when you have less time or less space, watching the ball is very important. Also in the overhead or in a hanging ball to be able to control the impact well. In the serve … in the forced shots, etc …
Watch the ball to maintain the focus
It is also a way to gain good focus. It makes you less distracted, and if at any time you notice that you have lost the concentration, tell yourself: Watch the ball!
What is said is a matter of a habit. If you focus on the ball continuously in training, little by little you will do it almost without thinking. But at first it may cost you. You may even notice a contradiction with what has been said here and be uncoordinated as you keep your eyes on this yellow spot. Do not worry. You will take the trick and reap the rewards of work.
If you want to take a closer look at the technique of how to watch the ball, read the articles “Three Points of Vision” and “Mental Aspect of Vision” on our blog.
