TennisOne Lessons

The Split Step -

How to Cut Quickly to the Ball

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Jim McLennan, Senior Editor, TennisONE

To see the animation of the split step, forehand, click here.

To see the animation of the split step, backhand, click here.

Watch a professional match on TV and look for the following. Instead of watching Sampras hit and then watching Becker reply, just watch Pete during the entire point. Interestingly, he splits his feet each and every time Boris hits the ball. Further, he times the split to the exact moment when Boris hits. Finally, he times his split so his reaction (cut) to the forehand or backhand occurs immediately after he lands.

The split step is a dynamic move that transitions us from a stationary or running position to the ready position in the wink of an eye. Let's say your opponent pulls you wide to your forehand side. After returning his shot (hopefully), you recover by side-stepping towards the center. You transition out of your side-step motion and prepare yourself for your opponent's next shot by split stepping just as he hits the ball. When you serve and run to the net to hit the first volley, you must transition out of your run into a ready position that will enable you to move in either direction to hit the volley--and to move under control. When you fail to split step,you commit the tennis faux pas of running through your volley, which usually means you are going to ram your volley into the net or bash it way out of court.

In this lesson, we'll be focusing on executing the split step while you are serving and volleying. But to see how this applies from a stationary position, see Monty Basnyat's tip.

In the photos here, I am moving forward towards the service line, where most first volleys are hit. Note how my feet are underneath me as I run quickly to the net, but that my stance suddenly widens as I execute the split step.

The first step after the split is always under and never out or across. Known as a sprinter's start, a floating pivot, or a gravity turn, the right foot moves slightly left and then sharply pushes the subsequent crossover step. The strings of the racquet, the stenciled "W," face the ball immediately after the split. The momentum towards the ball continues after the split, in spite of the cut.

To see how the split step for the forehand looks, click here.

To see how the split step for the backhand looks, click here.

With reference to the professional game, McEnroe and Edberg were masters of the split step when taking the net. Moving forward quickly as possible, they had the knack for cutting as wide as needed for most of the passing shots they had to cover. As you practice your split step, remember their excellent posture, their uncanny speed to the ball, and their ability to finish off what seemed like winning passing shots.

One final note, a plug, refer to my Unit Turn lesson to put together the concepts of the shoulder turn and the split step. Note here how the split step has positioned my hips and shoulders so I can both move to the ball as well as hit it.

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