Last month we spoke about timing being an essential component in playing good tennis, even more important than technique, although it would obviously be better to have both!
But what is timing and can it be trained? To even consider improving timing we would first have to try and explore timing and identify the skills necessary involved in timing.
Last month, I suggested that stillness and the ability to wait are essential ingredients for great timing (actually these are not two things, just one!). This is because the hands can move faster than it takes for the ball to come across the net, regardless of how hard it is hit, consequently, it is necessary for the hands to wait for the ball to arrive.
This month I would like to suggest another necessary component of great timing and that is trust.
I wonder, is it a coincidence that the universe does not allow us to see contact? Regardless of the numerous proponents of ‘watching’ the ball and keeping one’s head down, the reality is that no one can see the ball touch the strings. Is this fact just an extraordinary oddity or is it an amazing communication by the universe to us?
If it is true that we cannot see the ball at contact (and science tells us it is!), then that means it is cannot be necessary, which in turn ‘must’ mean that trust alone is required to make contact.
‘We’ cannot make it happen!
This is fascinating because the ‘normal’ solution to poor contact or ‘unclean’ hitting is to try harder and focus more, while I am suggesting the opposite. Perhaps, the answer lies in trying less and trusting more!
Could it possibly be that easy?
Explore, experiment and discover for yourself!