Tip: Aim Lower on Short Balls

There’s nothing more frustrating than working a point really hard until you get the short ball you’re looking for only to miss the shot long. I used to struggle with this, and I know how annoying it can be. One thing that helped me a lot has to do with physics and geometry. Early on, I failed to realize that the closer you are to the net, the less clearance you need to keep the ball deep in the court. In other words, as you get nearer to the net aim two or three feet over it instead of trying to use the same 5-7 foot margin for error that you employ from the  baseline. It’s a simple concept, but it works. Be sure to use the same swing you would from the baseline—don’t change your mechanics because that only introduces more variables that you have to take into account—but go for a lower clearance. And don't worry too much about making mistakes into the net. When you're closer in it's easier to hit that smaller window that you’re targeting.