Okay, so I wanted to share a bit about what I’ve been up to on the tennis court lately. It’s all centered around this name I kept hearing, Emily Deming. Not sure if she’s super famous or what, but I saw some talk online, maybe a small clip or forum post, mentioning her technique.
Getting Started
What really caught my eye was something about her forehand. It looked really smooth, efficient. Not flashy, just solid. You know, I’ve been playing for years, but my forehand can get a bit wild sometimes. So, I thought, why not try and see if I can borrow something from her style? First thing I did was try to find more footage. Wasn’t easy, seemed like she’s not one of the big top-tier players everyone posts about. Found a couple of short clips, maybe from a local tournament or practice session.
I spent some time just watching. Really focused on a few things:
- Her preparation: How early did she get the racket back?
- Her footwork: Was she using an open stance, closed stance? How did she move to the ball?
- The swing path: Low to high? Flat? Lots of spin?
- The follow-through: Where did the racket end up?
Hitting the Court
After watching maybe half an hour total, spread over a couple of days, I felt like I had a basic picture. The main thing seemed to be a very compact backswing and a really clean contact point out in front. So, I grabbed my racket and headed to the local courts. Didn’t even bother with a hitting partner at first, just wanted to use the ball machine.
First attempts were awkward. Really awkward. I was trying too hard to copy exactly what I thought I saw. My timing was off. Felt stiff. Shanked quite a few balls straight into the fence. It’s funny how watching someone make it look easy tricks your brain.
So, I decided to simplify. Forget copying everything. I focused on just one thing: that compact backswing. Instead of my usual big loop, I consciously tried to shorten it. Kept my elbow a bit closer to my body on the take-back. Fed myself balls, then used the machine on a slow setting.
Making Adjustments
It took a while. Probably two full practice sessions just focused on that one change. Slowly, it started to feel a bit more natural. Wasn’t perfect, still isn’t, but I could feel a difference. When I got it right, the ball felt cleaner off the strings. Less effort, maybe a bit more control.
Then I started thinking about the contact point. Trying to meet the ball further out in front, like it seemed she was doing. This part is still a work in progress. It requires better timing and footwork, which I’m still drilling.
Where I’m At Now
So, that’s my ‘Emily Deming tennis’ experiment so far. It wasn’t about finding some magic bullet. It was just about seeing something, getting curious, and trying to break it down and apply it to my own game. It’s a slow process. Sometimes I revert back to my old habits, especially under pressure. But focusing on that shorter backswing has definitely tidied up my forehand a bit.
Still haven’t perfected it, probably never will copy her exactly, but it was a good exercise. Just shows you can always pick up little things, even from players you don’t hear about every day on TV. It’s all about practice and trying stuff out on court.
