So, I went out to play yesterday and I really kept some new tips in mind; especially the footwork one. And all I have to say is "wow". It's that simple, but yet, so difficult. I was hitting everything perfectly. I had a couple errors b/c I got a little excited, but u don't even know the difference until u try it. I kept moving my feet, taking those little steps to get myself in the perfect position, and I became a backboard/ball-machine. I won my match 6-1, 6-1 in a match against an opponent that I usually have difficulty beating. I think that I can say I'm on the verge of officially calling myself a 4.5 player; I just need to get a little more conrtol of that backhand slice. Recently, it's been off b/c I haven't had to use it much. And my volleying could use a little more aggression.
In addition, I was really focusing and practicing the proper serving technique. Usually, I would serve with a semi-western grip and it's pretty much the most consistent way to serve in my opinion. But, I was really just focussing on the proper way to serve and I've mastered it within a few hours of practicing the serve; my second serve spin is crazy. The thing I noticed though is that it tends to tire u more quickly than the old type of serve I did, forcing me to start grunting halfway throught the match (explains a lot of Williams sisters matches). Overall, I'd say that I improved remarkably in just one weekend.
One thing about the match though, I played it at night. And those are the best condiditons for me: u see everything clearly, and it's not hot as hell. That could be the reason for my strong performance, but hopefully I can keep it up!
