What is the most important thing in determining which way your shot will go? It is the angle of the racquet face at contact. You can have the most beautiful swing in the world but if the racquet face is not in the proper position to match your swing, you've lost all control of the shot.

That is why it is so important to know your grips and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Let me give you an example for those of you with one handed backhands. Go out and hit a few forehands and then try a backhand using your forehand grip. Notice how the racquet face is open and you have very little support since your hand is more on the hitting side of your racquet. This small upward turn can have a great impact on where the ball is going to land. What about those of you that have big Western or semi-Western forehand grips? Try that same grip on a low volley and you'll probably see that many balls go into the net unless you quickly turn the racquet.

Sometimes a player just doesn't have enough strength for a tough incoming ball. If your opponent hits a strong shot to your forehand and that shot has more power than you have strength, it will turn your racquet and thereby changing the angle of the racquet face. You might be swinging in the right direction but if the strings aren't striking the ball in the proper place you will be losing control.

In lessons I see players try to make big changes at times a minor adjustment will do. Let your racquet do some of the work for you without trying to muscle the ball. A good drill is to play mini court with players at the service line. Let the ball bounce but keep your backswing and follow through to a minimum. You'll notice you are hitting a groundstroke with more of a volley stroke. Gradually move back a step at a time and increase the length of your swing. If you make it a gradual move you'll probably see that your racquet angle stays where it should and your swing is simpler. In match play you might want to generate more racquet head speed or spin but this simple drill will help you gain control and learn how keeping a good racquet angle can get the ball going in the right direction.