So, I was channel surfing the other day, digging through some old tennis match recordings I had saved. Stumbled upon some matches featuring Corinna Dentoni. Hadn’t really followed her closely back in the day, but watching her play this time, something about her game caught my eye. It wasn’t flashy, maybe, but solid. Particularly her forehand. Looked really compact and efficient.
That got me thinking. My own forehand’s been feeling a bit sloppy lately. Just kind of inconsistent, you know? So I thought, why not try and see if I can pick up anything from watching her? Just a little personal project, something to focus on next time I hit the courts.
Hitting the Court – The Forehand Experiment
First thing I did was pull up some more specific clips online. Just watched her forehand motion over and over. Tried to notice the little things:
- How she prepared, the racquet take-back.
- Her footwork getting into position.
- The contact point and the follow-through.
Looked simple enough on screen. Famous last words, right?
Next day, I grabbed my racquet and headed down to the local park courts. Started warming up, just hitting normally. Then, I tried to consciously mimic that motion I saw Dentoni use. Man, it felt weird. Really awkward at first. My muscle memory just wanted to do its own thing.
My first few attempts? Balls were flying long, hitting the net, going everywhere but where I wanted. It was kind of frustrating. I kept thinking back to the video. Okay, maybe her swing path was a bit more low-to-high than mine? Tried adjusting that. Focused on keeping my wrist firm through contact, like it seemed she did.
I spent probably a solid 45 minutes just working on that shot. Didn’t even bother much with backhands or serves. Just feed myself balls, or hit against the wall, focusing purely on the forehand. Slowly, very slowly, it started to feel a tiny bit more natural. I wasn’t shanking it quite as much.
I noticed I had to really concentrate on bending my knees and rotating my shoulders properly. Things you know you should do, but often get lazy about. Trying to copy someone else forces you to pay attention to those details again.
What I Reckon I Learned
Okay, let’s be real. Did I suddenly develop a Corinna Dentoni forehand? Absolutely not. Not even close. Pros make it look effortless, but replicating that kind of technique takes years, not just one afternoon.
But it wasn’t a waste of time. It made me much more aware of my own technique, the bad habits I’ve fallen into. Just focusing on those specific elements – the take-back, the contact point – helped me clean up my own stroke a little. Hit a few towards the end that felt really clean, good timing, nice bit of spin. That felt good.
Mostly, it was a good reminder. Improvement comes from paying attention, trying new things, and just putting in the reps. Even if you’re just borrowing ideas from watching someone else play. It kind of renewed my enthusiasm for just getting out there and practicing with a purpose, instead of just mindlessly hitting.
