As this has a worldwide audience and millions across the globe are hanging on my every word the next bit may need a little more explanation. In England there was a footballer (soccer player to our American cousins) called Peter Crouch. Now Crouchy was was a good striker (the one who scores the goals) who played at the highest level. In the latter stages of his career he developed a goal celebration for which he became famous. It was a sort of robotic dance. It would make me think of how some people play their forehands and backhands with lots of jerky movements. So don't be a robot - try to iron out your shots by preparing earlier. Develop a loop on your back swing. You could think of it as a 'C' shape. This will help give you one smooth path through the whole shot. And remember to hit through the point of contact to give you a smoother follow through.

Isn't it amazing how the professionals make the game look so easy. Why is that? Well countless 1000s of hours of practice and superhuman fitness may have something to do with it. And ESP. ESP? Extrasensory perception? That explains a lot. Well no because in this case ESP stands for Early Shot Preparation. I see a lot of club players start the shot when the ball is virtually on top of them. Try to prepare earlier for your shot by getting the racket back before the ball bounces. If you have to move for the ball then prepare the racket as you are moving. So you too can look like a pro. Now for the countless 1000s of hours of practice...........