Missing Easy Sitters
Also known as: missing sitters, miss easy sitters, missing a sitter, missing easy balls, missing easy put-aways, missing put-aways, sitter in tennis
Easy sitters are usually missed for a few reasons: looking up at the target before contact, overswinging, not moving your feet and changing your mind late. Pick your target early, set up with small steps, keep your head still and hit firmly but below full pace, with spin.
A sitter is a slow, high or short ball that should be easy to put away. It often feels harder than a tough rally ball. You have more time to think, and you expect to win the point. Both can upset a normal stroke.
Several causes are common. The head lifts to look at the opponent or the open court before contact. The swing gets much harder than usual. The feet stop and the player reaches instead of setting up. The target changes at the last moment. A high ball gets hit flat with no margin. The fixes match the causes. Decide on the target as the ball rises. Move in and set up with small steps. Keep the head still through contact. Swing firmly but below full pace, with enough spin to bring the ball down.
Big targets beat lines. A firm ball deep into the open court, or straight at a stranded opponent, usually wins the point. On a high ball near the net, an overhead or a swinging volley may be the right shot. On a short, low ball, an approach is safer than a winner. Practise put-aways under mild pressure, such as needing three in a row. The shot then feels routine in a match.
Tips by skill level
When you get an easy ball, say your target out loud as it rises. Then hit to the middle of that open area at a comfortable pace.
Treat the put-away as a routine shot with its own pattern: the same set-up, the same swing speed and a big target. Train it under pressure so it holds up on big points.
Example
His opponent floats a short, high ball to his forehand with the court wide open. He used to rip it flat and miss long. Now he picks the open corner early, steps in with small steps, keeps his head still and hits a firm topspin ball well inside the line.
Why it matters
Missed sitters cost points you have already earned and can swing momentum. Turning them into routine winners is a quick way to win more points.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the opponent or the target before contact
- Swinging at full power on an easy ball
- Standing still and reaching instead of moving the feet
- Aiming at the lines when the whole open court is available
Frequently asked questions
Why do I miss easy sitters in tennis?
Common reasons are lifting your head early to look at the target, overswinging, not moving your feet and changing your mind late. Pick the target early, set up with small steps and hit firmly with spin.
How do I put away an easy ball in tennis?
Move in and set up, keep your head still and aim for a big target in the open court. Hit firmly but below full pace, with enough spin to keep it in.
Should I hit a sitter as hard as I can?
No. A firm, controlled ball to a big target usually wins the point. Full power adds errors without adding much.
Related terms
- Attacking Short BallsTo attack a short ball, read it early and move forward fast, with small steps at the end. Get beside the ball and take it around waist height or above, before it drops. Hit firmly but with margin, usually deep or to the weaker side, and keep moving toward the net.
- Head Still at Contact (Watching the Ball)Watch the ball closely into the contact zone and keep your head still through the hit. Following the ball sharply right onto the strings at full speed is very hard. A still head with your eyes on the contact point steadies the racquet face. Look up at your target only after the ball has gone.
- Adjustment StepsAdjustment steps are the small, quick steps you take just before contact to fine-tune your distance from the ball. After the big steps that get you there, shorten your stride and keep your feet moving until the ball is in your strike zone. They fix being too close, too far or late.
- Overhead / SmashThe overhead (or smash) is a serve-like stroke struck above the head to put away a lob, demanding quick shoulder turn, a trophy-position racquet path, and aggressive pronation through contact.
- Drive Volley (Swinging Volley)A drive volley, or swinging volley, is a full topspin groundstroke swing at a slow, high ball taken out of the air, usually from around the service line. Use it on floaters you would otherwise let bounce. Most other volleys work better as a short punch with little backswing.
- Unforced ErrorAn unforced error is a point lost to a player's own mistake. They had reasonable time and position for the shot and little pressure from the opponent.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into practice
Ask SwingVantage a follow-up question about this, or keep reading the related terms above.