Balance is the key to Federer’s longevity, says Stan Smith.

Balance is the key to Federer’s longevity as a top player, says Stan Smith – the legendary player and coach.

Balance is the key to doing well and looking graceful while doing well, on the tennis court.

What is balance?

Balance, in tennis, implies keeping ones tail-bone perpendicular to the ground at all times. Proper balance while running or executing shots, on the court, minimizes strain on the joints and body.

What would be unbalanced or lacking balance?

bending the lower back to lift the tail bone, diving, and lunging would constitute lack of balance. Boris Becker type diving may look exciting but prolongs recovery-time for the next shot.

Here’s a perfect example of bad-balance but an exciting dive by Dimitrov at the net.

How many times have we seen Roger Federer lunge and dive like that? Not too many times, if ever.

The necessity to dive and lunge for balls, more often than not, implies a lack of good movement, anticipation, and court positioning. This is one of the main reasons why Baby Fed couldn’t mature into Fed.

What are the benefits of good balance?

Balance leads to grace, reduced wear and tear, and, therefore, unprecedented longevity as a top contender. Don’t believe us? Just check, that, Roger Federer, dude out?

Balance is the key to Federer’s longevity, says Stan Smith.

Even, the legendary, Stan Smith believes that good balance makes Federer less susceptible to injuries, and helps him recover faster after hitting a shot.

“One of the keys I think for him is his balance. He stays in good balance when he hits the ball and so it prevents him from being injured and it also makes him consistent and also enables him to recover much better after he hits a wide shot, for instance,” Stan commented. “He’s in such good balance, he doesn’t have to take an extra couple of steps to recover his balance. He hits the ball on balance even when he’s moving hard to get back into the point. That’s one of the reasons he’s been so effective.”

Let the wise words of Stan Smith be the guiding light for all those – junior and sub-junior players – who believe diving and lunging for balls is cool. It may be exciting for the audience and, even engender a few claps, but – be certain – it is bad tennis and bad for the body in the long, and sometimes even short, run.