Tennis Coaching: Improving Footwork – Step In or Open Stance?

Your tennis footwork is probably one of the most important aspects of your game and in this piece below, Jean-Yves Aubone, a former ATP player and current coach, looks at which of the two, a Step-In or an Open Stance is more viable.

You can have the most beautiful technique in the world, with a Picasso like racket preparation and follow through, but if your footwork is incorrect, you’re probably going to miss the shot.

Getting to the ball with the appropriate footwork is essential. Knowing which footwork to use will make your life a whole lot easier.

There are two main types of footwork patterns leading into a shot:

  • Stepping In: This is where your non-hitting side leg is in front of you when making contact. For a righty, it’s your left leg. For a lefty, it’s your right leg.
  • Open Stance: This is where you’re hitting off your hitting side leg. For a righty it’s your right leg. For a lefty it’s your left leg.

The three most important factors that will help you identify which footwork to use are:

1. Which angle you have to take to get to the ball?

  • Move straight ahead to the ball = stepping in (Think approach shots or when your opponents shot comes right to you)
  • Move at an angle or out wide = open stance (Think when you’re stretched wide or hitting on the run.)

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2. How fast it’s coming/how fast can you get there

  • If you can get in position to get the majority of your weight through the shot into the court = step in.
  • If you can’t get in position = open stance. Sometimes you don’t have to move far to get to the ball, but it’s so fast that you don’t have time to get your front foot in. In this scenario, you use the open stance. Returning a big serve or fast paced shot is an example of this.

3. Where the majority of your weight will be going as you’re following through

  • If as you’re hitting the ball, the majority of your weight is going into the court, then you can step in.
  • If as you’re hitting the ball, the majority of your weight is going away from the court, you have to use the open stance.

Here’s a photo example of when to step in.

Footwork in Tennis
Photo Credit: Jean-Yves Aubone

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The ball is coming at angle straight towards me and I’m not rushed. By moving directly at it, I’ll have the most amount of weight into the court. Therefore, when I make contact with the ball, my left foot will be directly in front of me.

Tennis Footwork
Photo Credit: Jean-Yves Aubone

Here’s an example of when to hit an open stance:

As you can see by the arrows, I’m going to be stretched wide and hitting on the run. The majority of my weight will be to the right as I hit this ball. This means I’m going to use the open stance. I’ll have to hit off my right leg (see middle photo) and land on my right leg via a kick out move (see photo on far right).

There are a bunch of little speciality shots where things change a bit but for now, this should help you with the majority of shots.

Good luck out there!

Author Info: J.Y. Aubone is a former professional tennis player, and coach of Reilly Opelka. He started the most personalized online tennis platform available AuboneTennis.com.