Bike crash in November (?) of 2019. That hurt my right hand--I'm right handed. Trip to Vegas to visit family. A tennis racket and brother Tom's friend Greg, on the other side. Ow, that right hand hurts. Better learn to play with my left until the right heals.
Fast forward to August 2020. The COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic has the world in a vise grip. Finally, a month ago, the tennis courts opened up again. My left handed LH forehand FH has improved some over 9 months ago. I want it to get better, but don't have a regular partner to feed me balls, which would be pretty boring anyway for that nonexistent person. I can hit dropped balls with a forehand, but the backhand has special needs, a higher toss and two bounces instead of one before I hit. That doesn't simulate play with another person. Still, I hit against a wall to work on finer points of the form. I hit balls on an empty court and orient my racket face to keep the ball in the court. Still, it isn't the same as having someone send the ball from the other side.
Other players have said they would like to play me, but I don't feel I'm ready to keep them entertained. I don't want to waste their time and respectfully decline. I can volley and hit forehand, but I don't have a backhand and serve. I want to develop some basic strokes before playing can make my fragile strokes fall apart.
Now I'm working on a LH serve. The ball toss poses problems. Mine lacks consistency. YouTube videos abound. YouTube tips are great but don't have much effect beyond frustrating me. Then, I had my own Aha moment today (I hope) which was: keep my eye on the ball starting from before the toss to racket contact. Having my eye on the ball from waist-level to strike is like watching the ball going from the other player's racket to where I hit the ball. In other words, not watching the ball from waist-level is like shutting my eyes before the other player hits the ball, waiting a half second he hits to open them and trying to prepare for it. In the fifteen minutes I had to try that before darkness made me quit, I had a better ball position and a better connection with the ball--this with my non-dominant hand. Going back for more tomorrow, hoping to confirm this basic (for me) part of the serve. I have to train myself to watch the ball, the most basic principle of playing tennis.
I'm getting a ball machine so I can improve my strokes.
