Missing easy balls in tennis is one of the most frustrating moments any player experiences. You know the one. The ball floats up, sits there begging to be finished — and somehow you shank it. Or worse, completely whiff it.
The ball floats up. It sits there begging to be finished. And somehow… you shank it. Or worse, you completely whiff it. The reaction is always the same:
“How is it possible I blew that?”
I see this moment all the time during our adult camp matches. Players look stunned. The ball was a gift. Instead of finishing the point, they feel like they just handed that gift right back to the opponent.
In tennis we call these unforced errors, meaning nobody forced the mistake. We did it all by ourselves.
And full transparency here — even coaches aren’t immune. I’m fully guilty of it myself on the overhead if I haven’t practiced them in a while.
But before we talk about how to fix it, we need to talk about something that shows up every time one of these “easy” misses happens.
Expectation.
The Expectation Trap
The easier the ball looks, the more pressure we quietly put on ourselves to finish it.
It’s a floater. It’s sitting there. It should be a winner.
So we rush. We swing harder. We assume it’s already done.
And that’s exactly when things fall apart.
I see it constantly with adult recreational players from all over the world. The moment the ball looks easy, players stop doing the very things that made the rally work in the first place.
Footwork disappears. Timing changes. The swing speeds up. And suddenly the ball is in the net or flying long.
The Real Reasons You Miss Easy Balls in Tennis
From years of coaching adult players, the same causes appear again and again.
Overhitting the Short Ball
This is probably the most common one.
Players see a short ball and think: “Time to crush it.”
But what actually happens is:
- the shoulder turn disappears
- the grip gets too tight
- the racket head never drops under the ball
When you squeeze the racket handle too tightly, the wrist loses freedom. That’s a big problem when you need acceleration and feel on the ball.
You want the hand loose when accelerating through the shot.
If the racket head isn’t low enough or you crowd the ball, the result is almost always the same: the ball sails long.
Taking Your Eyes Off the Ball
Another classic mistake.
Players believe they’re watching the ball, but the moment they recognize it’s an easy put-away, the head lifts early.
The excitement of the winner gets ahead of the actual shot.
The eyes leave the ball a split second too soon and the frame of the racket finds it instead of the strings.
Rushing the Shot
We’ve all been there.
You’re desperate to end the point and suddenly you rush a ball that should have been routine. Instead of coasting it over the net into a big open space, you slam it straight into the net.
The point was already yours. The rush is what gives it away.
Misjudging Slower Balls
This is something I see a lot on my clay courts.
Hard court players especially can get frustrated with how the ball sits up on clay. The slower pace throws off their timing and they try to crush it instead of adjusting.
But when a ball comes in slower, it actually requires more control and patience, not more power.
Fast balls often work with our timing. Slower balls force us to create our own rhythm.
And if patience isn’t your strength, players who thrive on slower balls can drive you absolutely crazy.
The Real Game Changer: Contact Happens in Front
There’s one fundamental truth I repeat to every adult player I coach:
All shots in tennis are hit in front of you.
Every single one.
When the ball gets behind you, the shot simply doesn’t work well. Forehand, volley, overhead — it doesn’t matter.
The moment the ball drifts behind your body, control disappears.
This is why the non-dominant hand is so important on forehands, volleys, and overheads.
That hand helps you line up the ball so you literally see it in front of you before you strike it.
It’s one of the biggest teaching points I work on with adult players because once they truly believe it and feel it, everything changes. Contact in front is one of the most important fundamentals in tennis.
Making adults believers can take some time — but I gladly accept that challenge because it’s a complete game changer.
Quite literally.
Where These Misses Happen Most
There are a few shots where I see these mistakes constantly.
Second Serves Under Pressure
When the score gets tight, players often double fault on second serves because they rush or tighten up.
The ball never even makes it into play.
Easy Volleys
The volley sitting just above the net that should be simple.
Instead, players swing too big and send it out of the court — or frame it completely by pulling their eyes away too early.
Overheads
I’ll admit it — this one gets me too if I haven’t practiced them in a while.
If an overhead comes at the perfect moment in a match and I mishit it, I’m gutted. But that’s also my signal that it’s time to practice them again until they feel natural.
One helpful reminder: you don’t always have to hit an overhead out of the air.
Letting it bounce and hitting it after the bounce is often a much more comfortable option.
How to Fix It
Yes, the answer involves practice — but not just any practice.
You need to practice the shots that frustrate you the most.
Many adult players notice these mistakes show up more in matches than practice.
That means working on slower balls and short floaters.
One of my favorite pieces of advice is simple:
Call up the most annoying player in your club — the one who gives you nothing but slower balls — and play them.
Is it fun?
Not always.
But if you want to become a player who can handle any style, those matches teach you more than easy rallies ever will.
Missing easy balls in tennis matches often happens under pressure. It’s the same reason players suddenly start blowing big leads in matches.
Aim for Bigger Targets
When you get a short ball, resist the urge to paint the line.
Go for big areas of the court instead of tiny targets.
High percentage tennis wins more points than highlight shots.
Keep the Grip Loose
When you need acceleration and speed through the ball, your hand must stay relaxed.
Once the grip tightens too much, the wrist loses freedom and the racket head slows down.
At net, of course, the grip is firm and stable — but that doesn’t mean overswinging.
Overswinging at the net almost never ends well.
Use Small Adjustment Steps
When players believe a ball is easy, they often stop moving their feet.
Instead, you want small adjustment steps so the ball stays comfortably in front of you.
That’s what allows you to strike it cleanly.
One Last Truth About Pushers
We all know the type of player who frustrates us the most.
The one who sends back slower balls, high balls, and awkward balls that ruin our rhythm.
We call them pushers.
And here’s the reality:
They are the better player until they’re not.
If you truly want to become an all-court player who can beat anyone, you have to learn how to handle that style.
That means practicing patience, controlling easy balls, and finishing points without rushing them.
Because in tennis, the “easy ball” isn’t really easy at all.
It’s just another shot that demands the same fundamentals as every other one.
And above all else…
Make sure it’s in front of you.
These situations are exactly why we spend so much time at Costa del Tennis working on short balls, contact points, and repetition in small groups. When adult players get enough repetitions on these shots, they start showing up in matches too.
