Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this ‘B. Ricci tennis’ stuff lately. Heard about it from an old forum post, some guy raving about how it changed his net game. Sounded kinda interesting, you know, always looking to try something different on the court.
Getting Started
First thing I did was try to figure out what this ‘B. Ricci’ technique actually was. The post was vague, talked a lot about ‘anticipation’ and ‘soft hands’ at the net, specifically on the volley. Didn’t find any official drills, so I sort of had to piece it together myself based on the description. Seemed like it was all about minimizing the backswing on volleys and using the opponent’s pace more.
So, I grabbed my racket and a bucket of balls and headed to the practice wall first. Figured it was the easiest way to get reps in without needing a partner. My goal was simple: just block the ball back, really short, sharp movements. No big swings like I usually do.
The Practice Grind
Man, those first few sessions were rough. My muscle memory kept kicking in, wanting to take a proper swing. I spent maybe the first hour just consciously trying to stop my arm from going back too far. It felt super unnatural.
Here’s what I focused on:
- Keeping the racket head up and in front.
- Moving my feet to the ball, not swinging my arm at it.
- Trying to just punch or guide the volley, absorbing the pace on harder shots.
- Watching the ball onto the strings like a hawk.
I spent days just doing this against the wall. Then I got a buddy to feed me balls at the net. That was a whole different challenge. With a real person hitting, the speed and spin varied way more. Sometimes I’d punch too hard and the ball flew out. Other times, I’d be too soft, and it wouldn’t clear the net. Felt pretty clumsy, honestly. My buddy was laughing quite a bit.
What I Noticed
After about two weeks of really sticking with it, maybe hitting the court three or four times a week just for this, things started to click a little. It wasn’t magic, but I definitely felt quicker reacting to hard-hit balls at the net. Because I wasn’t taking that big backswing, I had a split second longer to read the shot.
The ‘soft hands’ part started making sense too. When I focused on just guiding the ball, I could actually drop volley much better, or angle it sharper crosscourt. It wasn’t about power anymore, more about placement and control. It’s funny, you spend years trying to hit harder, then you try something that’s the complete opposite.
Thing is, it’s not a silver bullet. My regular volleys, the ones I need to put away, sometimes felt a bit weak if I thought too much about the ‘B. Ricci’ way. It seemed best suited for reaction volleys or when I needed touch, not for finishing the point with authority.
Where I’m At Now
So, did I completely switch to this ‘B. Ricci’ style? Nah, not really. It’s more like another tool in the toolbox now. I found it really helps on defense at the net, especially in doubles when things get fast and furious. When I need to react quickly or play a touch shot, I consciously try to use that short, blocking motion.
But for standard volleys or when I have time to set up, I still use my normal technique with a bit more punch. It’s about blending it in, not replacing everything. It was a good experiment, definitely made me think more about the volley and not just bash away. Worth the effort, I’d say, even if ‘B. Ricci’ probably isn’t some magic tennis guru name everyone should know. Just another way to play the game.
