Getting Started on the Court
Alright, so today I finally got out on the court again. Been meaning to for ages. The weather was decent, not too hot, not too windy, just right. I decided I wanted to try and channel a bit of Aleksandra Krunic in my practice today. Not that I can play anything like her, mind you, but I admire her game. She’s got that speed and that tricky style, you know?
Warm-up and Movement
First things first, had to get the old body moving. Did some jogging around the court, side shuffles, carioca, the usual stuff. Then some dynamic stretching – leg swings, arm circles. I was really thinking about Krunic’s footwork while I was warming up. She gets to so many balls. So, I spent a good 15 minutes just doing footwork drills. Moving side to side, quick steps up to the net and backpedaling. Trying to stay low and ready. It felt good, actually, focusing just on the movement before even hitting a ball.
Hitting Session: Trying for Variety
Then I started hitting. Grabbed my basket of balls. I didn’t have a partner today, so it was mostly hitting against the backboard and doing self-fed drills. I specifically wanted to work on mixing things up, like Krunic does.
- Tried hitting some sharper angles crosscourt, both forehand and backhand.
- Attempted a bunch of drop shots. Man, those are harder than they look! Getting the right touch is tricky. Some went straight into the net, others popped up way too high. But a few felt pretty decent.
- Focused on changing the pace. Hitting a few solid drives, then trying to slice the backhand low or loop a forehand with more spin.
It wasn’t always pretty. Consistency wasn’t really the goal today; it was more about experimenting. I kept thinking about how Krunic constructs points, using different spins and placements.
Groundstrokes and Feel
Of course, you need solid groundies too. So, I spent some time just grooving my forehand and backhand. Really tried to focus on watching the ball and getting a clean hit. Tried to get that feeling of hitting through the ball, getting decent depth. Even tried mimicking her take-back slightly on the forehand side, though I’m not sure how successful that was! It felt okay, but my arm started feeling it after a while.
Wrapping Up
Finished off with a few serves, mainly focusing on placement rather than trying to blast them. Just trying to get them in consistently into the corners. Then, a proper cool-down. Stretched everything out slowly. Felt tired but good. It’s always interesting trying to emulate a pro’s style, even in a small way. It makes you appreciate just how skilled they are. Trying Krunic’s style definitely made me focus more on my movement and on not just bashing the ball. Good session overall. Need to do it more often.
