We always tell our students and adult frequent players in the Academy to never grip the racquet too tightly! This simple, yet effective tip may seem obvious, but when you are in the moment a player’s instinct is to tighten up. You may have experienced holding the racquet too loose and having it fly out of your hands at contact. The easy fix is to grip it tighter – which is true, but only at the point of ball to racquet contact. The firm grip at the point of impact is essential on returns and volleys when the ball is coming at you the fastest. But if your grip is continuously tense, your body will be tense too. This will make you heavy on your feet and have less control over your breathing and the ball. Remember to breathe out at contact! Stay loose, calm and poised and your long-term performance will be much better!