Master the Grass Court: The Art of the Low Stance

If you’re new to grass-court tennis, you’ve probably already discovered the “shock” of the low bounce. The first time an opponent hits a decent slice, you might find yourself swinging at a ball that’s barely above your ankles. It’s the single biggest challenge that players face when moving from hard court or clay.

The ball doesn’t “jump” up to greet you; it skids, slips, and shoots through the court.

Standing upright, as you might on a high-bouncing clay court, is a recipe for frustration. You’ll be late, off-balance, and constantly hitting down on the ball.

This is why the first, last, and most important rule of grass-court tennis is simple: Stay Low. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s the fundamental technique that unlocks everything else.

Why the Low Bounce Changes Everything

On a hard court, you can often rely on a predictable, high bounce. On clay, you have time. On grass, you have neither. The soft, slick surface absorbs the ball’s energy, killing its vertical bounce and instead translating it into forward speed.

If you stay in a “normal” upright stance, the “strike zone” (the comfortable height where you like to hit the ball) will pass you by before you’ve even started your swing.

By mastering a lower, more athletic stance, you are directly solving this primary problem. Here’s what it does for your game.

The 3 Key Benefits of a Low Stance

1. Superior Balance and Stability

Grass is slippery. Stay low. You cannot rely on the same “open-stance” stops and slides you use on other surfaces. A lower centre of gravity makes you far more stable. Think of a racecar—it’s low to the ground for a reason. This low base keeps you balanced during your shots and, more importantly, prevents you from slipping and losing your footing as you recover.

2. Explosive Change of Direction

A low stance is a “loaded” stance. With your knees bent, your muscles are engaged and ready to fire. On grass, you don’t have time for big, loping steps. You need to make quick, small, and precise adjustments. A low, athletic position allows you to be explosive in these “micro-movements,” letting you react to the ball’s skid instead of just being a victim of it.

3. The Secret to High-Quality Shots

This is the most critical part. To hit a good tennis shot—even a flat drive—you must get your racket head below the ball so you can swing up through it.

On grass, the ball is already low. If you are standing up, you have no choice but to chop down on the ball, resulting in a weak, defensive shot that is likely to land in the net.

By keeping a low stance, you are pre-loading your body into the correct position. Your racket is automatically closer to the ground, making it easy to get under the ball and hit a clean, penetrating shot, even off a low-skidding slice.

How to “Get Low”: Practical Cues and Techniques

“Stay low” is easy to say, but hard to do for an entire match. Here are three practical cues to focus on.

• Master the Athletic Stance: This is your “ready position.” Your feet should be wider than your shoulders, your knees should be deeply bent, and your weight should be slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should feel spring-loaded, not like you’re just sitting down.
• Use the “Head Down” Mindset: A great visual cue is to get your head below your opponent’s shoulder level as they are about to hit the ball. This forces you to lower your entire body and prepares you for the low-contact point. Think of a shortstop in baseball or a goalkeeper in soccer—they are at their most ready when they are low.
• Perfect Your Split-Step Timing: With a reduced reaction window, your split-step is non-negotiable. As your opponent makes contact, you must land a low, wide split-step. This anchors your body and allows you to explode in any direction. A lazy split-step on grass means the ball will be past you before you move.

Put It Into Practice: The Low-Ball Reaction Drill

Here is a simple drill to train your body to default to this low position.

1. Objective: To force you to play multiple shots from a low position and recover quickly.
2. Setup: You and a partner start inside the service boxes (mini-tennis).
3. The Drill:
   • Start a rally with a soft feed.
   • You can only hit volleys or half-volleys (hitting the ball immediately after it bounces).
   • The goal is not to hit winners, but to keep the rally going.
4. Why It Works: This drill gives you no time to stand up. Every shot is a low volley or a low half-volley, forcing you to keep your knees bent and your reactions sharp. Focus on staying low after you hit the ball, recovering quickly into your athletic stance before your opponent’s next shot.

It will feel like a quad workout, and that’s the point. Training your body to stay low is just as much about physical conditioning as it is about technique.

So, as you step onto the grass, remember this single thought: bend your knees. It’s the foundation upon which your entire grass-court game will be built. For a great video on the art of staying low, go here. For other great tips, visit our Grass Tennis Club coaching section here.