Lesson # 0009743: Hunting the Wobbly Flamingo

In the previous lesson we discussed the strange wildlife one can see on a tennis court.  Most specifically we talked about the species known to all tennis aficionados as, the Wobbly Flamingo.  

The "flamingo" appears whenever a tennis player balances on one leg while tipping over to hit a tennis shot.  

The Wobbly Flamingo can inhabit all levels of tennis, but the sightings become more and more rare the higher the level of tennis.  This is because the better tennis players stalk the Wobbly Flamingo.  They seek to feed on its less powerful shots.  Wisely, these skillful hunters hide in the thickets of No Man's Land whenever they force their opponents on a long run.  These hunters are always looking to venture forward anytime they see a hint of the Wobbly Flamingo.  

Of course the better tennis player also knows how to pull the Wobbly Flamingo out of hiding by hitting firm shots to the corners and sidelines, forcing the Wobbly Flamingo to appear as soon as your opponent's balance becomes compromised. 

Less-skilled Wobbly Flamingo hunters will get their opponent on the run, force them into a Flamingo posture, and then allow the Wobbly Flamingo's feeble effort to bounce somewhere around the service line.  Of course this allows the strange bird to collect his or her self and prepare for the next shot, making it that much more difficult to finish the point.  

So when hunting the Wobbly Flamingo, remember to keep firing your split steps.  The split steps will keep you ready so that when the opportunity to move in on a Mid-Court Ball comes, you'll have your feet underneath you and you'll be ready to take the ball out of the air with a punch (or swinging) volley.  

Learn how to recognize your opportunities, position yourself forward of the baseline in No Man's Land, and then take your shot.  At first it might be hard to consistently stalk the Wobbly Flamingo, but the more you look for it across the net, and the more willing you are to take a risk coming forward, the sooner you'll be carving up the Wobbly Flamingo's wobbly groundstrokes with some tasty volley winners.