In the blink of an eye, the world of elite tennis unfolds, where every second counts and footwork becomes the unsung hero. Welcome to the split-second realm of the WTA Finals, where the game's finest showcase their agility and precision.
Imagine a ball hurtling towards you with the speed of a highway car, yet smaller and more unpredictable. It spins, it bends, and you must react instantly. Feet in motion, mind calculating angles, you maintain balance and position, never taking your eyes off the prize. Then, the moment of truth: uncoil, find that sweet spot, and swing, adding pace and spin to send the ball to the opponent's weakest spot.
But here's where it gets controversial: while the powerful serves and fierce forehands draw applause, they're meaningless without timely footwork. Social media might not emphasize it, but the experts know: sound footwork is non-negotiable for elite players.
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek calls it "crucial." Jean-Christophe Faurel, Coco Gauff's coach, says he talks "way more about footwork than technique." Even 18-time major champion Chris Evert agrees: "vital." These are just a few of the voices highlighting the importance of footwork in tennis.
And this is the part most people miss: the sheer volume of movements required in a tennis match. With an average of 130 points per match and two to three shots per point, players scramble over 20,000 times a year to retrieve that elusive yellow ball. Side to side, forward and back, they cover an area of over 10,000 cubic feet.
It's exhausting, but necessary. As Bjorn Fratangelo, coach to No. 6 seed Madison Keys, puts it: "It's a moving game, you've got to be able to move. Good footwork gives you the best scenario for your best outcome to hit the ball."
Some players rely on offensive power, while others compensate with defense and speed. Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, at 5'6", says: "To be able to move fast and have anticipation... that helped me recover by being fast."
Jasmine Paolini, at 5'4", is known as "Scooter" by her doubles partner Sara Errani, who says: "With people hitting so strong, it's very important. You have to be ready physically. If you are smaller, it's more important - because you have to do more."
The best players master both offense and defense, like Coco Gauff, already ranked No. 3 in the PIF WTA Rankings at 21. Faurel explains: "Footwork and quickness are two different things. It's about coordination. Every player can improve their technique, but footwork is the most important thing."
Even with perfect footwork, the game's speed often demands improvisation. As Faurel says, "Most of the shots you play, you're off balance. I think it's more than half."
Getting back to neutral is crucial. Our feet have roughly 200,000 sensory receptors, sending information to the brain, which then commands the feet. This intricate process takes about a quarter of a second.
Ons Jabeur, a three-time major finalist, says: "Sometimes if my footwork is wrong, I'm very confused on my steps on the court. The more I work on it, the more coordinated I am."
There's little time to react, and it requires keen vision, anticipation, creativity, and flexibility. The goal is to get back to the middle of the court after returning, giving you the best chance to move to either side for the next shot.
Mark Merklein, Jessica Pegula's co-coach, says: "The way these girls are hitting with power to the corners, you've got to be able to play defense and stay alive in points and get to neutral."
Footwork is closely tied to fitness, with players spending time in the gym to increase leg strength and explosiveness. The ability to accelerate quickly can be a game-changer, and endurance is crucial for those defensive dashes over a three-hour match.
Creating the optimum space between body and ball is an art. Fratangelo says: "It's one of the things we're talking about a lot now with Maddy on her forehand side. It's a weapon, and I think it can be even more if she had better spacing in certain situations."
These days, players are covering the court with fewer steps, says Fratangelo. "If you look at Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner], the way they move - it's borderline perfect. Jannik is even more efficient because of what he's able to do with the left leg moving to the backhand and the outside and sliding open."
Swiatek moves with the grace of a big cat, leaning with her upper body, already in motion before her feet spring to life. She can stop on a dime and deliver an off-balance shot, turning defense into offense. No woman does it better.
Chris Evert, who learned the game from her father, a two-time United States age-group champion, says: "In order to hit a perfect shot with explosive power, you really have to be set up and balanced as perfectly as possible. It's the little adjustments. That's where Iga's so good, those adjustment steps."
Halep says: "I like how Swiatek is moving. She stays very low and has a lot of power in the legs. I feel like she's complete - she has everything."
For Sabalenka, movement may not have come naturally, but her coaching team says she's worked hard to improve. Anton Dubrov says: "If you're the one who's staying on the ball with the shot all the time, you're taking time away from the opponent. You're putting the pressure on them and saying, 'OK, do something with it.' For Aryna, it's much better than it was. It's just a flow, and you try to make it as smooth as possible."
Footwork is fundamental, and it's what separates the elite from the rest. So, who do you think has the best footwork in tennis? And what other factors contribute to a player's success on the court? Feel free to share your thoughts and insights in the comments below!
