Split step in tennis: what it is and how to time it

The split step is the small hop you see before most shots in high-level tennis. One video study of 28 professional and junior tournament players logged 8,545 split steps and found that players made one in 82.9% of cases. Club players often skip it, or do it at the wrong moment.

This guide explains what the hop does, when to make it, how to check your own timing on video and how to train it. If you often feel rushed, it is also one of the first things to check when you are always late on the ball.

What is a split step in tennis?

You leave the ground with both feet, only a little, and land on the balls of your feet. Your feet land a bit wider than your shoulders and your knees bend. From that position you can push off to the left, to the right, forward or back.

You do not have to be standing still to do it. In the same video study, players were moving at about 0.7 to 1.66 m/s (2.3 to 5.4 feet per second) before, during and after split steps around baseline strokes. So if you are still recovering from your last shot when your opponent hits, split where you are instead of running through the moment.

Does the split step help? What the research shows

Several small studies have measured it. Most are lab tasks or involve very strong players, so use them to understand the idea and not as numbers to copy. Times below are in milliseconds (ms).

Timing matters as much as the hop itself. In the Uzu study, participants who landed too early sometimes made a very quick step, but they failed to reach the target in 7.8% of those trials. With a well-timed landing, the error rate was 0.8%. An early landing can force you to choose a direction before you have enough information.

When should you split step? Timing by situation

Coaches use different cues. Some say "land as the ball is hit". Others say "start the hop as the ball is hit". The studies of top returners fit the second cue, but those players are reading very fast serves. At club level the ball is slower and you have more time, so both cues can work. A video study of professional and junior players also concluded that each player has an individual timing that adapts to the situation. Use this table as a starting point, then adjust it on video.

How to check your split step on video

You can measure your own timing with any phone in about 10 minutes.

1. Film a rally or some points from behind the baseline, as high on the fence as you can, so that you and your opponent are both in the frame. Use 60 frames per second. Our filming guide covers the setup.
2. Choose 10 shots from your opponent, including some difficult ones.
3. Pause on the frame where your opponent's racket meets the ball. Note what your feet are doing and use the table below.
4. Move forward one frame at a time until your first step toward the ball. At 60 frames per second, each frame lasts about 17 ms, so 6 frames is about 100 ms.
5. Write down how many of the 10 shots were on time, and repeat the count in two weeks.

This frame count is a check you do yourself. TennisAI's video analysis gives general feedback on footwork, timing and balance, but its listing does not advertise a split-step measurement, and AI feedback is an estimate that can be wrong.

Split step drills to try on court

• Hop and go (alone, 3 sets of 10). Stand at the center of the baseline. Hop, land, push off to one side and shadow a swing. Recover and repeat, changing sides. Goal: no pause between the landing and the first step.
• Ball drop (with a partner, 3 sets of 10). Your partner stands 3 m (10 feet) away with a ball in each hand at shoulder height, lifts both hands slightly, then lets one ball fall. Hop on the lift, then sprint and catch the ball before its second bounce. Goal: 8 of 10. When you reach it, your partner moves back one step.
• Say it out loud (with a partner, 5 minutes). Rally slowly from the baseline. Say "hop" when your partner starts the forward swing, and hop at the same moment. Saying it makes you watch your partner instead of your last shot. Goal: 10 hops in a row, one before each ball your partner hits.
• Return timing (with a partner, 20 serves). Your partner serves from the service line at first, then from the baseline. Film it and check each return with the table above. Goal: on time in 16 of 20.

Once your hop is on time, the next step is what happens after you land. Our footwork drills train the crossover, the adjustment steps and the recovery.

Common split step mistakes

• Hopping too high. You stay in the air while the ball is on its way. Keep your feet just off the ground.
• Landing with straight legs. Your legs cannot push well from that position. Land with your knees bent and your weight on the balls of your feet.
• Landing with your feet close together. A narrow base makes it hard to push sideways. Land a bit wider than your shoulders.
• Doing it only on the return. Hop before every ball your opponent hits, including in rallies and at the net.
• Stopping after you land. The hop should lead straight into a first step. If you see many still frames on video after the landing, you hopped too early.

These drills repeat many small jumps. If you feel pain in your feet, ankles or knees, stop and see a professional.

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This article is general information about tennis training and does not replace a coach or medical advice. Stop and see a professional if something hurts. TennisAI is made by Pace, the publisher of this blog.