As John White hits a couple of loose balls here and there (as a result of over-pacing the ball), I was rather concentrating on David Palmer, who keeps it as steady and disciplined as ever... And then, out of nowhere, from a slightly overhit lob that rebounced directly from the backwall, there you are, that incredible backhand kill from around the service box. The racket-head speed is phenomenal, and interestingly, in opposition to some coaching thesis that teach to hit the ball as far away as possible from your body, White, at the point of touching the ball kept his elbow pretty near to his hip. Based on my observations of the very best players, I always accentuate that if you keep your swing tight there will be more deception too your shots. And indeed, Palmer realized where the ball went more or less at the second dead bounce of the ball.
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