The sport of tennis has been played for over 150 years. One of the last tennis shots invented by an American player was the swinging volley, claimed by shot-making artist John McEnroe in the 1980s, recommended for only advanced players.

I dubbed my shot simply as “the scoop.” It is an easy shot to hit. My shot allows you to return more low short balls, recommended for intermediate players and above. It is a ground stoke used on balls close to net with low bounce on the player’s forehand side they can’t return. You fully stretch your arm out, bend forward and lift or brush upward the backside of your racket into the ball, an “inverted forehand.” Using the traditional form (for right-handed players) you need to run more steps to be hitting from left side of the ball. Using the scoop you need less steps because you are hitting from behind the ball. It is simple geometry.

The scoop is a fun and exciting shot to hit! I have used the shot to hit winners against my coach and opponents, much to their shock and dismay! My coach, Anton Samuilau, a former Davis Cup player, recently used the shot in a tournament. This letter to The Maui News is to serve as a public record since John McEnroe didn’t do the same and most people attribute his invention to Andre Agassi, who popularized the swinging volley to the tennis world.

Stephen Zack

Kihei