If you are looking to improve your singles game in tennis as an intermediate player, here’s Jean-Yves Aubone, a former ATP player and current coach who looks at three ways you can do just that.
You’ve got the basic technique down.
You understand when to use the open stance or when to step in.
Your serve is consistent and your game is getting there too, and now you’re starting to play singles matches.
Understanding what to do, what is happening, and where to position yourself for the next ball is what you have to learn now.
These are match play skills. If you can combine these skills, with your technical skills, your game will be ready to get to the next level.
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Where to Stand for the Next Shot?
Most of the time you DO NOT stand in the middle of the court. You want to stand slightly left or right of the middle. Which side depends on where the ball would go if your opponent hit cross court. So if your opponent is hitting from the deuce side, you’ll stand to the right of the center. If your opponent is hitting from the ad side, you’ll stand to the left.
A well struck cross court shot will hurt you more than the down the line one. Balls hit cross court are moving away from you, making it a more difficult angle to defend. Balls hit down the line go straight, so as you’re moving to hit it, you’re naturally cutting the angle off.
Also, it’s more difficult to hit straight down the line than it is to go cross court. Our bodies naturally rotate around the ball so we have an easier time hitting cross court.
So force your opponent to beat you with down the line shots. You’ll run less, be in a better position to defend, and force your opponent to beat you with the most difficult shot to hit.
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Start Matches Attacking the Backhand
Most players have a stronger forehand than backhand, so you want to start the match attacking that side of the court. When you do this, be prepared for your opponent’s shot to come back cross court for the reasons I mentioned above.
If your opponent is camping out in their backhand corner to prevent you from finding their backhand, hit to their forehand side. There will be a big gap there. As soon as you hit there, shift over to cover the cross court. You’ve now created a huge gap to go back to their backhand as they’re now on their forehand side.
Be careful though. Some players have forehands that are so strong that if you go there without moving them enough, they’ll take control of the point. If that’s the case, just make sure you go there when you’re setup to hit aggressively.
If your opponents weakness happens to be the forehand, then that’s okay. You’ll realize that after a few games. Adjust your strategy and start attacking that side!
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Pay Attention to What Shot You Hit and Your Opponents Movement
The more you play, the more you’ll understand what a great shot off your racket feels like, and what a weak one feels like.
If you hit a great shot, there’s a high probability your opponents shot will return weak and short. Move a little farther into the court to prepare for the incoming ball. If your opponent is moving backwards because of your great shot, the probability is even higher that it will be short. Take an even more aggressive position. You might even go all the way to the net!
If you react late, by the time you go hit the ball, your contact point will be below the net. You’ll have to spin it so much to get it up and down you’ll then be unable to take advantage of the short ball. Even worse, your court position will be terrible to defend.
You need to pay attention to the opposite of those situations as well.
When you’ve hit a weak shot, you need to back up and prepare to defend. Odds are that your opponent is going to hit a strong shot. You’ll need some extra time to defend.
These are all just probabilistic scenarios. You’ll run into some opponents that love to take their backhand down the line and are good at it. Others don’t like moving forward and attacking balls. Others will make adjustments to your strategy and counter it well. As great as it is to understand the probabilistic scenarios that will occur in a match, it’s even more important to make successful mid match strategic adjustments when necessary.
Good luck out there!
Author Info: J.Y. Aubone is a former professional tennis player, and coach of Reilly Opelka. He started the most personalized online tennis platform available AuboneTennis.com.