Improve Your Tennis Strategy

 

Perfecting your strokes is a never ending process which is critical for your tennis game. However, understanding and implementing different strategies is not any less important, and in many cases is the determining factor in prevailing over your opponent.

There is no one "cookie-cutter" strategy that works for all players. Obviously, different players have their own style of playing, and would like to adjust their game to benefit the most of their best shots. This could mean running around the backhand for a player with a great forehand, serve and volley for a big server, or approaching the net at any opportunity for a great net player.

Players also adjust their strategy to gain an edge over their opponent. For example, when playing against an inconsistent player, you just might want to keep the ball in play and not "go for it" too often, letting your opponent make the mistake. Playing to your opponent's weakest shot is another example.

Nonetheless, there are general "rules" that can be used as the frame on which to build your strategy.

Hit cross-court from the baseline

During a baseline rally, hitting the ball cross-court is typically advantageous to hitting down the line. The main reason concerns your position on the court, as well as your opponent's position. Hitting cross-court creates an angle that can force your opponent to hit his/her next shot from beyond the sideline. Not only will he/she need to run faster in order to reach that ball, but he will also leave the other side of the court open, allowing you to hit a winner to that side of the court on your next shot.

Hitting the ball down the line is often used as an aggressive shot aimed at tipping an even rally to your advantage when the opportunity arises. If you choose to hit the ball down the line during a rally with a weak shot, you are risking getting punished by your opponent hitting cross-court, this time forcing you beyond the sideline at the other side of the court, if you could even make it in time.

Finally, hitting cross-court is an easier and a safer shot than down the line for many people. Some of it has to do with your body's position when hitting the ball. Typically, you'd like to keep your shoulder turned toward the court and not "open" your body (chest toward the court) too quickly. This is easier to accomplish when hitting cross-court, since relative to the ball's trajectory your shoulder is turned more and easier to maintain at that position. Also, less accuracy is required for a cross-court shot than down the line. You can hit your shot at a wide range of angles and depths along the opposite sideline-- a short shot with a sharp angle will send your ball far beyond the sideline after bouncing, while a deeper shot with a wide angle will be directed more toward the center of the court. Hitting down the line allows only a narrow range of angles which is harder to accomplish.

Approach down the line

Approaching the net on a short ball is a great way to stay aggressive and win points. Typically you would like attack balls that bounce before the service line, therefore allowing you an easy shot while moving forward. After hitting your approach shot, your momentum will allow you to get to the net quickly and cover the net.

Approaching the net down the line has the advantage of keeping most of the court covered, forcing your opponent to make a very difficult passing shot. If you approach cross-court, you have a greater distance to run to the center of the net (in between the T-point and the net). You might not have enough time to position yourself before your opponent hits his/her passing shot. Your opponent will also have more angles to choose from for his/her passing shot, whether it is down the line or cross-court. When approaching down the line and positioning yourself a foot or two off center to the side from which you approached, in between the service line and the net, you leave your opponent very little open court to pass you.

Of course, these are just general concepts that you might want to utilize for the most part in your game, but not always. You also want to mix and match different shots and place them differently, keeping your opponent guessing all the time. However, building your points around this basic strategy is a sure way to improve your game.

 

Alon Vot writes on tennis self-improvement. You can learn more by visiting my blog, Tennis Self-improvement Guide at http://alon-tennis.blogspot.com/