Strategy: Are you always constructing points or just hitting where they ain't?

[Oxford]

For you advanced players: are you mostly constructing points a few hits ahead or just trying to place the ball depending upon the immediate situations and what comes across the net at that moment.

In other words, is your strategy made up of a series of hits leading to a conclusion or just responding to opportunities and what you suddenly get from an opponent?

Thanks
OX

[zzzbrianxxx]

For some reason, whenever I'm returning serve I can construct the points just like you described, but whenever I'm serving, I just hit into the empty court. It's probably because I feel like I have to be aggressive when I'm serving, so I'm not thinking out there, just smacking the ball around.

[dave333]

I'll usually work the angle, especially on inside out forehands until I get a short one.

[rasajadad]

I am always trying to construct a point.

[The Watchman]

Definitely constructing points. I always think of who's doing what to whom. It follows that I am always trying to find a match up between my shots and their shots that I like.

For example, for a particular opponent I might find that they don't have much penetration or can't keep the ball low with their backhand, and have trouble controlling high balls with their backhand.

Their lack of penetration/ability to keep the ball low means I am able to consistently hit my inside out forehand deep, high, and with lots of topspin to their backhand. Their inability to control a high ball means that there is a good chance is that they will respond with a short ball, which I can attack. Also, I can kick serves to their backhand and they won't be able to attack because of the trouble they have on the high ball. Hopefully, that will win me most of the points during the match.

A different opponent may be use semi- or full-western grips and be very aggressive off the ground, but may not be consistent, particularly off low balls. If I used the same strategy and hit high topspin shots to their backhand, the ball will be in their hitting zone and they may even run around it and whack a big forehand down the line. This is especially dangerous if I'm hitting inside out forehands, which usually requires me to camp in the backhand corner. However, if I slice the ball and keep it low, and vary pace and spin off my serve, they may not be able to use their aggressive shots as well as they want and I may draw more errors from them. Hopefully, that will win me most points against this player.

I'm not trying to suggest how to play - you should develop your game in the way that best suits you.

Instead, I hope that this gives you an idea of, IMHO, why more advanced tennis players see the game as being like chess as opposed to mindlessly hitting the ball to open spaces regardless of the opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

Next time you play someone who hits unexceptional/easily executable shots, but flogs you because they have the knack of putting you in situations that you don't want to be in, try to put yourself in their head and see what they see. That's the difference between having a well thought out strategy and not having one.

[thejackal]

i keep the tactical thinking for between points. while im playing i just concentrate on good contacts and looking for chances to go forward or drag the other guy to net.

[Noveson]

Hmm....I wish I could. What I usually find myself doing is hitting balls to them, to get the replys I want. Some people can't keep low backhands low, others can't get high forehands/backhands back with any pace or depth. I just determine what they CAN'T do, and then hit those shots. Usually it ends up being my lefty forehand deep crosscourt with a lot of spin. People usually either give me a short ball to put away, or get it back crosscourt(few people have an effective backhand down the line). When it comes back crosscourt, I have many options: 1) Go down the line 2) Hit another bigger angle ect.......

Some of my game is just about reaction, but when that happens to much I lose. So it comes down to dictating.

[AJP]

Some of the games greats on the matter...

Marat Safin

"I play best when I don't think"

I know this quote would cary more weight if it was from someone like Federer...

How about Borj, when asked about strategy - he just shruged his shoulders & replied

'I just hit most balls cross court'.


In my opinion - good tennis is instinctive. See the ball & hit the ball. Play with plenty of fight and heart. Your good tennis instincts are trained into you through diciplined practice. In matchtime you usually are not inventing anything new. Your just trying to play as good as you do when the stakes are not as high for missing.

[jasoncho92]

The pros say that because it becomes so natural after playing so much

[metsjets]

Some of the games greats on the matter...

Marat Safin

"I play best when I don't think"

I know this quote would cary more weight if it was from someone like Federer...

How about Borj, when asked about strategy - he just shruged his shoulders & replied

'I just hit most balls cross court'.


In my opinion - good tennis is instinctive. See the ball & hit the ball. Play with plenty of fight and heart. Your good tennis instincts are trained into you through diciplined practice. In matchtime you usually are not inventing anything new. Your just trying to play as good as you do when the stakes are not as high for missing.

so true. you don't remember the score when you're winning. you can't believe that the scores are so terrible in your opponent's favor when you're losing!

[pro_staff]

It really depends on the situation. I always try to construct the point but it doesn't always work because if I expect my opponent to return something cross court but ends up going DTL, I have to instantly change my game plan. So I guess it's sort of a mix between constructing and improvising.

[kingdaddy41788]

I'm always trying to construct a point, but that being said I usually only think about where to place the shot I'm about to hit to get the opportunity I want... You can get in real trouble thinking too far ahead...

[andreh]

I make up a simple overall strategy for the point before it starts.

Example: S&V, Serve to the backhandside, first volley to the backhand side.

Or: stay back, work the backhand until you get a short reply, slice attack to the backhand.

etc etc.

One has to be prepared to change strategy once the rally has started but surprisingly often I don't have. Having a plan and sticking to it keeps me control of the point quite well.

[KingOfTennis]

i dont think most times

[Bagumbawalla]

I am always trying to construct a point. However, "hittin' it where they ain't" is (can be) a part of constructing a point- in it's most elementry form. You are making them run to play a difficult shot that you hope will generate a weak return.

Once you get a weak return, you can combine that with some other shot, slice, wide angle, dropshot, drive winner... and then you have constructed a point.

[fearless1]

Neither and both.

For example, you aren't going to be constructing a point if you are on the defensive.

If my opponent mis hits a shot and gives me a "sitter", I'm going to just hit it where he ain't! Not much construction going on here either.

"Point construction" (kind of stupid terminology IMO) tends to occur when both players are in a neutral position, baseline to baseline for example. The first player to make a TACTICAL mistake opens up "point construction" possibilities for the player with the advantage.

A better concept (and terminology) is something like "Basic Tennis Tactics". Unlike point contruction which is somewhat ambiguos and elusive, players are ALWAYS attempting to apply some kind of tactics against one other.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=127428&page=2&highlight=point

Tennis TACTICS

Below are a list of what I consider very universal tennis tactics that apply to all skill levels.


If your opponent is near the center hash mark....stretch her horizontally by...
...hitting to her weaker side;
...hitting crosscourt if your want to pull her out of the court to open it up;
...hitting down the line if you want to minimize her return angles if you happen to go to net.

Stretch your opponent vertically by....
...hitting short if your opponent is very deep and/or slow footed;
...lobbing if your opponent is very close to the net.

If your opponent is at one corner, hit your shot to the other corner (doh!).

If your opponent is very quick on her feet, hit down the line off a short ball.

If your opponent is very slow/lazy on her feet, hit crosscourt off a short ball.

If your opponent's shot is deep, hit your return shot high over the net, deep, and somewhat crosscourt giving some margin from the sidelines.

If your opponent's shot is short and/or slow, open up the angles and aim closer to the sidelines and a little bit lower over the net too.

Serve TACTICS
...Serve to the outside corners to open up the court;
.......For RH player, slice to outside corner of deuce court;
.......kick serve to outside corner of ad court.
...Serve to the T to change it up or go for an ace;
...Serve to the opponent's weak side, generally the backhand;
...Blast a serve right at the receiver's body.

Although power, speed, and accuracy are important in tennis, the "essense" of the game is really about angles and distance/time concepts.

[Geezer Guy]

I think "Hitting it where they ain't" is really more of a baseball term. In tennis, there are often times when hitting the ball where your opponent isn't, isn't the best choice. Hitting a certain ball to a certain part of the court may the the best place to hit that ball - even if your opponent is there.

If my cross-court forehand is better than my opponents cross-court forehand, I will gladly engage him in cross-court forehand rallys all match long. To change it up and go down the line is doubly-stupid, because going DTL in general is lower percentage (even if my opponent ain't there), plus I'm more apt to win the point anyway by going cross-court. That's just one example, but there are many.

[35ft6]

It's pretty instinctive for me, but I'm not a mindless basher. Don't have the strokes to be. I'm not thinking 2 strokes or more ahead per se, but if I know a person has difficulty with a certain shot, I'll work it all day and night. I hit backhands crosscourt, my forehand, a mix of inside out and crosscourt, until something presents itself. What I don't do is go for a low percentage shot, even if it means hitting an extra volley or forehand or two. So I AM constructing points, but not in a formalized way or anything.

[dowjones]

I don't think you can construct points ahead. To me, it depends where the ball lands, the pace, where my opponent is in the court, their weaknesses, whether I pissed off or calm, how I'm hitting my shots, hungover, in the zone, just don't care, fill in the blank...

You may have a general strategy but not a constructed series of shots because they won't happen in the sequence that you've predetermined.

[J011yroger]

I keep all strategic thinking to between games. Set out game plans, tactics etc. beforehand, and change them between points or games as required. As soon as I set to recieve, or bounce the ball before a serve, I am on autopilot. I just see the ball and hit it, as they are hitting the ball, I know what to do with it.

As far as the hitting it where they aint all the time thing...it doesn't work so well when you get up into higher levels of play when it becomes extremely difficult to change direction on certain balls. I mean if you get something short or a sitter, yea you put it away, of course. But if you are playing open level tennis, and you are trying to take your opponent's neutral cross court rally shot, and smoke it down the line because there is open court there...more often than not you are gonna be making errors.

J