Against S&V: Hitting passing shots

[In D Zone]

This is for players who have experinced playng against good S&V players.

I am an all court player and have normally play guys well against baseliner and all court players. My biggest challenge is playing against a pure S&V players which is rare these days and if you do - you are in it for a battle. Trust me, it’s a totally different battle. I had the good fortune to play with a couple good S&V player this summer. i've been wanting to know how to beat these guys - they just kept coming at you; taking the timing of your shots away from you).

I had partnered with this guy playing doubles and was intrigued by his savy skill on the net. He was recovering from a wrist injury and have not really played him one on one till this day. After a few minutes of hitting from the baseline I noticed he started coming into the net more. Then he started chipping and charging - he was working on his S&V.
During the rally we started hitting more quicker and heavier. I did some lobs but decided not to do it more oftern since I wanted to work on my skill against good volleyers. I tried hitting hard flat and dippers on a my passing shots and he was always there answering to my shots. I was really impressed with this guy skill covering the net especially how he can hit the ball back with a variety of shots and good in placements - volley, drop shots, overhead smash and half volleys. He really put me on the defensive - not knowing if he's going long, angle or dropping the shots.

I noticed I was not able to get pass his second shot (volley). It was frustrating. I then noticed that I was going for broke on my first shot and when the ball comes back I was totally out of position to return the second volley. I decided to change my game - I went with more control / placement than just power. I would hit my first passing shot with just enough pace (not too heavy like going for a winner) and decided to go for the winner on my second or third shot. This tactic worked - I managed to keep the volleyer guessing.

I wanted to know if I am apply the right tactic against a good volleyer. Any other suggestions…

[split-step]

You already touched on a good point. When playing against good S&V, you will most likely hit more than 1 pass.

The biggest thing with S&V is not get overwhelmed by them. They will keep coming and attacking.

Get your return in. Don't feel pressured to go for too great a return and try to angle cross court or thread the line. Make him hit a volley.
If it is a 2nd serve, and you can, go for it.

Don't blast the ball right at him. If he is a good S&V, he will block it back for a winner.
Hit your well placed dippers and be ready to move.
I rarely lob because the S&V guy I play is 6'4".

[TennisND]

Most of the guys playing S&V are very tall (6"2 or more) so lob is not a good choice. I don't have a chance to play with a real S&V yet but with a good S&V player, I have to gamble every of my shots, especially if I am returning a serve. I notice that sometimes, you should hit the first shot right at him to have a chance for 2nd shot. Just go there and bang the ball right at him.

[wilsonplayer]

i play against a guy a few times a month who is a 5.5 serve and volleyer. he consistently beats me by about a break each set or a tiebreak, but i have found that on my backhand return a nice slice gives him a lot of problems. i've also found that going for more on the second serve works well, mostly because he bombs his first serve so the chances of winning those points are slim to none.

[bad_call]

like u said DaZone...don't go for the single shot to pass. work the shots so it keeps them guessing. however sometimes the single shot winner presents itself and that's a good time to see how skilled is the opponent.

[halalula1234]

the really good ones are soo hard to beat. even harder than a baseliner cus they seem to b able to block all ur balls

[TonyB]

I highly recommend the lob. Lobs are crucial to keeping the net-rusher honest. If he knows you're going to pass every time, he'll be right up on the net and can cut off more angles than if he were backed off of the net. A good time to lob is when your opponent is approaching the net and you get to the ball early enough to have options. While your opponent is still moving forward, it is a great opportunity to lob, as his momentum will prevent him from getting a jump on the lob. I'm a S&V player and I absolutely HATE it when I play a good lobber. I frequently find myself cheating backwards towards the service line when I'm at net in anticipation of his lobs. Of course, this unfortunately opens up the forecourt for him to hit short dipping passing shots. If you know how to lob, and can hit good lobs from a variety of positions on the court, you will find that just the THREAT of a lob will keep your opponent off the net, which will open up more court for you to hit passing shots into.

That said, it's also a great idea to hit a severe topspin shot at his feet, if you can. Don't always try to pass him on the left or right... unless your passing shots are very accurate, you're likely to put the ball right into his strike zone for a putaway.

High balls to the backhand side aren't a bad option, either. Even pros have a tough time handling those shots. What normally happens is that if they do manage to get a decent stick on the ball, it will come back slightly sliced and directed crosscourt. If you know this and can anticipate this, then you can start moving immediately after hitting your shot and already be in position for the followup pass down the (other) line.

The key is to think about what you want to do before you get out on the court. Make a plan and stick to it. If you find that your plan isn't working, then don't be afraid to change tactics. If you try some lobs and your opponent covers them too well for putaways, then maybe try some severe topspin shots to his feet. If your game isn't in top form and your shots aren't effective, then try some moonballs to his backhand.

Another option is to go directly at your opponent. If you can get enough pace on the ball, it cuts down on his options and angles. Most of the time, you'll get an angled shot that lands SHORT, so get ready to move your feet after hitting a shot directly at your opponent. Personally, if someone hits a really hard ball right at my body, the best I can do is to get my racquet on the ball and try to hit a "solid" blocked shot. It's very difficult to hit a winner off of a hard body shot when you're at the net, especially if you don't know it's coming right at you.

There is no "best way" to hit passing shots against a S&V player. You can only adjust to what your opponent gives you. And in that respect, it's best to have options. You have to cycle through your options depending on what is or isn't working at the moment.

I guess what I'm saying is that passing shots aren't always the answer to a S&V player. And as you mentioned, it's not always the first shot that wins the point. Use your first shot as a setup and get into position for the second shot. And possibly a third shot, depending on how good you are and/or how good your opponent is.

[split-step]

Personally, if someone hits a really hard ball right at my body, the best I can do is to get my racquet on the ball and try to hit a "solid" blocked shot. It's very difficult to hit a winner off of a hard body shot when you're at the net, especially if you don't know it's coming right at you.

If the hard hit ball is relatively flat, for me it's simple to block it flat, deep and low into the space for a winner. Well after drilling the shot several hundred times lol. And my volleys aren't great.
Hard with a lot of rpms is a different matter though.

As far as lobbing, do you mean hitting a lob as a serve return? Because I can't even see this as an option on the first serve. Unless you are REALLY good at returns, or unless the serve isn't big, in which case the return would be going up the line or right at the aggressor's feet.

If you meant on the second serve, then yes, sure, mix in the lob with different passes.

[phoenicks]

S&V are a hell to play agaisnt, but when you do meet them, be prepared with your wheel, you may need to run from side to side, and hit dipper to force them to hit up, or hitting sharp angle shot.

[dennis10is]

In order of what you need to do. First, try to get the back in play, Next, try to get the ball low so that he makes contact with the return at net height. Third, get him to make first volley below the height of the net. Fourth, get him to have to make split decision, make a volley around his ankles or do a half-volley. Fifth, all the above you are aiming right at him, you will miss to the right or the left and that will keep him guessing/adjusting forehand, backhand.

Sixth, on purpose make him reach wide if possible. Try to re-direct his momentum away to moving forward, and towards an away to the side trajectory.

Seventh, on your return you either fake the rush to open court, normal recovery to the split his option position, stay in your current position, or rush the net yourself if you see that your return is going to give him trouble. Anything you can do to make him delay, distract or decide what to do on this 1st volleys.

Assume that he will be able to make ALL his 1st volleys. What you are looking for is the rare chance that he leaves his first volleys slightly up (not enough stick), slightly short, slightly less wide and you pounce on it and make a passing shot. The passing is all about getting to it as early as possible and AIMING it to the open position. Normally, the successful passing shot is a shot where you can freeze the volleyer and he can't read what you are going to do. Experience volleyers can tell from your court position, the effectiveness of their volleys, and body positioning, what shots you will/can make and they are already covering that.

Lastly, you will get few changes at passing and fewer chances to break. This is the S&V game, even if you are playing against an even level opponent, don't expect to see many clean passing, easy break of serves game. Don't get discourage if you aren't any sniff at breaking. Patience is the key, the time will come when you get an opportunity to break.

[JohnS]

Dennis has got it down pretty technically.

ALSO...

1. one of the biggest things for you is to remain calm and not rushed. People tend to feel rushed when playing a s&v because... they rush you :D... But be ready to move your feet and anticipate what they will do based on how you hit your returns. If the s&v see's that you are moving the their balls well and setting up properly, they themselves may tend to guess on your passing shots.

2. *** i find this IMPORTANT *** IF you can make them hit 3 or more volleys, you are either in a neutral or winning position. Once again, do not rush your shot, and you should be in a position to pass them if you reach this point.

[CouldntBeSexier]

Take pace off the returns so it gets low, focus on a target before the return, and use the topspin lob early, especially if they are rushing in from further towards the back during a point as they will not be able to quickly regather to retrieve it

[Winners or Errors]

Against a net rusher, I always try to remember that I don't need to hit the ball hard, just accurately. Direction way more important than pace. Hit it where they are not.

On the forehand, it's easier because I hit with a lot of topspin and can hit bloopers down the line when approached crosscourt, getting back on offense.

Backhand is tougher for me, and I have to make him stretch a little because my chances of passing are slim. If I can get him to hit a weak volley, I can come to net myself and have a good chance at rapid-fire exchanges.

I play all court tennis and like to take the net whenever I have the chance, so I focus on shifting from defense to offense.

[smoothtennis]

Good point made here. I played some good S&V and chip-n-chrg guys this year - they could really execute well.

Some key overall points to boil it down from my perspective. Fist of all, what Dennis10 posted is good, but will take some dedicated practice to engrain.

High level things that I think are key - which people can do now if they have the skills is the following:

1. Stay CALM always - calm intensity is what I like to call it. Tightness will ruin any chance of moving smoothly and quickly to their well placed shots. You are going to be under pressure and have less time all the time.

2. Understand up front that you are not going to rip power strokes to beat them.

3. With number 2 firmly in mind, start using your mental time to think placement and trajectory. You want to dip shots - even slow ones. They are going to get most of them too. But they are going to give you another shot so onto number 4..

4. Focus on accurate placement after they hit the first volley. Minimize racket head movement because they can read it much easier if you are taking big windups. Pick a spot, set up quickly, relax, and dip it to your aim point.

5. Try to make them take one or two steps, and bend down to get the volley. Keep doing this and you will get a ball and a lane to pass hopefully.

6. When you DO get the passing lane - DO NOT TRY TO CRUSH IT. You did the hard part, and set up a passing lane right? Now hit it once again with accuracy down the passing lane. High percentage tennis here.

7. Stay Calm

8. Have fun!

PS. Did I mention to stay calm? :mrgreen:

[bad_call]

...PS. Did I mention to stay calm? :mrgreen:

that's they key. :)

[In D Zone]

These are GREAT STUFF! A lot to digest and most of it has to do with ones mental state of mind.

One great comparison I can point for a S&V player is that they are like the UFC's Brazilian jujitzu. They are patient, even in the midst of adversity (getting pounded with heavy hits) never waiver or abandon their tactic; constantly active, always on the prowl - jumping to the ball at each opportunity till the opponent gets careless and frustrated.

One main take away I learn is to be patient. Thanks everyone for chiming in!

[smoothtennis]

These are GREAT STUFF! A lot to digest and most of it has to do with ones mental state of mind.

One great comparison I can point for a S&V player is that they are like the UFC's Brazilian jujitzu. They are patient, even in the midst of adversity (getting pounded with heavy hits) never waiver or abandon their tactic; constantly active, always on the prowl - jumping to the ball at each opportunity till the opponent gets careless and frustrated.

One main take away I learn is to be patient. Thanks everyone for chiming in!


Interesting correlation there with the BJJ. And that is exactly how you have to counter them. If you try to hit too hard, or jump around getting out of position, jerking strokes and panicing, that is when you make a mistake, and they set up the rear naked choke! Stay calm, blend with their energy - feel what is happening and you can counter.

[herosol]

in respects to my own match plays.

Biggest Thing: Always make them play another one. Don't force yourself to hit outright passing shots (ala Nadal) at the risk of just hitting it out or into the net, unless you really are that good.

Next Best Thing: Spin and Ball Height Variation. If they are pure S&V, you probably returned their serve with a flat or mildly-spinned ball at a decent height for the sake of consistency. Next shot? Go lower with a bit more dip. Maybe they effectively got this one, but even if they did get a good feel, maybe not the right direction. Now? Play a slow slice. Then maybe a good dipping but dying ball (no spin).


Basically it's this. When i see people practicing baseline-to-volley ralleys, i see this. People look good because we feed them the same shot over and over and over with no variation. In match play, it is all about having a variety of shots. I believe that if you give that net hugger two different types of balls, giving him different feels, he's bound to miss the next one or the next one on the next point.

[DashaandSafin]

I am a hard hitting topspin heavy baseliner. Yesterday was my first time against a S&V. Tough stuff. Lost the first set, but sort of figured it out.

He hits a very sharp angled cross court forehand and I'm slow on my feet to get there most of the time because thats an awkward position for me. I cant decide whether to rip it back or up the line. In that time he gets to net and puts it away. Happened about 10 times....

[smoothtennis]

An interesting thing here which seem to escape many recreational players is giving a very slow dipping ball to the guy approaching the net to volley. Almost like a 'dead' chip shot.

It is very rare the volleyer can volley a winner with this slow low ball. The best net players can still place it, but you know that before hand. Mediocre net guys will usually give back a weak mid court volley. You check step and get ready to cover the shot. You still have another chance and many times they leave a clear passing lane.

At best, many 3.5-4.5 players simply aren't sure how to handle this shot since people rarely hit them.

I have watched John McEnroe use this shot in World Team Tennnis - and this is against good pro players. I am still surprised how well this works even at the pro level.

[skiracer55]

...my standard move is to keep the return down...don't really care if it goes right at the guy...to try to make him volley up, then go for the pass on the second ball. S&V, and defending against it, is kind of like a knife fight in a phone booth. You're both essentially playing a 2-shot rally...he's going for an opening first volley, and a finishing winner on the second volley, you're going for a forcing return and a pass on the next shot. Because I play a lot of S&V, it probably bothers me less to see somebody doing it against me than if I played mostly baseline tennis.

So that's another concept: against a net rusher, another strategy is to try to beat him to the net. On your return game, that's a chip and charge, and on your service game, that's you playing S&V. You'll find that most S&Vers are really good at taking time away from their opponents, but when their opponents return the favor, suddenly the S&Ver is rushed, has less time, and that can produce errors...or even get the S&Ver to back off to the baseline.

S&Vers have patterns, so you have to look for their patterns and do what John Newcombe called pre-acting. For example, at 30-30, to break open the game, I'll often serve a wide slice in the deuce court and come in cheating toward that side, looking for the backhand volley cross court into the open court. So if your opponent has a tendency like that on big points, watch how he lines up for the serve, watch his serve motion, and be ready to camp on the wide serve. If you see it coming and get there, maybe you've got the advantage, as in you can maybe get a short, angled cross court topspin that either gets by him or makes him stretch and volley weakly. You don't have to do it on every single point, but I think you've got to anticipate and take some chances if you want to break serve against an S&Ver...and assuming you can hold your serve, all you need is one break a set, right?

[mikeler]

Brad Gilbert had a good tip in Winning Ugly. Make sure you are focusing on the ball during the return of serve. The natural tendency is to look up to see which direction your S&V opponent may be leaning. I would have to reiterate what several people have said in that you don't have to pass the guy on the first ball because you feel rushed.

As an all court player who sometimes has to resort to serving and volleying, the most frustrating points for me are when I have to play 3 or 4 balls in a row at the net. I love when my opponent just goes for an outright low percentage winner and misses.

[skiracer55]

Brad Gilbert had a good tip in Winning Ugly. Make sure you are focusing on the ball during the return of serve. The natural tendency is to look up to see which direction your S&V opponent may be leaning. I would have to reiterate what several people have said in that you don't have to pass the guy on the first ball because you feel rushed.

As an all court player who sometimes has to resort to serving and volleying, the most frustrating points for me are when I have to play 3 or 4 balls in a row at the net. I love when my opponent just goes for an outright low percentage winner and misses.


...in other words, "Watch the ball, hit it hard, and don't think..."

[mikeler]

Sometimes the hardest shots are the easiest for the S&V person to deal with. Make them earn their points up there no matter what you hit.

[In D Zone]

...my standard move is to keep the return down...don't really care if it goes right at the guy...to try to make him volley up, then go for the pass on the second ball. S&V, and defending against it, is kind of like a knife fight in a phone booth. You're both essentially playing a 2-shot rally...he's going for an opening first volley, and a finishing winner on the second volley, you're going for a forcing return and a pass on the next shot. Because I play a lot of S&V, it probably bothers me less to see somebody doing it against me than if I played mostly baseline tennis.

So that's another concept: against a net rusher, another strategy is to try to beat him to the net. On your return game, that's a chip and charge, and on your service game, that's you playing S&V. You'll find that most S&Vers are really good at taking time away from their opponents, but when their opponents return the favor, suddenly the S&Ver is rushed, has less time, and that can produce errors...or even get the S&Ver to back off to the baseline.

S&Vers have patterns, so you have to look for their patterns and do what John Newcombe called pre-acting. For example, at 30-30, to break open the game, I'll often serve a wide slice in the deuce court and come in cheating toward that side, looking for the backhand volley cross court into the open court. So if your opponent has a tendency like that on big points, watch how he lines up for the serve, watch his serve motion, and be ready to camp on the wide serve. If you see it coming and get there, maybe you've got the advantage, as in you can maybe get a short, angled cross court topspin that either gets by him or makes him stretch and volley weakly. You don't have to do it on every single point, but I think you've got to anticipate and take some chances if you want to break serve against an S&Ver...and assuming you can hold your serve, all you need is one break a set, right?


Great input Skiracer.

Thinking back to the other S&V opponent I had last summer - played against an older gentlemen who's been playing over 20 years. I managed to keep the first match closed, I was giving him trouble when we were in a long rally and when I am at the net battling out with him. I lost trhe first set 7-6 due to lack of patients. Second set was totally different - he changed his tactic to S&V and CHip and Charge when he's returning my serve. I did notice he had a pattern when he's serving more wide out to keep me off balance so he can move in for the volley. And when he chip, he would hit it low forcing me to go for the topspin so he can finished me off with a quick punch as he comes in to the net.
After the match - this opponent told that he knew my strength as an all court player and I proved that I can go toe to toe with him around the net. He said if he did not change his tactic to be more aggressive - I might win the next match. So he did and the rest was history ...... Dude did not let me close to the net this time.

You are right - S&V players are like thieves. They sneak up on you and rob the timing away from you... next thing you know you down 1-6. OUCH!

Definitely a great insight on how the S&V think!

[split-step]

Taking the net away from a S&Ver is a great tactic if you have the tools to pull it off.

[Bagumbawalla]

Many of the, above, answers are very good, but, obviously, there is no one answer for every situation.

The first thing you should, obviously, do is practice your passing shots. You can get two partners on the other side of the net to volley the ball back, while you try to pass them or frustrate their volley one way or another- then take turn at the net so everyone gets practice.

Practice hitting both deep drives and dipping topspin drives, down the line and also sharp angles.

Practice your lob and disguise it so it happens suddenly as a surprise.

Practice picking a spot and hitting to that spot.

Practice serve/volley yourself- so you have a feel of what works against you.

Also, much will depend on the style of the s/v player you are up against-- thequality of his first/second serve. Does he come in on second serves as well as first? Can you drive back his serve with control, or are you forced to "block" it back with mixed results.

The answers to these questions will suggest their own tactics.

If you have an excellent return, you may gain an advantage by driving your return down the line, sharply crosscourt or at the feet of the net rusher. If you can not-- practice is in order-- work on your return. Whatever the case, keep your returns and your shots low, forcing the net man to volly/hit up.

In general if you have confidence in your return and passing shots (because they are good), then the percentages will be in your favor.

[skiracer55]

Taking the net away from a S&Ver is a great tactic if you have the tools to pull it off.

...and the lesson there is, Develop the tools. Everybody thinks there's something magical about Roger Federer, and there's no denying it...he is amazing! But why is that? Because:

(1) He has a lot of natural talent.

(2) He's worked his ass off, physically, mentally, and stroke wise, to be the best in the world.

(3) He believes he's the best in the world, and, most important,

(4) He has an all court game. Which means he hasn't hard coded himself into any one strategy, he can do whatever it takes when his shots aren't clicking perfectly to win against anybody.


So, if you want to cast yourself as a baseliner supreme, go right ahead. But if you don't spend at least some time figuring out how to counter an S&V player...well, your're going to lose, in the long run...

[skiracer55]

Great input Skiracer.

Thinking back to the other S&V opponent I had last summer - played against an older gentlemen who's been playing over 20 years. I managed to keep the first match closed, I was giving him trouble when we were in a long rally and when I am at the net battling out with him. I lost trhe first set 7-6 due to lack of patients. Second set was totally different - he changed his tactic to S&V and CHip and Charge when he's returning my serve. I did notice he had a pattern when he's serving more wide out to keep me off balance so he can move in for the volley. And when he chip, he would hit it low forcing me to go for the topspin so he can finished me off with a quick punch as he comes in to the net.
After the match - this opponent told that he knew my strength as an all court player and I proved that I can go toe to toe with him around the net. He said if he did not change his tactic to be more aggressive - I might win the next match. So he did and the rest was history ...... Dude did not let me close to the net this time.

You are right - S&V players are like thieves. They sneak up on you and rob the timing away from you... next thing you know you down 1-6. OUCH!

Definitely a great insight on how the S&V think!

...my advice is, get with your coach or practice partner, and start thinking outside the box. If you've never played S&V or done a chip and charge, do it in a practice session. What's the worst that can happen? You lose some points, or even a practice match. So what? Nobody's going to take you out and shoot you, most likely and who knows? You might actually learn something that will help you win your next match...

[mikeler]

The first 10 or 15 times I played this serve and volleyer down at my club, he tore me up. I felt so rushed that I just missed passing shot after passing shot. I've played him so many times now, that I actually like him coming to the net because I can usually win the point. He now plays mostly from the baseline because his S&V does not work anymore. It was not fun taking all of those beatings at first, but he helped me improve some weaknesses in my game.

[Rickson]

I like to lob constantly.

[naylor]

...as soon as it crosses the net!

I play S&V, often even on second serves. My second serve to either box is usually a high kicker to a rightie's backhand. For variety, from the deuce court I throw a slider and play for a hard return to my backhand I can volley cross-court (doesn't need to be that good, when the receiver is well out). And from the ad court, a gentler slider into the body. There's not a lot of difference between my first and second serves (only a lot more spin on the second serve). That means I can hit a second serve as my first serve, and the extra action often makes the returner mistime his shot if he was playing for something flatter and harder. I often win games without hitting a second serve.

As for my returning, on first serves, I try to get it back somehow and then see what happens; on second serves, anything weak gets a deep forehand or backhand down the line and up I go!

What always gets me is when my opponent's return drops as soon as it gets over my side of the net, so I have to volley up or half-volley. So, an early blocked return, when the returner takes the ball high and basically it starts coming down from impact point is tough to play. But you have to play it to bounce around the service line, so the best I can do is place it to a corner - it's quite tough to inject pace on an upwards volley. Also, you have to be prepared to follow it in - often I go for a half-volley angled top-spin short loop over the net (like you do on service-line warm-ups), and if you're late in picking it up you end up scraping it upwards and I'm waiting at the net. If the block is going deeper it still gives me a chance to volley downwards from the service line, so still my advantage.

The other effective return is heavy topspin - when you volley it, you play to hit it in the middle of the stringbed but the spin brings the impact point a lot closer to the frame (at 3 or 9 o'clock), so the volley loses a lot of crispness and accuracy. But again you have to hit early to put proper top, if you let it drop too low you may still put topspin, but the chances are the ball will still be rising - or at least will be above net level - when I volley, rather than dropping fast just after crossing the net as the topspin takes effect.

Either way (block or top), you shouldn't expect to make a winner, just make me play a shot where I'm not in full command, which in turn means you can make more with your next shot. The whole idea is you have to make me hit balls going down and force me to hit them upwards, so I have to try to win the points with perfect placement rather than knock-out pace. It won't be your passing that kills me in the end, it will be my own mistakes.

If you look at it in terms of targets, my server's side of the tennis court is 27' across by 39' deep, so just over 1,000 sq.ft. If you aim to pass me with your first return, and you allow one foot inside the lines as margin for error, you have to hit a 5'x5' square in the corner down the line with your return - anything else (such as if you go for the same square but crosscourt) gives me a volley. So your target is 25 sq.ft. or 2.5% of my side. On the other hand, if you place the return 3' either way of the service line (to make me play a low volley or a half-volley) and again you take a foot either end for safety, you target is 150 sq.ft., 6 x bigger. If you split (say) that area into 6 squares (3 either side of the middle line), if you hit the square nearest the side line at either side it's likely to be an outright winner because I can't cover it as I charge down the middle - those two areas add up to 50 sq.ft., twice the target area for a winning pass. If you put your ball in the inner 4 squares, I should get to it, but my ball will still leave you with the initiative. So, it's a simpler option to execute, and it's basic percentage tennis.

I love it when my opponent keeps going for a hard pass with no plan B. For every one he makes - to which I'll happily say "great shot!" to encourage him to go for it again - I'll make 4 between his errors and my winners. And he's unlikely to make 4 winners in a row, so my service game is safe. With that in the bank, I can afford to be positive on his service games, and really tee off on any weak second serves.