Do You Hit To Open Court Or Behind Opponent?

[CivicLx]

Just curious here...
Let's say you're a righty playing a righty and you hit a pretty good angle out wide to your opponent's forehand...let's say he returns the shot to the middle of the court to your forehand...as he's running back to the center of the court, would you most likely hit to his backhand being that it's the open court, or would you tend to hit behind him back to his forehand and try and trip him up?

I tend to hit more to the open court just because it's a bigger target, but I'm going to start trying both just so my shot isn't so predictable.

What about you guys? Which shot do you normally prefer?

[Jonnyf]

IMO it completely depends on where exactly the player is and his/her strength if they are a quick player (old Cobrien) then ill try to wrong foot them but as i said it depends where they have reached

[Rickson]

Just curious here...
Let's say you're a righty playing a righty and you hit a pretty good angle out wide to your opponent's forehand...let's say he returns the shot to the middle of the court to your forehand...as he's running back to the center of the court, would you most likely hit to his backhand being that it's the open court, or would you tend to hit behind him back to his forehand and try and trip him up?

I tend to hit more to the open court just because it's a bigger target, but I'm going to start trying both just so my shot isn't so predictable.

What about you guys? Which shot do you normally prefer?
According to your scenario, I'd wrongfoot him and hit back to the deuce side because his momentum will take him to the ad side easier and the angle at which the shot came in favors hitting back to the deuce side. If I'm exchanging no pace balls with somebody, I change direction often and go to the open court, but on crosscourt exchanges with heavy pace, I'd rather wrongfoot my opponent and find a sharper angle. Now if your shot took the opponent way off the court, I'd hit inside out to the ad side.

[CivicLx]

thanks for the replies...I'm still all about the open court since it's an easier shot for me, but I see what you guys are saying about wrongfooting the opponent.


hey an additional question...whether you have a 1hbh or 2hbh, do you take a normal swing on a running backhand or do you hit just a slice? I have a 1hbh and it's decent, but I'm often uncomfortable hitting it on the run so I would say I probably tend to slice more just because it's a more comfortable motion.

[Geezer Guy]

Early in the match you can go to either the open court or behind the player (especially a speedy player). Late in the match (or after a particularly long point) always go to the open court. Because, if a player is tired and has "given up" on a point because you have a wide open court, and THEN you decide to get cute and go behind him - well, he's right there because he hasn't moved and you're hitting it right to him.

As to the backhand (mine is one-handed) if I get it in the strike zone I will always rip it with topspin (even if I'm on the run). However, if it's either high or low - that's when I tend to slice it. FOR ME, it doesn't matter if I'm hitting on the run or not, it's how high the ball is.

[kevhen]

When I get my opponent way off the court I tend to hit to open court but sometimes miss wide or long going for the quick winner. When I hit behind my opponent sometimes I don't surprise them enough and the ball goes right back to them and makes me make mad since my previous shot gave me an advantage and it was just neutralized by not being aggressive or deceptive enough. Does anyone else have problems with changing direction on the ball after getting your opponent off court and trying to hit for an angled winner into the open court. I can do it but just not as frequently as I would like.

[Bungalo Bill]

Just curious here...
Let's say you're a righty playing a righty and you hit a pretty good angle out wide to your opponent's forehand...let's say he returns the shot to the middle of the court to your forehand...as he's running back to the center of the court, would you most likely hit to his backhand being that it's the open court, or would you tend to hit behind him back to his forehand and try and trip him up?

I tend to hit more to the open court just because it's a bigger target, but I'm going to start trying both just so my shot isn't so predictable.

What about you guys? Which shot do you normally prefer?

Prefer open court to keep player on the run and the position neutral till the opportunity arrives. On fast players, I mix in a wrong footing shot selection strategy especially when I can run around my backhand, position myself about two - three feet away from center mark in my deuce court and hit hard shots to my opponents deuce corner (I am lefthanded). My opponent has to recover quickly otherwise he leaves a huge court to hit into on the ad side. That is when I will try to wrong foot him (usually about three forehands) by going back to the deuce side.

[35ft6]

8 times out of 10, open court on backhand. On forehand, maybe 7 times out of 10.

[Bungalo Bill]

When I get my opponent way off the court I tend to hit to open court but sometimes miss wide or long going for the quick winner. When I hit behind my opponent sometimes I don't surprise them enough and the ball goes right back to them and makes me make mad since my previous shot gave me an advantage and it was just neutralized by not being aggressive or deceptive enough. Does anyone else have problems with changing direction on the ball after getting your opponent off court and trying to hit for an angled winner into the open court. I can do it but just not as frequently as I would like.

Kevhen,

You should read up on the Directionals to see if they will help you. They are a very good way to build up your game.