Help A High-school Junior

[MPC]

I am currently in my junior year of high school. My freshman year I played 4 doubles on the varsity, last year I played 1 doubles on varsity, and now I have challenge matches for the next season this coming week. One big match for me will be against another junior who played 2 doubles last year. Our matches in the past have always been close, but I most often am the victor. I played a set with him today and lost 6-4.

It got me thinking about the challenge match and what I needed to do to take him out whe it really counts.

He likes the base line, however, he does not hesitate to come in once he gets close to the service line. he has consistant shots and he often clears the net by less than a foot. I on the other hand hit with a western forehand and put big topspin shots a couple feet over the net.

It is difficult to control points when he is hitting so low. It is not that he is not able to hit deep. It is that he CONSISTANTLY can hit low over the net.

Lastly he is very agile and quick. Today I had him running all over the court, yet I soon discovered that maybe that was not the best idea.

Any thoughts on how to beet this kid?

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2nd question:

I have a western forehand and I enjoy applying heavy topspin. The only problem is that I am having a hard time adgusting to fast serves. It is difficult for me to change my grip for a forehand or a backhand when a serve is steaming into the box.

What should I be doing?

 

[fuzz nation]

Use a good split step and a volley motion to quickly get your racquet on that heater first serve and guide the ball back deep. You can only get a good rip at it if you stand way back, but that opens up angles for him and you'll still be hitting a lower percentage shot.

If you're moderately competent at net, get up there! Be selective and try to go in when he's more defensive, but venture up there and pay attention to the results. His priorities will be thrown off with you in his face and he may pass you on a couple, but he may also panic and hit some errors.

Finally, keep your cool and realize that you're going to have to do some extra running and also be consistent against this guy. If you hang tough and run down extra balls yourself, that can demoralize him the same way his wheels make you hit more shots.

 

[MrCLEAN]

Does your topspin give him trouble on either side? If so, obviously work on that side.

As far as his quickness goes, I have my own theory about that. I used to try to wear these guys out by running them. The problem w/ that was that my game was not as consistent as my game"plan". And I would run them until I made an error. I could get some winners by them, but would always hit more errors, trying for too much power, too tight an angle, too much shot w/ not enough hole, time, ect. So now I take away their speed advantage by playing down the middle of the court, which also eliminates any wide shots I may have hit before. I use my topspin w/ its higher margins and go mano y mano w/ him and his low margin shots. When I get a short ball, I come in on the weak side, or the open court, whichever is the better option given the approach shot, and cover his favored pass. Basically I maximize what I do well and try to minimize what he does well. Topspin vs flat....more margin for me. Hit down the middle (offensively enough so that he can't dictate) vs him not running me into errors.....my favor. Take away his favorite pass once I know what that is...makes him pass me w/ a less favored shot, hopefully on the run, from his weaker side.

Without knowing alot more about both of your games, I can't really say how this would work for YOU. But most of the quick guys I've played are pretty consistent, but not very powerful, or tactical. They don't have a whole lot of variety, and if I take away their first option, I get some pretty interesting 2nd options.

This probably didn't help you at all, but don't get too technical w/ it, just think about using your inherent advantages, and don't give him the chance to use his.

EDIT: Oh yeah, for the bomb serve, you won't have time to take a big cut at it (nor would you want to), so stand as far back as you need to be able to read the serve, get your grip set, get a quick rotation, and direct his power back at him. Obviously the closer you can be to the better, but don't get so close that you don't have time to physically execute. It's better to be 8 feet back and get returns in that he hits for winners than for you to constantly hit errors on the return standing on the baseline.
RESEARCH--- JIM COURIER:1991 FRENCH OPEN FINAL---TACTICS

 

[aznspongehead]

To return fast serves I just use a continental grip a do something similar to what I would do in a volley to get the serve back, maybe with a little bit more backspin. You'll just give to practice putting your racket where the ball is... don't swing at such a fast serve.

You said he's a runner, so take away his speed advantage by hitting at his feet, forcing him to run AWAY from the ball to hit it. It should be especially effective with your topspin because that kick would accelerate the ball right into him.

How's your slice? If you can slice some shots low he might start to hit some into the net, because it sounds to me like he's hitting your high topspin shots down.

 

[MPC]

I usually use a lot of topspin and he doesn't have too much trouble getting them usually unless is is really out of position. So what ypu are saying is to attack him instead of running him all over and making mistakes? Also when ever I come in, after he trys to hit a passer, he lobs it. He has a very good lob and it is very annoying. If I can somehow win the first passer or if he makes an error then I am good.

 

[MrCLEAN]

I usually use a lot of topspin and he doesn't have too much trouble getting them usually unless is is really out of position.

Bummer. Well as long as he's not hurting you off it, at least you still have better margins than he does.

So what ypu are saying is to attack him instead of running him all over and making mistakes?

Assuming he's better at running than you are at hitting the sideline, yes. Like I said, w/out knowing more about your games, it's hard to say, but for ME, I liked the idea of running him, but I just couldn't pull it off. First of all, why let him do something he's good at (I'm assuming he hits well on the run), and secondly, I didn't have the consistency to execute QUALITY side to side shots, often enough, to hit more winners than errors. Sure I made Sportscenter a few times, but lots and lots of errors too. In the end, it was a bad strategy given my ability level.

Also when ever I come in, after he trys to hit a passer, he lobs it. He has a very good lob and it is very annoying. If I can somehow win the first passer or if he makes an error then I am good.

Yeah, it sounds like you need to do more w/ the first volley, and that it partially set up w/ your approach. If he is setting you up w/ his first pass, and gets a neutral, or defensive response from you, he then finishes you off w/ a lob, again, one of the shots he's good at and looking to hit when you come in. You need to approach more effectively, either to his weakness, or in a way that he is unable to hit an effective "set up pass". You could sort of chip short and come in, forcing him to come up and "hit up" on his first pass. You could hit a high roller to a corner, then cover the line, making him either hit an easier shot for him (the down the line...which you're covering), or a much more difficult shot on the run, the crosscourt pass, off a high bouncing ball w/ a lot of kick on it. Either one of those should help you get a more manageable "set up pass", to which you must deal w/ effectively enough so that even if he gets another shot, its not one that he can just set up for and hit clean lobs.

Remember, it's not always about hitting bombs, low, short, angled approaches will work for you too. They won't be winners probably, but they give you much easier volleys to deal with if the other guy has to hit up on the run.

Let us know how it works out.

 

[MPC]

I worked on returning fast serves with a continental grip and using my legs to generate extra power and it worked out very well in practice today. I will let everyone know how my challenge matches go and thank you.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

try hitting low slices to him... if you hit high with lots of topspin then the balls () are probably bouncing at a perfect height for him to hit low and hard.

i would really try some low slices to make him make some errors..

good luck

 

[MPC]

I would like to try some slices, however, my slices are not as consistant as my topspin groundies. I have been working on just keeping it deep but he is very good at controlling the point from the baseline.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

hmmm then i guess you mite have to try being aggressive in terms of going to the net... otherwise, i dont know

 

[MPC]

yeah I am thinking that I will try to attack his corners and pockets on the backhand side with my topspin, then attempt to come in for the crosscourt volley.