Are most coaches/teams crap at scouting opponents?

[puppybutts]

Serena, as an easy case study, had the most information and footage available out of any player on the WTA tour. One example is whenever she is taken out wide on her forehand, she almost always shoots for a crosscourt forehand winner at a more extreme angle. She almost never goes for a DTL winner or mid-court rally ball. But without fail, her opponents never seem to cover this or are aware it's coming. There's dozens of examples, but here are just 3:

Link at Time Stamp 11:24:

First Point shown here against Sharapova, AO 2015

Short clip here against Kerber, AO 2016

Serena Williams hits PERFECT forehand!

Serena Williams hit this perfect forehand winner against Angelique Kerber in the final of the Australian Open 2016. #ShortsSubscribe to keep up with the late...

www.youtube.com

------------------------
Another example is the serve. It's well-known that Serena favors T serve on the AD side and the wide serve on the deuce side, but strategies on return seem overly simplistic. For example, at Olympics 2012, it was clear Sharpaova was told to give up the wide serve on the AD side as she kept hopping over to the T every time. So Serena just kept serving wide and acing. At one point, Sharapova threw her hands up at her box in frustration. Then at AO 2015, Sharapova was guessing randomly, and still got it wrong most of the time. Against Osaka at Toronto 2019, Osaka's coach came over and verbatim told her to just give up the T serve on the deuce side and cover wide, so Serena just starting serving T.

Of course these things are easier said than done...it's not easy to plan for one of the greatest players ever against a serve that is regarded as unreadable. But I feel like I see poor planning a lot, either lack of base information or inflexible advice that treats the opponent like a rock incapable of thinking and changing their play.
------------------------
Are there matches where you've seen examples of incredibly good scouting/planning? One example I have is Stephens vs Serena at USO 2020, in the first set. Stephens' coached talked about everything went exactly as they planned and predicted in that first set; Sloane was wrongfooting Serena on so many points and covering her shots. Her coach said they simply couldn't do anything when Serena raised her level.

Sloane Stephens vs Serena Williams Extended Highlights | US Open 2020 Round 3 - YouTube

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Reminds me of Djokovic going for the short angle cross court pretty much 100% of the time after chasing down a dropshot near the sideline, and almost no one ever covering it.

 

[Russeljones]

Reminds me of Djokovic going for the short angle cross court pretty much 100% of the time after chasing down a dropshot near the sideline, and almost no one ever covering it.

In general, I think a lot of players are a bit sloppy in following up their dropshots.

 

[Tennfan123]

I think that in the heat of the moment, players just forget and do whatever comes instinctively or from fear.

 

[henrytennisadelaide]

Reminds me of Djokovic going for the short angle cross court pretty much 100% of the time after chasing down a dropshot near the sideline, and almost no one ever covering it.

I'd say thats the case for just about everyone in that case because it's the safest shot. The ball is travelling further and hence has more room to drop into court, and going over the lowest part of the net.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

I'd say thats the case for just about everyone in that case because it's the safest shot. The ball is travelling further and hence has more room to drop into court, and going over the lowest part of the net.

In that case the shot not getting countered is more annoying. There is the option for a 'safe' loft DTL, as giving it some air isn't a problem provided they don't intercept it with a volley.