How to beat a player like Santoro?
- Thread starter zill
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MajesticMoose
Hall of Fame
Hit deeper. Use some slice of your own. Hit some drop shots on your terms and not his. S&V. Chip and charge. Get into net.
meltphace 6
Hall of Fame
Ask Pete Sampras who has a 4:3 record vs Santoro.
heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
Play like Andy Roddick. You must snuff out his hopes and dreams with overwhelming offense.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
the real issue is that he makes you move and hit at the same time... so you can't unload on your aggressive shots (ie. you like balls right around the center hash mark).
way to beat him is to have better movement, so you can get to those dink shots with time to do something with it, and/or allow you to hit deeper more consistently (more time to prep), to buy you more time when they dink or angle shots (ie. harder to do from behind the baseline)
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I play a guy like that. You have to have be able to hit each deep corner and never hit right to him.Guys like that have very short strokes and they can take shots on the rise, which is what they want.
I normally work the deep backhand corner, make him lunge for that and then hit the FH corner. Just a back and forth thing. To start off, don't try and kill the ball, just hit safe margins, but deep. Get him going from corner to corner. When he lunges, you need to attack the net because his shot will most likely be a defensive moonball or lob. Some guys will hit drop shots on defense, so the point is that when they lunge, you need to move in.
Also if he starts to cheat to the backhand side, reverse and attack the FH corner first.
The skillset that you need to work on is being able to hit the corners back and forth from the baseline, and then be good at knowing when to approach the net.
Reviving this thread. I played a guy today that models his game on Santoro's. Hes got a two handed forehand and backhand. One of the smartest players I've ever played against. Consistent, great court coverage and so good at mixing heavy topspin, flat, slices, drop shots, high balls and everything in between. Tactically sound and knows how to construct and win a point without having to hit winners. An all rounded game with a great balance of attack and defence and decent volleys. I would rate him atleast 5.0 and I'm 4.0-4.5 so didnt stand a chance. It just felt like it was so hard to win a point against him because on the baseline he was very unpredictable with his spins, depth and angles and I cant read his shots at all because his take-backs are the same but can create so many different shots. I try to attack the net and his lobs and passing shots are so precise, its ridiculous. Everytime I feel like I've hit a good shot, put him on the defence and comes to the net, he flicks a shot while off-balance and it could be a short crosscourt, down the line or a lob that land inches from the baseline. Even if I get there and just manage to pop it back behind me, he just comes to the net for an easy volley. He even does the Santoro two handed forehand slice off the serve deep at your feet and then come in for the volley!!!!
Anyways I'm not expecting to win but I would like to make the score closer. I lost 6-0 6-3. I dont know how I managed to get 3 games because every point was so difficult to win.
Anyways I'm not expecting to win but I would like to make the score closer. I lost 6-0 6-3. I dont know how I managed to get 3 games because every point was so difficult to win.
IowaGuy
Hall of Fame
What happens if you draw him into net with drop shots and/or short angled slices?
Santoro himself was a great volleyer, but sometimes "modern-day" Santoro-like players don't like being at net. If I sense that, I'll try to draw them in as much as possible, so that I'm playing points on my terms (passing shots/lobs).
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
All good tactics. Power is another one. Very difficult to hit drop shots or junk balls when your opponent is hitting the ball with a lot of pace. But your overall tactic is correct. Keep him back and moving.
the universal answer is just becoming a better player.
tactically you need to do 2 things -
- give him some junk and see what he does.... many players can create junk from pace, but cant create pace from junk.
- you have to stand closer, almost near the no mans land, to take his angles and drops away... then he will try to slice deep... but slicing deep off a junk is actually more difficult than off a hard hit ball.
tactically you need to do 2 things -
- give him some junk and see what he does.... many players can create junk from pace, but cant create pace from junk.
- you have to stand closer, almost near the no mans land, to take his angles and drops away... then he will try to slice deep... but slicing deep off a junk is actually more difficult than off a hard hit ball.
serveitup911
Semi-Pro
I have had success against this playing style by hitting hard and deep right down the middle to take away the angles. When he eventually coughs up a short ball, you must be extremely aggressive and decisive and follow to net.
I had lost to a guy who played for UGA at the time with this style a handful of times in a row trying to play my normal aggressive baseline style. I finally figured out the deep down the middle trick and beat him 1 and 1 in a tournament. He was beside himself because I had taken him completely out of his game.
I had lost to a guy who played for UGA at the time with this style a handful of times in a row trying to play my normal aggressive baseline style. I finally figured out the deep down the middle trick and beat him 1 and 1 in a tournament. He was beside himself because I had taken him completely out of his game.
Steady Eddy
Legend
If he plays like Santoro you'll probably have to lose. There's only a few hundred players in the world who have a chance of beating him, so if this guy plays like him, just pray for a win.
Gregory Diamond
Professional
I have no problem with such players because I play two handed forehand.
I think this is a really good approach. If the guy is a retriever, he wants to run. That's his game. Take his biggest weapon away from him.
user92626
G.O.A.T.
Neither do I, and I only need one hand FH to do it. I'm so efficient.
