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How To Play Tennis Like Pete Sampras
With 14 Grand Slams under his belt, Pete Sampras will go down in history as one of the best to ever pick up a racket. He was truly tennis royalty. Even if you don't have the strokes that Sampras has, you can still emulate his playing style to suit your needs. Having a Sampras Style game isn't too far off if you use these few tips.
Develop and Use Your Serve as a Weapon
They didn't call him Pistol Pete for nothin'. The name Sampras is almost synonymous with serving power. Pete could bring the heat on the first serve, but most will say that his biggest weapon was his second serve. Pete's second serve routinely hovered around the 110mph mark. Try facing that on Centre Court Wimbledon.
Even if you don't serve 20 aces a match, you can still use the serve to your benefit. Remember, the serve is the one stroke in tennis that you initiate. You have total control of how the shot is made. One underestimated weapon when it comes to serving is getting the first serve in. This protects you from having to make too many second serves, which are more easily attacked.
Also, consistency in serving gets into the head of your opponent. If you get first serves in the box, you'll hold serve more easily. This does two things. First, it boosts your confidence in your entire game, enabling you to play better. Second, it puts the pressure on your opponent to do the same. If it's 4-4, and you've been holding serve easily, your opponent will be all the more cautious.
Serving isn't just about power; it's about placement as well. As heavy as Sampras' serve was, he could hit a serve right on the T at will. In most club matches, it won't be the more powerful server that wins the day, but the one that can hit various areas in the box. Learn to move your serve around so that your opponent can't guess what's coming next. If you want to be really Sampras-like, try to hit different serves from the same ball toss. That will really throw a wrench in the other player's return game.
Play To Your Strengths
Sampras was an all-around player, but he had several things that he did extraordinarily well. There was, of course, the serve. But, Sampras had a monster forehand. Also, he was extremely quick. His backhand could manage, but it wasn't his best shot. Even with a slightly weaker wing, Sampras could still win most matches. Why? Because his game plan was crafted around his strengths. One thing Sampras used to do was cheat over to his backhand side, daring his opponents to hit to his dangerous forehand. He came to net after he served because more times than not his serve drew a weak return.
You can do the same with your game. What do you do well? If you return well, capitalize on it. If you get a lot of balls back, become a human backboard. You should always work on improving areas of you game; however, practice the things you do well that much more! Even though Sampras never won the French Open, he got to the semis in 1996 by playing his style of tennis. Playing to your strengths will enable you to squeeze out of tight situations in matches. When Sampras was down, he didn't alter his strategy. He focused on using his serve and shot making skills to carve his way to a win.
Smother Your Opponent
One of the best matches Pete ever played was the 1999 Wimbledon final against Andre Agassi. Even though Agassi was another all-time great, Sampras never looked in danger of losing. Even with close score lines, Pete's serves, volleys, and overall athleticism overwhelmed Agassi.
When play matches, learn to feel when you have the definitive edge. Is your forehand giving your opponent trouble? Are you running down their best shots? Are they drooping their shoulders in disappointment? If so, it's time to pull the trigger. Stick your chest out and don't let them breathe. It's a mental tactic, yes, but you need to take every advantage you can get on the court.
Don't Quit
The US Open Quarterfinals in 1996. Against Alex Corretja, Sampras experienced stomach problems and vomited on the court numerous times. He still won the match, and the tournament. How discouraging is that to any opponent? Whether you're winning or losing, don't give up. Make your opponent beat you. There's no clock in tennis, so do your beat to make them take the match from you.
How To Play Tennis Like Pete Sampras
With 14 Grand Slams under his belt, Pete Sampras will go down in history as one of the best to ever pick up a racket. He was truly tennis royalty. Even if you don't have the strokes that Sampras has, you can still emulate his playing style to suit your needs. Having a Sampras Style game isn't too far off if you use these few tips.
Develop and Use Your Serve as a Weapon
They didn't call him Pistol Pete for nothin'. The name Sampras is almost synonymous with serving power. Pete could bring the heat on the first serve, but most will say that his biggest weapon was his second serve. Pete's second serve routinely hovered around the 110mph mark. Try facing that on Centre Court Wimbledon.
Even if you don't serve 20 aces a match, you can still use the serve to your benefit. Remember, the serve is the one stroke in tennis that you initiate. You have total control of how the shot is made. One underestimated weapon when it comes to serving is getting the first serve in. This protects you from having to make too many second serves, which are more easily attacked.
Also, consistency in serving gets into the head of your opponent. If you get first serves in the box, you'll hold serve more easily. This does two things. First, it boosts your confidence in your entire game, enabling you to play better. Second, it puts the pressure on your opponent to do the same. If it's 4-4, and you've been holding serve easily, your opponent will be all the more cautious.
Serving isn't just about power; it's about placement as well. As heavy as Sampras' serve was, he could hit a serve right on the T at will. In most club matches, it won't be the more powerful server that wins the day, but the one that can hit various areas in the box. Learn to move your serve around so that your opponent can't guess what's coming next. If you want to be really Sampras-like, try to hit different serves from the same ball toss. That will really throw a wrench in the other player's return game.
Play To Your Strengths
Sampras was an all-around player, but he had several things that he did extraordinarily well. There was, of course, the serve. But, Sampras had a monster forehand. Also, he was extremely quick. His backhand could manage, but it wasn't his best shot. Even with a slightly weaker wing, Sampras could still win most matches. Why? Because his game plan was crafted around his strengths. One thing Sampras used to do was cheat over to his backhand side, daring his opponents to hit to his dangerous forehand. He came to net after he served because more times than not his serve drew a weak return.
You can do the same with your game. What do you do well? If you return well, capitalize on it. If you get a lot of balls back, become a human backboard. You should always work on improving areas of you game; however, practice the things you do well that much more! Even though Sampras never won the French Open, he got to the semis in 1996 by playing his style of tennis. Playing to your strengths will enable you to squeeze out of tight situations in matches. When Sampras was down, he didn't alter his strategy. He focused on using his serve and shot making skills to carve his way to a win.
Smother Your Opponent
One of the best matches Pete ever played was the 1999 Wimbledon final against Andre Agassi. Even though Agassi was another all-time great, Sampras never looked in danger of losing. Even with close score lines, Pete's serves, volleys, and overall athleticism overwhelmed Agassi.
When play matches, learn to feel when you have the definitive edge. Is your forehand giving your opponent trouble? Are you running down their best shots? Are they drooping their shoulders in disappointment? If so, it's time to pull the trigger. Stick your chest out and don't let them breathe. It's a mental tactic, yes, but you need to take every advantage you can get on the court.
Don't Quit
The US Open Quarterfinals in 1996. Against Alex Corretja, Sampras experienced stomach problems and vomited on the court numerous times. He still won the match, and the tournament. How discouraging is that to any opponent? Whether you're winning or losing, don't give up. Make your opponent beat you. There's no clock in tennis, so do your beat to make them take the match from you.
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