Middle aged 3.0-3.5 player here, what recommendations do you have for effective tactics/strategy/style to play when you start to get tired in a match? I'm talking about the time say around the 2 hour mark where you are one step slower to get to shots, don't quite have the racket speed any longer, and mental focus starts dipping. Any strategies for a playstyle that can still put at least a little pressure on the opponent even when your body is at 50-75%? I usually end up doing high percentage slices back for most shots but then that just relies on the other guy making a mistake. Obvious solution is to simply get into better shape but I honestly don't have the time to train that much.
S&V/C&C [serve and volley/chip and charge]: a good many points will end right there - either they pass you or make an error or cough up a putaway opportunity.
This may not improve your results but it will shorten the points. And if your opponent doesn't like being put under pressure, especially so early in the point, it could pay off big time.
One modified approach is to start sprinkling in some of these plays *
before* you start to get tired. Just like the best time to drink fluid is before you actually feel thirsty. You're depositing some energy into the bank by getting those shorter points that you can withdraw later in the match.
You could also try the DS/lob combo but DSs require a goodish amount of touch: too hard and it's a sitter but too soft and it doesn't clear the net. It depends on how quick your opponent is: the slower he is, the more margin you have. And sprinting to the net to retrieve a DS followed by sprinting back to get a lob is a great way to tire
him out.
As for training time, carry a jump rope around and do a minute here and there. You have time for that, right? This is a much more reliable solution to the problem as you may not like the net.