what's your game plan?

[andyroddick's mojo]

just wanted to see what the game plan is for most people. for me, i usually hit kind of agressive shots, with spin to rally, and will rarely just do topspin loopers. I also like to work in a low slice every now and then. Basically my game plan is to be on level with my opponent in terms of shots, and then when i see an opening i either rip the winner as hard as i can with control, or do some sort of really angled or drop shot winner .

I know when you go into a match you should think about your opponent. But if your opponent doesn't really have a weak backhand or something like that, then you gotta rely on your own game plan and hope that you can execute your shots the way you want to.

so what's your plan when you go into a match?

 

[The Prodigy]

I try getting my opponent off the court by outwide serves or short angles. I occasionally hit short ad service box angles. After I get my opponent off the court, I get my opponent to hit difficult shots by advancing to net. That is offensive wise. Defensive wise, I would hit tremendous amount of topspin to the opponents backhand (even if they have a strong backhand).

 

[TENNIS_IS_FUN]

Mine is simple:

I try to play conservative, and try to outrally them. If this is not possible, i go for power, often flattening out many of my hits. If neither of these methods work, then i pretty much lose

 

[snoflewis]

if they're my level or higher, i basically try to attack weaknesses and look for an opening.

if they're weaker than my level, i just do w/e....and see what happens haha.

 

[The Watchman]

I use a strategy I read in a book.

It said to stand in the backhand corner, and pound the ball to the opponents backhand esp using an inside out FH.

If you get a short ball, attack it and come to the net. If they hit a deep ball to your FH, hit it high and deep with topspin to the middle of their BH side and recover to the BH corner.

Hopefully you'll win points by winners/forced errors through attacking short balls, UEs when the opponent tries to get the ball to your BH side or tries to attack your FH using DTL backhands.

(PS replace 'pound' with 'push', and that's basically my game plan).

 

[supersmash]

Return well, come to net.

Serve and volley.

 

[andyroddick's mojo]

serve and volley doesn't work well for me because i'm not too good at reaching for volleys. I'm fine with normal volleys though and thats what i do after i hit a hard approach shot, if it doesn't turn into a winner.

 

[Punisha]

Basically i just rally the point till i get anything i have a remote chance of starting my game with. Basically anything further than 2, 2.5 metres from the baseline i will rip a forehand and depending what happens, rush the net, stay back, take a step in in preparation of a short ball to rip or grin when its a winner.

Basically my game is set around a huge forehand and occasionly ill approach off a heavy forehand or slice backhand.

When rallying basically its sorta loopy heavy topspin (im tall so its no prob if they do it back) trying for the short ball from them.

Occasional serve volley only in some 40-0 40-15 games .

Return game is just try and take advantage from them and rally until i can repeat above comment with forehand.

Serve is just set up forehand

 

[ceejay]

Try and rally from the baseline until I get a ball to hit for a winner. Sometimes I serve and volley to mix it up though. I have a lot of belief in my volleying (despite sometimes shaky results) so I'll sometimes serve and volley to save break points. My main weakness is not being patient enough, which is why I like to finish points quickly by sneaking to the net sometimes, drop shotting, or going for too much

 

[Tikiman53]

I just sort of keep the pace of my shots changing. Most people would say: "Darn, this guy is annoying." But it's not like I'm pushing, right? I pretty much always mix up my shots. I push my opponent back with agressive, deep shots, then I usually hit a shallow angle shot, dropshot, or slice it. Then if the point continues after that, I try to just keep my shots aggressive until I can just smack it down from the net.

Of course, I have trouble consistently playing this way because I'm only like a weak 3.5, and I don't have that much control over the ball.

 

[Supernatural_Serve]

A basic game plan for me is as follows against a right hander with no obvious weaknesses:

Service Game

Deuce

1. Body Serve w/Spin and play directionals a la (Paul Wardlaw's directionals)

Ad

1. Big Kick Serve wide forcing a return from outside the doubles alley
2. Hit cross court winner, especially looking to attack weak short ball

Deuce

1. T-Serve (take away angles, make him hit at me or try to pass me wide from the center of the court) and aggressively come to net to volley
2. Depending on return, either put it away or hit a wide volley deep to his backhand

Ad

1. Big Kick Serve wide forcing a return from outside the doubles alley
2. Hit cross court winner, especially looking to attack weak short ball

Notes:

a.) On 2nd serves, I use more spin and less drive but look for same placement
b.) Anytime my basic progammed play breaks down, I immediately drop into playing Paul Wardlaw's directionals with my recovery to spot or home base being 1 or 2 feet left of the center mark (shrinking my backhand exposure and giving me more opportunities to run around it and hit a ball inside out) at the baseline
c.) Occasionally throw in one of my junk ball type serves when I feel it is time to show him something else or he is leaning. I tend to use these more serving to Deuce and in later service games in the set. Very wide short, soft spin serve, spin serve down tee spinning like a lefty hit it, very high bouncing top spin serves, etc.
d.) If something works, I tend to keep using it until he stops it. Like heavy kick serves to his backhand to Ad (anyone who isn't an excellent returner will see lots of these). or big body serves to Deuce.
e.) If he can't pass me well or freaks out, I will serve and volley more often, but average a little less than 2 serve and volley points per service game.
f.) If its obvious he can't handle high bouncing kick or top spin serves, then he will see more of them and I will attack the net and take weak returns out of the air.

I am looking to end points quickly or play directionals. I prefer to be more on autopilot both serving and returning.

 

[Dunlopkid]

I'm a consistent player. My main weapon is the inside out forehand. Game plan's simple. Keep it in play, wait for opening, rip inside out.

 

[TennsDog]

Serve and volley on my own service games and all-court on return games. One key is that I use my serve as a weapon to get cheap points or set up easy points. If I'm serving well, everything else will work. When I'm at the baseline, I like to move the ball around with my forehand.

 

[MasterTS]

Lately this has been my game plan:

Hit deep with heavy topspin but not really going for any big shots.. Basically beat them with consistency. When a short ball comes try to place it well in one of the corners and then come in to finish the point. Serving big kickers outwide on both sides and switch it up with a T serve once in a while. Take first serve returns early with short compact swing for a flat drive, and stay back on second serve returns hitting them back deep with high topspin.

I'm trying to work out a more aggressive baseline game plan right now but trying to balance out risk/reward of consistency and agressive placement.

 

[peter]

Hit big (fairly flat) into the corners. Take command directly on all shots. Get *them* to run. If all else fails - hit *harder*...

Does it work? (Nope). Is it a smart plan? (Nope). Is it great fun? (YESSS!!!)

 

[drakulie]

Depends who I am up against, but primarily serve and volley on my serve. Returning, try to hit exclusively to opponents backhand and open up the court to give me options.

Against left-handers I hit almost exclusively to their forehands.

 

[AngeloDS]

Keep the ball in the court and not outside the court is the best strategy for most.

For me it depends on the person; I play my regular game mostly. My regular game is just really safe playing but keeping the ball deep and not hitting extreme angles. Forcing my player to hit harder shots and those angles, which is what I look for.

 

[Andres]

Take the net.
If I have to, I'll stay behind, and rally for 900 balls, but at the minimal chance, I'll try to take the net.