Category Archives: Singles

How to Hit Consistently with Pace and Accuracy

Tennis Strategy, Singles, ,

In this post, we are continuing understanding the 10 questions to ask to become a better tennis player.

Last time, we went over covering the court. Today, we are going to go over hitting the ball, specifically the pace of shot and how to throw your opponent off balance with changing the pace.

The Test of a Good Player

Ask yourself the following 10 questions to measure your progress toward becoming a great player.

  1. Covering the Court
  2. Hit the ball
  3. Control my shots
  4. Setting up the points
  5. Control my nerves
  6. Learn from my mistakes
  7. Intimidate my opponents
  8. Pressure my opponent
  9. Enjoy the battle
  10. Handle the outcome  

Pace of Shot

Once you learn to stroke the ball, the question arises, how fast should you swing? If yous wing faster or slower with the same form, the ball will go harder or softer accordingly. In tennis 

Some coaches recommend changing the pace in order to upset the rhythm of your opponent. This is very difficult to do. Most errors come from over­hitting or dumping the ball in the net. I recommend finding the pace where you can hit the ball consistently and accurately and don’t change it. 

Let your opponent try to get you out of your rhythm. If you have the skills to change the pace of the ball and change the height, you might want to try getting your opponent out of rhythm and see what happens.

Singles Strategy

Singles, ,

Serve and Stay Back: Many players stay behind the baseline after they serve and depend upon their opponent’s errors to win points. Players with powerful groundstrokes will hit the ball deep and crosscourt until their superior strokes prevail. Players without powerful strokes but are very quick and agile often-just get everything back and rely on frustrating their opponents. Other players just rely on strategy (spin, change of pace, moon balls, unreturnable serves or luring their opponents into hitting their weakest shots).

A highly successful strategy is to wait for your opponent to hit a short or weak shot and

then attack. Here are three good ways to attack a short ball (one that lands near the service line).

The most popular is to hit it over the lowest part of the net(the center strap) with enoughTopspin to keep it in the court. It works best when you have an angle and you are standing still. Your goal is to hit a winner and end the point.If you have to hit the short ball on the run, it is safer to hit it flat, straight ahead, and deep.

Your goal is to follow it to the net and put away the volley. This shot is called an approach shot and is best taken on the rise. It has a short backswing and a short follow through. You should move in with the racquet back, holding your volley grip.

The third shot is the dropshot. It should be used sparingly, never on the big points, Itworks best as a surprise and when your opponent is far behind the baseline.