In tennis, you need to be fast, alert, and responsive.
You also need to be strategic.
One of my favorite parts of playing the game is tennis strategy.
A wonderful benefit of playing tennis is it keeps your mind sharp.
In this article, we are going to talk about EVERYTHING you need to know about how to have a winning tennis strategy.
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Essential Tennis Singles Strategy
When playing a game of singles tennis the strategic planning is all on you!
When creating your strategic plan before you head into a match, ask yourself a few questions:
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- How are you feeling today?
- What are your opponents strengths and weakness?
When deciding what strategy you will use for your match you will definitely want to know what your strengths and weaknesses are.
This will help you decide on where you should stand on the court. If your groundstrokes are your strength then you may want to stay near the baseline.
If you are great at approach shots then use that strength to get to the net.
Tennis Strategy Aggressive Baseliner
If you have strong groundstrokes (read more about those here) then this may be the strategy for you to use.
An aggressive baseliner stays in the back of the court and does what they do best.
They hit CONSISTENT and strong forehands and backhands.
When using this strategy you are WAITING for the other person to miss their hit. You are not hitting “winners”.
If you have great aim, you will want to try to get some hits down the sidelines.
You can also try and hit to where your opponent is not to try and tire them out. If you are great at corner shots…use them!
Tennis Net Strategy
If you are more of a net player then pay attention to these strategy tips.
It all comes down to where your strengths and preferences are and mine are to be at the net!
I feel like the net is a giant refrigerate and I am a magnet that gets drawn up there constantly!
It makes me excited and nervous to have balls flying straight at me with very little response time.
Maybe this means I am some sort of adrenaline junkie? Not sure…anyway if you are a net girl… you are my people!
However, with your net strategy, you don’t want to just be running up there at any old time. You want to have an AMAZING approach shot to get you up there!
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What makes a good approach shot in tennis?
Your goal with hitting an approach shot is to get you to the net with them hitting a weak shot back at you at best.
This is a great shot to understand when you are learning how to play tennis.
One strategy is to hit down the sidelines as that can be a great way to make it tough for your opponent to get the ball back.
I have never been great at doing that. It is a tough shot to be consistent at. If it works for you though…go for it!
I think the best approach shot is ANY shot that goes for your opponent’s weaknesses.
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Best Tennis Approach Shots
I mentioned above that down the line isn’t the only option for a successful approach shot.
If your opponent does not have a strong backhand, a shot deep in the court on their backhand side could be a winner.
A chip shot to the forehand side if that is weaker good be a good strategy to use as well.
Once you hit your approach shot then you need to move quickly!
Hit your shot, then run up to either mid-court center or if you can get up to the net go for it.
Do a quick split-step (see what that looks like here) and you are in a position to take them down at the net.
Essential Tennis Doubles Strategy
Now that we have touched on different approaches to use during your singles match, let’s talk doubles!
You will want to make sure whatever doubles strategy you go with, that your partner is on board!
Tennis Doubles Formations
There are a few different positions that you and your doubles partner can play in. Let’s take a look at those as they are a big part of your doubles strategy.
One Up-One Back
This is the most common position you see in doubles. One player remains near the net, while the other one guards the baseline.
The net player usually snags any shot on their side while the baseline player grabs anything in the back of the court.
Two at the Net
This is a very aggressive strategy and can be a very effective one if you and your partner are both strongest at the net.
You would not want to use this strategy if you are up against a team of good lobbers. You will be chasing balls all day if that is the case.
When you are both at the net it puts a lot of pressure on your opponent as they either have to lob it over you both or get a shot that neither of you can get to at the net.
Double Back
The opposite of the strategy we just touched on is double back where both players hang out at the baseline.
This could be a good option if your opponent is very aggressive. It eliminates the chance of passing shots and gives you a few more seconds to respond to aggressive shots.
Tennis Doubles Strategy with Weak Partner
All players have their strengths and weaknesses. You may be a “better” player than your partner…or you may just have different styles.
If you think your partner is “weak” try not to focus on that. Instead, try to find out what their strengths are and figure out a way to utilize them.
If their groundstrokes aren’t great, see if they would be better up at the net. If they have a stronger forehand make sure they are on that side of the court during non-service games.
Also, see if you can use your strengths to compensate if needed. If they are having a rough day serving (we all have these sometimes) make sure you are ready to hit anything back that the opponent returns to you.
Be a supportive doubles partner.
Try to not point out flaws, instead praise the positive shots that they do get!
Tennis Strategy Against Tall Players
Just because someone is tall does not automatically make them a great tennis player.
Yes, they may be able to stop every shot at the net, but there are lots of tactics you can use to get around this.
The strategy you need against a tall player is the same as any other player.
You need to know their strengths and weakness. If you can find what they struggle with then you have a way to create a strategy.
Pay close attention during the warm-up. Are they good at getting to all the shots?
Are their groundstrokes weak?
Once you find their weakness create a plan to play into that. Use your own strengths to create your winning strategy.
Have a Winning Mindset
One of the most important parts of tennis is having a strong mental strategy.
Go into every match feeling confident. Know what your strengths are. Do not focus on your weaknesses.
Keep positive talk going on in your head throughout the match. If you make a good shot or even if you miss but you gave it a good try…feel grateful!
Tennis scoring is important…but don’t get too hung up on the points if you are down.
With a strong strategy and a winning mindset…you can accomplish anything!
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