Many players enter a court court without an established strategy for winning each point, hoping they’ll simply start hitting balls hoping they will eventually end up taking one out.
This article will focus on Tennis Singles Tactics and Strategies that can help you win more points, by forcing errors out of your opponent.
1. Taking Initiative
Although many players believe the only way to succeed at tennis is to play “strong” and hit winners from the baseline, top players know that sound singles strategy involves either forcing errors or creating winner opportunities (see Forcing Tennis). This requires both consistency and depth in approach.
If you play against an excellent “tennis pusher,” surprise them by hitting an angled drop shot or attacking the net to force them into an unusual volley, which will throw them off balance and force them to hit low percentage passing shots back towards you. This will force them into hitting back into an easy or medium shot volley for their opponent instead.
Though this is a good starting point, the top tennis players have various strategies that they use against every opponent to find holes in their opponents’ games and be prepared for whatever comes their way. That is why it is so essential to learn and practice these eight fundamental tennis strategies.
2. Taking the Long View
Tennis matches often come down to fine margins, and having effective singles strategies that enable you to play smarter and more consistently can turn those margins in your favor – even against opponents with superior technique.
Strategie development is of equal importance for players at every level. Players with excellent technique can often employ more complex strategies in their matches; beginners, on the other hand, should focus on simple tactics that improve their game quickly and effectively.
Beginners can employ basic tactics to strengthen their backhand by hitting more short balls into it and taking advantage of weaker return returns with their volley volley, thus significantly increasing their win percentage and helping them defeat more opponents more frequently.
Another basic strategy involves employing crosscourt groundstrokes more frequently than down-the-line shots, forcing your opponent to cover more area of the court while giving you control over rally pace with precision. This tactic may give an edge against risk-averse players.
3. Taking the Long Shot
Often times in tennis, the difference between winning and losing lies not with player strength or shot making quality, but in who implements the most successful strategy during a match – particularly at amateur levels where even small adjustments to strategy can significantly impact its outcome.
Are You Needing an Effective Tennis Singles Strategy? For any tennis player who aspires to reach their full potential, having an effective Tennis Singles Strategy is absolutely crucial. Without one, even though you might win some matches here and there, your full potential may never be realized. Having a plan in place on court acts like having GPS installed; keeping you on the right path during every point and match of every match.
Tennis fans tend to focus on winners and unforced errors when discussing tennis matches, yet many points in professional matches end when one player forces the other into an error. As part of your overall tennis singles strategy it is therefore essential that you develop taking long shots as part of your strategy.
4. Taking the High Shot
Tennis is an intoxicating sport where the aim is to put more balls in play than your opponent and score points. While stats like winners and unforced errors may help provide insight, winning more points simply involves placing one more ball than them into play on court.
Singles tennis demands hitting numerous shots and moving around the court quickly. Running side to side and up and down can be taxing, especially without teammates to cover for you if your energy runs low. One way to overcome this difficulty is hitting plenty of angles to force opponents wide with shots you can then step into.
This strategy can be utilized by all levels of players and provides an effective addition to your practice routine. Learn more by exploring this and our extensive tennis strategy lessons in The 25 Golden Rules of Singles Strategy.
5. Taking the Low Shot
Though it might seem counterintuitive to hit short balls when given the chance, short ball shots are one of the best singles strategies. By forcing your opponent out of their comfort zone and forcing mistakes from them, this shot can help break them up into pieces and force mistakes from them as well.
When hitting low shots, make sure that they come with enough pace and spin to throw off your opponent and help break through them to score the point. Target your opponent’s weak side in order to maximize your chance of victory and achieve point victory.
An integral component of this strategy is hitting groundstrokes acrosscourt as often as possible, because this provides the greatest margin for error as the ball travels over the lowest part of the net and more difficult for your opponent to return it as it’s more likely to bounce in their service box.
6. Taking the Long Volley
Step one in winning more singles points lies in devising a coherent plan for every point, otherwise known as strategy. Without such a goal in sight, your tennis performance will never reach the potential it has.
As such, it is imperative for each player to establish a set of fundamental strategies they can rely on in any match situation. They should act like GPS for your game and help guide it toward meeting its goals.
One effective strategy is the long volley. This tactic can help to throw off your opponent and take control of a point by taking them by surprise. This technique works especially well if they stand back when returning your serve and allows you to volley the ball back at them and reduce their chance of making a good return.
7. Taking the Long Drop Shot
Tennis matches can often come down to minute details, and knowing the proper tactics can make all the difference in winning or losing a match. Without an effective plan in place for each point, your performance won’t reach its fullest potential; having a solid plan acts like GPS to keep you on the right path.
One effective way to surprise a tennis pusher is with a long drop shot. Since they’re typically used to hitting short angle shots and staying behind the baseline, a long drop shot can be difficult for them to predict or read; especially if added with sidespin for added difficulty!
Use this singles strategy to establish control and force your opponent to move around the court frequently, ultimately leaving them tired and frustrated; making them more susceptible to big shots from you. Or add an element of surprise by mixing things up by using drop shots off a topspin serve!
8. Taking the High Drop Shot
Even the strongest tennis players may fall prey to opponents who execute simple strategies more successfully than themselves, because most points in tennis are determined by small margins – and improving your talent or technique simply can’t make up for that fact.
Instead, it is best to adjust your tactics in order to counter your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Thankfully, tennis strategy can be learned at any level of play and applied easily across a range of situations and opponents.
One effective strategy against tennis pushers is taking high drop shots. By hitting backhand down-the-line drop shots or forehand inside out drop shots from well behind the baseline, these may prove difficult for pushers to return. Furthermore, adding sidespin can keep the ball away from them so they cannot run it down; and even if they return it you still can hit a lob for an easy winner!