TennisOne Lessons

Learn to Play from No-Man's Land

Dave Kensler - Peter Burwash International (PBI)

Last month I spent four days watching the Pacific Life Open tournament in Indian Wells, California, I never cease to discover something new. Whether it is watching the matches or practice courts, there is always something to learn from the best players in the world!

One observation I made is that all the players hit shots from “No Man’s Land” whether by choice or because they are forced to do so. It made me think back to when I learned to play this wonderful sport and was told from the first time I stepped on a tennis court, “Stay out of no man’s land!” The implication seemed to be there were only two options: Either you were at the net or the baseline.

As I improved my game, I soon realized how impractical this advice was and how it limited me as a tennis player. Why? Because sometimes we have to play from No Man’s Land either due to the type of shot played by our opponents or to create opportunities with our own shots which allow us to move into No Man’s Land as a way to end or start to end a point.

On this weak second serve, Andre Agassi moves into "No Man's Land" by the time he makes contact which creates more problems for the server.

Now having been a teaching professional for 23 years, I can honestly say I have never given any of my students the same advice I received! In fact, quite the opposite, I have told them they MUST learn to play tennis from what I prefer to call “the mid-court area” because whether they like or not, eventually they will be forced to do so.

Forced Mid-Court Area Shots

• The Weak Serve: Recognize when your opponent has a weak serve and step up. Let's face it, you can't stand behind the baseline and let the ball bounce three times before it gets to you. A weak serve is an opportunity to take control.

• The lob: When you are at the net and the lob goes over your head and you either move back and hit an overhead in the air or after it bounces.

• The Dinker: Playing a dinker, someone who hits very slow balls with their groundstrokes, will force you into the midcourt area.

• Serving and Volley: Sometimes, either because of a slow start to the net or a blistering return from your opponent, you are forced to hit your first volley from No Man’s Land.

• The Approach: The best time to hit an approach is off a short ball, a ball that brings you into the midcourt are.

• The Drop Shot: Successful drop shots are often hit from this part of the court, i.e. a player moves up to a short ball, sees their opponent a few feet behind the baseline and executes a drop shot.

Come to think of it, I think I just noted about every main shot in tennis! However, the mid-court area is not just a “reactionary” place on the tennis court but also where you can create more offensive opportunities and develop a stronger overall game.

Dmitry Tursunov goes to the offense from the mid-court area with a heavy topspin forehand and then closes in towards the net.

Creating Opportunities from the Mid-Court Area

• Look for the short ball. If your shots are deep, your opponent will be pinned back behind the baseline and eventually offer up a weak or shorter return.

• ”Open up” the court with well-placed ground strokes. Many tennis players hit their groundstrokes straight down the middle. Learn to hit the “side-T” areas and get your opponent moving. This will increase the likelihood of a shot from them landing in the mid-court area, an opportunity to step in and take control of the point.

• Add an element of disguise to your serve! Notice that I didn’t say “power” although that can be an option also. However, power doesn’t necessarily mean the return will be short. Sometimes a serve comes back just as fast at it was hit! Pete Sampras did not have the most powerful serve on the tour but he had the most well-disguised serve. It was very difficult to know where he was going to hit it. If either through placement, spin, or both you can keep your opponent guessing where you are going to serve, it will almost guarantee some of the returns are coming back short in the mid-court area.

• Take advantage of the lob. A well placed lob when your opponent is at the net will get them scrambling and often elicit a weak reply.

• Serve and volley. You're coming into the net anyway and thus will “automatically” hit a mid-court area shot but just having your opponent know you can serve and volley or attack the net is sometimes enough to make them tight or nervous and that will only cause them to hit short.

• Force your opponent to play shots from the mid-court area! This may sound kind of strange at first but one way to create an offensive opportunity for yourself in the mid-court area is to have your opponent hit some shots from there too! So bring them in at your discretion and you can easily take control.
  
  

  Click photo: John McEnroe executes a perfect backhand dropshot from No Man's Land to bring his opponent into the net then he hits a lob over his opponent's head for an out right winner.

  If we go with the assumption most tennis players aren’t confident in the mid-court area of the court, then logic dictates that once they are there they won’t know what to do or won’t be able to effectively execute well timed shots. Hit soft, low, groundstrokes which force your opponent forward and there is a good chance their reply will also be short and lacking in purpose. This will allow you to move in for a passing shot, lob, or hard it ball right at them!

It Starts With Attitude

So what should you do to improve your mid-court tennis game whether it be the “forced” or “created” shots?

Most importantly, begin with the attitude it is okay to be in the mid-court area of the tennis court. Points are won and lost based on the results of balls hit, not where you are standing when you hit the ball.

How to Practice Your Mid-Court Shots

Serving: There is one issue pertaining to the serve and mid-court area I noticed among some of the pros at the Pacific Life Open. Those players with big serves that carry them into the court after contact (but they are not serving and volleying) sometimes, because of a quick return, are forced to hit their second shot before they are able to retreat behind the baseline. If this happens to you, then practice having to play these shots.This might require working with someone who is at or above your level of play so they can take your serve and hit it right back at you consistently.

Return of Serve: Whether through league play, a regular weekly match, or a tournament, if you know you are going to play someone who has a weak serve (First and / or second) or lacks depth with their serve, then have your teaching pro or friend hit “wimpy” serves to you while you stand inside the baseline to return them.

Groundstrokes: I recommend to all my students to practice their ground strokes from five feet behind the baseline, standing on or right behind the baseline and 1-3 feet inside the baseline because you don’t always know what type of balls your opponent will be hitting to you. Also, if you play outdoors, the wind can impact where you might have to stand to play effectively. In watching the pros at the Pacific Life Open, even for just one point they may “travel” in an area from way behind the baseline to inside the baseline.

Stand inside the baseline and set up a ball machine or have your pro feed you balls and practice this shot.

Volley: Most players practice their volley while standing at the net but that is not the way the game is played. Set up for your first volley just behind the service line and hit your second volley while moving forward. Anyone who has played doubles while serving and volleying has had to hit these types of shots.

Half-Volley: Learn to get comfortable with this shot. Set up just behind the service line like you did for the volley then have your pro or a ball machine feed the first ball at your feet. Continue moving toward the net and hit your second volley.

Overhead: So often tennis players work on their overhead by standing in the ideal position, i.e. half-way between the net and service line. Yet once the match begins, lobs are often going everywhere. The pros can hit overheads from anywhere on the court and so should you! Practice moving back and hitting them in the air or after they bounce. Not every lob from your opponent will be right to you and not everyone will be over your head for a winner. It is all those “in between” lobs which you need to practice hitting overheads on.

Venus Williams hits a great forehand drop volley from the mid-court area. More than likely this was setup by a forceful previous shot which produced a weak return from her opponent.

Short Balls: These are shots whether from a return of serve or groundstroke by your opponent, force you to move inside the baseline to hit your next shot. In my opinion, you have four choices at that point, all of which you should practice:

• Approach shot. Hit this shot and move in towards the net in anticipation of your next shot, a volley or overhead.

• Point ending ground stroke. Emulate Aggasi and go for a winner!

• Drop shot. Often overlooked but very effective, especially against slower opponents.

• Lob. Probably a more common choice in doubles if the other team is in too close.

An easy way to practice these is to set a ball machine to hit short and you can then work on all four of these options!

“No Man’s Land” can be a great place to position yourself! Add the mid-court area to your tennis game and you just may improve dramatically!

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Dave Kensler's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.

Dave Kensler has been teaching tennis for 23 years with Peter Burwash International (PBI).

PBI contracts with resorts, hotels and clubs all over the world to direct tennis programs.The company presently has professionals working at 62 facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean. During its 30 years in business, PBI tennis professionals have taught tennis in over 135 countries.For more information visit: www.pbitennis.com.