Jorge Capestany - TennisDrills TV

Four Non-negotiable Tactics

Many players spend their time during a match trying to get themselves to play at a higher and higher level, thinking this is the only way to defeat their opponent. This type of thinking is especially prevalent with juniors and club players.

However, what I have found over the years is that the best players and pros actually have a different mindset. Instead of only trying to raise their own level, they will also consider the possibility of lowering their opponent’s level of play.

There are four specific tactics that are effective in lowering your opponent’s level and getting them to play worse. Every good player needs to add these tactics to their arsenal. They are:

1. Deadly service accuracy: Since 70% of players report that they have a stronger forehand and 25% respond that have a stronger backhand. This means that only 5% of possible opponents that have no weaker side. In other words, 95% of the time we play a match our opponent will have a weaker side. That’s a newsflash! Many players simply ignore this information and are content to just get the serve in the box. However, if you have an accurate serve and you isolate your opponent’s weaker side, it is like playing an entirely different person.

2. The ability to moonball: This skill requires patience and many good players refuse to learn this tactic because they feel like “it’s not real tennis.” These are the same people that will suffer the most when they play against a moonballer. The moonball is a very effective way to get your opponent to play worse. I have never heard a student come off the court after playing a moonballer and talk about how well they played and how much fun it was. That alone should tell you how effective this tactic is.

3. The ability to slice the ball: Many players have not developed an effective slice they can use during a match. However, slicing the ball is one of the most effective ways to lower your opponent’s level. Think about the last time you played well against a slicer or hacker and you will realize just how well this tactics works.

4. The ability to drop-shot: Since nearly 100% of players like to play from the baseline. It is essential for players today to have a useable drop-shot. This is the most effective way to get a baseliner away from his comfort zone and into the front court. Yet too many of today’s players have not developed this shot. This is no more important shot in today’s game than a drop-shot. It will be a viable tactic in nearly every single match we play.

Next time you find yourself behind in a match, try using one of these tactics and watch your opponent stumble. Once you win a match using these tactics, you’ll be hooked on using them and adding them to your game.

Jorge Capestany - TennisDrills TV

Jorge is the Founder of www.tennisdrills.tv - a video based website that shows more than 700 videos of tennis drills and tips. Jorge is one of only nine people world-wide that is a Master Professional with both the USPTA and PTR. Jorge is a 6-time Michigan Pro of the Year a 2-time Midwest Pro of the Year. Jorge has coached hundreds of ranked juniors including 3 national champions.