How to Counter Specialist Styles
by David Sammel
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Get the return in play against the serve and vollyer. Even average
returns cause this player to expend energy and maintain focus. |
One of the more intriguing aspects of tennis is the various games
styles that are available to players. Even though tennis has become much
more of an all court game, all players still favor a particular style of
play. No longer can a player rely purely on one style of play and be poor
in other areas of the court, however the modern player will build a game
style around their strengths. This means that every good competitor should
be clear in their mind about their own game style and how their strengths
will hurt their opponents. Equally important players need to know how to
counter the various styles of play they will compete against.
In this article I have outlined the basic game styles available and
share some ideas on how to counteract the different styles of play.
Remember that each player is unique and within these different game styles
there will be specific strengths or weaknesses you can only identify once
you have played against or watched a player carefully.
The Serve and Volleyer
The serve and volleyer expects many free points and wants the opponent
to get a complex about their return of serve. He thinks if he can put away
some good returns and passing shots early in the match, the opponent will
panic and start to try for better and better returns and passes. When a
serve and volleyer serves well it is easy to feel that they are
unbreakable.
How to Counter
- Try to make as many returns off the first serve as you can, even if
it gives him an easy volley. Giving the serve volleyer a high volume of
balls to put away pays off later in the match when the pressure is high.
- Attack the second serve, not specifically with pace but by moving up
the court to get the ball back faster and rush the volleyer. It is then
very important to make him volley for a second time or hit an overhead.
Do not go for rash passes off good volleys – make him play. Again, the
pay-off comes later in the match!
- Be patient – Do not panic but sit and wait for the loss of focus –
the game that has a double fault, the missed volley or many service
faults. It often happens after one or two great service games.
- Try to hit as many returns to the feet as possible, not neglecting
the return down the middle.
The Good Returner
This player makes a high volume of returns and hits the ball well in
front, rushing the server. He wants to create the following feelings:
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Serve into the body of the good returner. This helps prevent a high
volume of return winners. |
- Server getting nervous not knowing where to serve to get an easy
point.
- Server is afraid of the return and therefore does not serve and
volley anymore.
- Server is afraid of the return and therefore begins to press on his
serve and double faults creep into his game.
How to Counter
- Serve into the body more. It is harder to step into the ball when it
is coming at you. Do not look for the easy point, expect a return. Do
not rush the first shot or volley – make him play his second shot of the
rally. They rely on quick points. This player is a tough customer so
does not panic unless you show that you are prepared to make him play
longer points. Run hard and work hard to give him a high volume of
second shots.
- Keep your 1st serve percentage high by mixing in a lot of ¾ speed
serves into your repertoire. Also use a mixture of spins to prevent the
class returner from settling into a routine knowing what to expect.
- Try to mess up his range by mixing up the serve and volley game. In
other words, sometimes wait for the return, then go in and take a few
chances hitting a few bigger second serves.
- Prevent giving him easy
games on his own service. This allows him to concentrate exclusively on
his strong point – breaking you with good returns.
The Clay Court Specialist
This player will wear you down until you lose reason and patience and
start slashing at balls looking for a quick winner, or attacking the net
without rushing and unbalancing him first.
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Controlling wide balls with height keeps you in the point longer |
How to Counter
If you are not a similar player you know you have to attack well –
therefore most important is your frame of mind. Accept that:
- You will be passed.
- You will watch some top spin lobs land behind you.
- It may take you a while to break him down.
- You need to look forward to the moment when he actually becomes erratic and
gives you a few freebies.
Method of Attack
- Your own serve is your biggest weapon in this fight – use it well to
keep them off balance. Approximately 60% three-quarter pace first
serves, concentrating on placement (including to the body) so that your
first serve percentage remains high. 40% hard serves so he can never
settle down to one pace and you can get a few free points.
- Serve and volley some of the time especially at 30-40, 40-30 and
advantage points
- The two big shots in your attack arsenal after the serve are the
second shot off the return and the return of serve. If the second shot
is a volley, volley behind the player a lot and cut off volleys short
(not drop volleys but turning away volleys cross court).
- When the second shot is off a shorter return you must attack the ball to
take command of the point and create chances for the “cut in.”
- When you attack the net do not forget one of the most neglected approach
shots – deep down the middle to jam them up and take away a clay-courter’s
lifeblood – passes made on the run creating angles. Play the down the middle
shot to force him to hit a backhand e.g. if he regularly runs round the backhand
(to hit inside-out forehands) then your “down the middle shot” might actually be
further over to his backhand side.
Return of Serve
- Make a high volume of returns off first serves using height. Do not
be too proud to stand well back to achieve this. As you get used to his
serve, you can step up into the court to rush him more.
- Returning second serve – step up into the court, hit it early and
attack it to rush him and take control of the point. (Remember hitting a
ball early and attacking it does not mean rushing or hitting hard only.)
If you see the opponent is in trouble, cut in and volley and sometimes
approach directly after the return.
Warning - Just because you hit a good second shot or return does not mean that you
keep control of the point. Often the opponent will counter with good
length and spin. In this case, settle down and play the point looking for
an opportunity to attack. Do not press to take control – play for it
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Passing the net rusher with wrong foot passing shots force the
player to make tougher volleys |
The Net Rusher
A net rusher wants to rush until you panic. The player often approaches
the net on a “bluff” and relies on the pressure of you having to pass him
so often that it wears you down.
How to Counter
- Watch the ball and play your shots as you normally would, ignore the
odd, amazing dive volley! Once he knows you are not rushed to pass him
and do not mind him winning a fair share of the points when he has hit a
good approach shot, this player has little left.
- Make the opponents play a high volume of volleys and overheads.
- Take any chance you get to go in. Rarely do “chip and charge
merchants” hit good passing shots themselves.
The Big Hitter
This player tries to blast you off the court and overpowers you. He
will usually start well and is a good front runner. Awesome when playing
well.
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The higher jumping ball hit to a length prevents the power player
from hitting a large volume of clean winners. Here Venus is able to
play inside the court which gives her the advantage. |
How to Counter
- Hustle and use height. It is imperative that this player is made to
hit 3 or 4 big shots to win the point as often as possible.
- Swing early and meet his big shots in front so you can use his pace
against him. Also if you can get to the net at times forcing him to hit
passing shots and force the pace may cause him to overhit and lose
control. Your state of mind needs to prepare you to ignore his great
shots, work hard and not be intimidated; be convinced he will run out of
big shots if he has to hit enough of them. Once he begins to miss and
hesitate you are in control.
The Deceptive Player
This player wants to break your rhythm and more importantly prevent you
from establishing any rhythm at all. He will mix up and rush you by
deceptive play because he holds the ball on the strings well. He mixes
pace, and varies his serves, can generate surprising pace when moving
forward on the ball, and time a return off a big serve. A very difficult
customer.
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Hingis cleverly disguises the drop shot. Notice how she continues
to move with the ball which will prevent it from floating. She is able
to do this because the ball she received is not hit deep enough. |
How to Counter
- Apart from possibly the serve they have few gears to step up the
pace.
- Their game is based on timing, with fewer margins for error when
they move the ball to create angles. They are prone to making mistakes
in batches.
- Play back to the opponent, e.g. if he hits a cross-court angle, hit
the ball back cross-court in order to reduce the angles, unless you feel
confident of hitting a winning shot down the line.
- Get under the ball
well to keep a good length because then it is harder for them to move
the ball around. It also leads to important approach opportunities. Be
low, alert and agile at the net because if you start to read the passes
from this player, he is dead because he cannot beat you with pace. Stay
low, to give them a problem – the heavy ball!
- Your state of mind – do not be concerned if you feel disjointed
or unbalanced by this player at times – you cannot avoid it. He will cut
you up with little cuts and you need to thrust a sword through him
before you bleed to death. Get him to feel over-powered by hitting big
shots, volleys, serves and overheads when you get a chance. Don’t get
cute and try to out maneuver him when you can kill the ball.
- If you play the same way as this player – play the percentages more.
Within the above styles of player, you may also need to take into account
the following characteristics:
The Sneak In Specialist
Don’t watch for him coming in. Watch the ball and realize that when in
trouble sometimes go for the big shot, and off the backhand slice, go down
the line because this is the most difficult place from which to hit an
effective volley.
The All Rounder
Play your game and wait because even these solid players make mistakes.
You must take some chances to unbalance them.
Very Tall Players and Very Quick Players
Hit directly at tall players when they are at the net. The lob is not
wasted because if they hang back sometimes it is easier to get the ball at
their feet.
Very quick players recover quickly and can reach shots that are played
away from them relatively easily. Therefore, a good tactic is often to
place the ball behind them in the spot they have just come from, thus
wrong footing the player.
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