The Secrets of Singles

This is a bold quest. How possibly can I show you and myself the secret of the game to singles? How can I best put myself in a position to win the match? Do I just keep the ball in play and wait for my opponent to make an error? Is this a game of mental toughness where if I just play my best I'll win? If I take lessons will this help me win? Should I only play players better than me and then play my level? Is there a formula for winning. The list of questions goes on and on. There's two books I recommend reading--"The Inner Game of Tennis" and "Winning Ugly". The reason I chose those is that the Inner Game focuses on your mind which has to be in the right place. The biggest opponent you'll ever find is yourself. You have control over yourself and that's a great place to start. But there's more! What about your opponent? They have a leading role in your on court production too. Winning Ugly will give you insight to handing the outer game of tennis. It's managing the inner and outer games well that give the best chance of winning and more importantly playing my best. In this post I'll review percentage plays to run based upon game styles, court geometry. and body rotation.

The basic geometry of the court says that it's percentage to hit the ball cross court where the net is lower, more court available, and the body rotates inward when hitting a ball cross court, supporting the direction. Going down the line (long line or side line) is going against the grain of that rotation, has less court available (much less) and has a higher net. That means going down the line. can be done when the shot "feels" right, which is when your body is in great position to turn that "outside" the body shot up the line, If I select the wrong ball to turn up the line, I give my opponent a cross court opportunity that opens the door for them to stretch me wide as heck to cover a cross court ball. Now they are in scoring position on the next shot. That doesn't mean I shouldn't go up the line, It just means be selective. The more you play you can feel when those opportunities arise. Waiting for short balls inside the baseline is a good guide to follow. It also depends how good your down the line is on the wing your hitting (forehand or backhand). I'd call this basic geometry, singles 101. Singles 102 is when, you get an inside ball (one that doesn't pass the outside of your body, and the ball is a normal groundstroke (not an extremely deep high ball), you can turn the ball easier up the line because the hip rotation is more natural. You can also elect to hit the ball inside out, like many players do to position their power forehand or backhand in a position in which the opponent has to react to one of two possibilities, your inside out out shot or your inside, inside, wrap up the line. Hitting inside groundstrokes offer great advantages when in an exchange with an opponent and it makes them work harder while you're managing risk much better.

Beating the Pusher

Try to make them run side to side and approach the net and make them run to pass you. Typically they won't give you an amazing passing shot. Be ready to cover with an overhead or knock them off with your volley. Another play is to attack with a rip to their strength and come to the net to finish or slice low to their weaker side and approach the net. Another play is to slice them. short and then drive them back. This opens up court for you. When slicing you can use a mid court low no pace shot and follow to net, They don't have much to hurt you with. When they come to the net go up the line and or cross court with dipping spin. Even a rip at their weaker volley can give you points..

Counter Puncher

They move well and they're consistent and move well. Hit behind them to make them change direction. Try to positioning your self for inside shots. Try to position yourself for inside forehands against their backhand. You have to have a good backhand cross court to execute this play, and if can hit topspin high up into their backhand wing, sets up your inside out forehand heavy to their backhand and then and fire your forehand cross court pushing stretching them wide outside the court. If you can do that, congrats! /You now have open court with your forehand directing the next ball inside down the line. Great work! They are on the hook. Another play you can use is shorter slice cross court from your backhand, followed by heavy topspin to their backhand setting up the same play I just listed. Be patient and rally a deep ball up the middle and when they change the direction of the ball you go cross court making them run, setting up another hit behind on your next shot. When approaching the net try hitting behind them to a corner or chipping short to their backhand and approach the net. When they approach the net, use dippers, balls topped just over their heads, or high lobs hit deep to the baseline, and blasts at their weaker volley side when they are at net.

Aggressive Baseliner

Number 1, don't get into a fast ball war unless your fastball is better. That doesn't mean don't hit hard. It means be selective and manage risk well. How? Start off by hitting the backhand wing most often. That’s the slower side, but still tough. Start with their slower pace side! You have to assess that. Also when serving, keep the ball well placed to the weaker wing mostly. If you can get into their backhand wing and move them in that corner with the plays previously mentioned on how to construct the inside out forehand point, then you have a good chance of controlling the point. This is better strategy than trying to outhit them. When returning serve shoot for a deep return to their bigger swing wing forcing them to get ready quick and not giving up a lot of open court for them to rail drives hard to open spots, which is what they love to do and should. When rallying, another play is to hit deep up the middle, and heavy, If they hit a corner go into cross court play and set up the inside forehand play. Only change directions of a ball on your inside groundstrokes. This gives you good leverage and better percentages. Trying to go up the lone on their hard shots is likely to result in making errors. Keep the strategy simple with the aggressive baseliner. Another play that works with them is to pull them in with a chip and then go up the line on the pass or dip it cross court. If you have a good line on the ball you can also rip it into the body hard. This makes them play a tough defense if they come to the net.

Serve and Volleyer

Is there such a thing? Sure maybe once in a while an opponent will charge on the serve or decide their best chance of them to win is to go to the net. First they want to move in and hit put aways. If you move them side to side this won't be easy. Approaching off wide balls is no picnic. And then set up your inside out forehand plays. Also use the directionals for outside and inside balls that were previously discussed. When approaching the net off a short ball, hit it cross court opening up the court and then hit the next ball cross court. This keeps them moving side to side which keeps them off the net. From the backhand wing you can also rip it cross court and come to the net, again giving you the whole cross court on the next ball. If they hit a short mid court slice, give them the same back and approach so you have a one v one volley dynamic going on which keeps the point neutral. You aim to take the upper hand by hitting a terrific low ball at their feet.

Junk Baller / Change Up Artist

They just like doing crazy chips, lobs, fast balls. They can be very tricky to play and you'll get no timing with them. But you canst them up to miss! Try serving mid court slice to open up court wide the push them back to the opposite side really deep. Execute this from the deuce court. Then you're in the inside out forehand position and in control of the point. Returning serve try the same tactic from the deuce court. Hitting down the line when you're in position well is good because it makes them run. Use slice or drive. And then set up an inside forehand play when you have the chance. This keeps them running a bit more and if they're constantly mixing they can get into trouble and are likely to give you a ball to take the control of the point with. For approaching the net, go to their backhand wing with a good blast and look to volley into the open court. If they give you a low mid court short ball, return the favor with another to their backhand and approach looking to finish in the open court.

The All Courter

Serve in the deuce to the backhand, then try to set up your inside forehand plays. Return to the bigger swing deep then look to set up inside forehand play. When rallying, look to set up directionals and get into inside forehand position. Also hitting deep to deep as discussed with the aggressive basliner, until they open the door with a corner placement then rally till you get the inside forehand opportunity. Attacking the backhand on approaches is good with the next shot going to the open court with volley or overhead (possibly a few shots to finish there). If they chip mid court and approach, return the same to their backhand and also approach, one v. one at the net.

The Lefty

Serve to their backhand mostly to open up deuce court, then hit behind them again. That's a great test of their skill with that play. When serving ad court serve backhand then nail backhand again on the next shot, and set up you inside forehand play. When returning, just focus on getting the ball deep into the backhand. If deep to either side you're doing well. Returning serve is a nightmare. Let their slice break into your backhand when they serve body, and their kick into your forehand. If you don't do this the ball will go right into your body. And this takes getting use to because there aren't many out there and you don't react that way normally. When rallying with them, on deuce side go corner then wide side then go to open court or back to their backhand again. This keeps your forehand into their backhand wing deep. If in a ad court exchange stay cross with your backhand against their forehand and look to get an inside forehand to wrap up the line to force them to hit a running backhand, You now look to set up your forehand plays to finish the point.

I have to give Will Hamilton from Fuzzy Yellow Balls on gaining insight to some of this strategy and to Paul Wardlaw who wrote Directional Theory.
There’s a lot of material here. I’ll offer edits to this post and future blog posts on how to practice these plays, either by yourself, or with a hitting partner. Perfect practice makes perfect.