There are only 2 tactical decisions in tennis.
1 - To take time away from your opponent, or
2 - To hit out of your opponent’s strike zone.
We teach 4 ways to take time away from your opponent: -
1. Take the ball early.
2. Hit with disguise.
3. Approach the net.
4. Hit on the rise.
We teach 5 ways to hit out of your opponent’s strike zone: .
1. Slice, so your opponent bends.
2. Hit heavy, so the opponent has to hit above their strike zone.
3. Hit deep middle, to cramp the opponent.
4. Hit wide or angled, to make your opponent reach for the ball.
5. Hit diverse passing shots, which combines the above 4 by going at the body, at the feet, lob them, hit a sharp dipping cross court ball, or to hit to the gap down the line.
The Bailey Tennis Footwork "Training Journey" offers 7 progressive stages of player development. The 4th stage is the "Dimension Master", where a player can combine the strongest Contact Moves that all have a similar “way of hitting” (eg: heavy, angled, disguised etc), to either take time away from their opponent or hit out of the opponent’s strike zone.
This is one of my fantastic Division One players in a drill combining the Contact Move of a Run-around FH with the tactical decisions to “hit heavy”, “hit with disguise” and “taking it early”.
Check out her focus and energy in the drill!! She is a fantastic athlete!!
Move Great! Play Great!
