Having a strategy or a plan is essential not only in life but also on the tennis court. While setting goals are great, if you do not have a strategy or plan of attack, your goals will never become a reality. You won’t lose weight if you do not implement a plan; you won’t own that long dreamed of house if you don’t have a plan to save money for the down payment; and the list goes on.

The same holds true for tennis players. When you step on the court against your opponent, whether you have played them before or not, you must have a plan to beat them. Keeping the ball in play is wonderful but if you have no strategic endpoint, then the probability is extremely high that you will not win the match.

STRATEGIES FOR A BETTER MATCH

You must take time away from your opponents; force them to make difficult shots from uncomfortable positions; be unpredictable; and finally, utilize the full dimensions of the court to exhaust them. While I am not a great fan of playing against an opponent who loves to use the drop shot, having the ability to utilize a well-executed drop shot from time to time is a nice addition to the weapons you can employ to make your opponent uncomfortable. Another great skill is the ability to utilize angled shots to keep the ball away from your opponents. Monica Seles was a master at using the angles.

KEEP YOUR OPPONENT OFF-BALANCE

Serve and volley, if periodically injected throughout your match, can be a great tool to keep your opponents off balance. Many players have one-dimensional games and usually they prefer playing from the back of the court with no desire to venture to the net unless it is to shake hands at the end of the match; however, being able to play at the front of the court adds another dimension to your game and puts the odds in your favor of winning the match. Not to mention, shortening some of those long grueling rallies than can be quite exhausting.

To improve your chance of securing the victory, it is essential to have a plan or two when you step on court.