Baseline to Baseline Singles Strategy

A key aspect good tactical singles play is to know your strategy before you walk on the court and that means knowing how to react to your opponent’s position, the placement of the ball, and your position on the court. By having a mental map of where the best targets are for your return, you will not only react quicker, but you’ll also react smarter. 

Tennis should have a percentage game plan that you will adjust when you receive more input about your opponent’s game. When you learn your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses you will be able to adjust your plan in order to take into account those “X Factors”. Tennis is like chess when it comes to strategy, you must continually adjust and readjust in order to win. Something that worked last match, last set or last game against this opponent may not work now. By focusing on what they are doing well or attempting to accomplish, you will be a will to counter with a new strategy. 

By breaking the court into three separate lanes we will be able to identify different balls and build patterns of play. The three lanes will be drawn vertically through the court continuing through both sides. The furthest lane to the right will be the forehand lane (right handed point of view), the furthest lane to the left will be the backhand lane and the lane between them will be the center lane.

When looking at the court from a geometric point of view there are three important factors. The first thing to notice is that the net is lower in the center of the court. There is a 6 inch difference between where the center strap as compared to the net post (or single stick). By playing the ball over the lower point of the net you’re raising the percentage of having a successful shot. The second point is that the court is longer when hitting crosscourt compared to down the line. The court measures 78 feet from baseline to baseline up the singles line. When measuring baseline to baseline crosscourt, it measures just over 82.5 feet. By adding this extra space it improves the area you have to get the ball in play. 

The third and most important geometric fact is that you can pull your opponent outside the boundaries of the court. When hitting a ball down the line, your opponent will not have to move wider than the singles line horizontally to return your shot. When the ball is played crosscourt, it is possible to have the ball land inside the boundaries of the court and continue on the outside of the singles line. 

With these geometric thoughts in mind you need to establish the pattern in which to build your baseline rally game plan around. When the ball is coming to you lands in the forehand lane, your best percentage shot is to return the ball crosscourt. By using the angle you can work your opponent off the court and either force a short ball or put them off balance enough to be able to recover in time for your response. 

With the same idea in mind, balls landing in the backhand lane should be played crosscourt as well. You will give yourself the greatest margin for error while producing a shot that could potentially earn you a ball you can win the point on. Balls landing in the center should be struck with your most offense of stroke. For most players their strength is the forehand. Forehands are usually more versatile and can be disguised better. Balls landing in this area maybe hit to either of your opponents outside lands. Keep in mind were your opponents weaknesses lie when selecting your shot. I usually like to see this ball hit inside out to your opponent’s backhand. 

Once you own this pattern, you can adjust it to how your opponent plays. If they have a weak backhand, you will increase your backhand and center lanes targeting all center balls inside out to exploit the weakness. Continue to use your forehand cross court to set up the backhand and keep your opponent off balance. 

Also you can adjust your pattern to how you are playing. If you look in your toolbox of shots and noticed that you left your backhand at home, you know that you will have to expand your center lane as well as your forehand lane. When you’re forced to hit a backhand follow the pattern again to give yourself the greatest room for error by hitting crosscourt. Try to avoid hitting your shots to your opponent’s backhand to close up the angles of return to your backhand. The majority of your center lane shots should go cross court instead of inside out, so forces them to hit a down the line return  (a lower percentage shot) to exploit your weakness.

This basic strategy is your jumping off point for a match. The more you watch play, the more you can adjust your tactics to fit your opponent style as well as your strengths and weaknesses. Imagine walking into a big presentation in front of hundreds of people without an outline of what you plan to say. This is what it is like coming into a match without a game plan.” Plan your play … Play your plan… Adjust to fit.”