One of my subscribers wrote me an email today and asked about a “singles strategy system”.

My response to his email is below…

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Hi and thanks very much for your email and kind words.    

 

I have my own style of playing singles based on serve and volley strategies when it’s my serve and approaching either behind a return of serve or standard approach shot from the baseline when I’m receiving serve. 

 

I have recently added a little more baseline play to my game, not so much to outlast my opponent strictly from the baseline, but to hit shots that might produce waeker shots from my opponent that I can approach the net on. 

Ideally I’d like to be approaching or at the net when the point is over.

 

I do know that hitting passing shots from my baseline is a reality as my opponent may be able to get to net before I do, but even when they are either approaching or at the net, if an easy passing shot opening is not available, there are shots I can play that will create an opportunity for me to approach the net even when they have are physically located in their net area.

 

The other component to playing an “all-court” game is grips.  If you are restricted to any version of a western forehand grip or if you cannot use a continental grip, then trying to play an “all-court” game is very difficult.

 

There really is no “system” for singles strategies for a pure baseline game other than playing high percentage cross court groundstrokes. 

I don’t mind playing groundstrokes with various spins, speeds, depths, and placements that produce approachable shots from my opponent, but restricting yourself to either outlasting your opponent or needing to hit winners from the baseline to win points doesn’t require much of a system.

 

You hit cross court, cross court, cross court, and maybe eventually get your opponent so far wide that you can then hit something up the line for a winner, then so be it. 

That doesn’t sound like much of a recipe for enjoying this game plus those players typically make pretty lousy doubles players.

 

So, all of that said, and it’s coincidental with the timing of your email to me, I am organizing the video shoot for an “all-court” singles strategy DVD. 

 

This new product will be specific for playing all-court singles and will not spend any time on pure baseline play.  I do not teach the full western forehand grip even though from time to time it’s appropriate to have and use a slight semi-western forehand in an all-court approach to playing singles.

 

What is your #1 question regarding singles strategies?

Thanks again for your email.

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