This happens all of the time in singles.
You’re returning serve, the server has hit a good solid serve, you’re just trying to get it back safely in play, and you end up hitting a tough return to one of the server’s corners.
Totally unintended …
That server is now scrambling just to get to your unintended great return back in play and you’re backing up.
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Hey guys.
I’m heading out to the tennis court to do some video.
Will be back shortly yo respond to your comments and questions.
Brent
These opportunities happen all the time you hit a great ball by accident. Most of my great shots are unintended. Carpe Deim One of my tactics in a different scenario is when I break a string. At the higher levels your opponent is familiar with that sound and knows it. I start to charge the net first to add additional distraction and to make sure I only hit the ball hopefully only one more time and with no spin.
Hey Mike.
Good call on when you break a string – get your fanny up to net asap because it’ll be tough to control a sustained point.
Brent
Ah, the quick foot speed when you need it. Sometimes I may recognize the opportunity, but I’m either late or just not quick enough to get to a court position where I can really take advantage of the opportunity.
Another great teaching lesson, Brent. I remember reading a Tennis World article that described a lesson that Pancho Seguro gave to Connors and the basic message was to get better at reading your own shot. If you hit a penetrating groundie in the sweet spot of your racquet, you know the percentages go up on receiving that short ball. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that is Jimmy Conners was so good at— that quick transition from groundie to approach shot.
I know I tell my students that tennis begins with the eyes and that you have to read the ball coming off the opponents racquet, but Seguro’s point and your point is that advanced players begin to anticipate earlier.
It’s one thing I actually look for. My groundies are only average and I look for anything to shorten points when playing big baseline the hitters.
In terms of this video, it’s nice to see a pro female player volleying. There is not enough of it in their game.
Hi Andy.
The women on tour are coming into net much more now than in recent years for sure.
Dulgheru was looking for chances to scoot in throughout this highlights clip below the instructional video.
Brent
Hi Brent,
Very interesting that I have just started doing exactly what you describe in the video over the last couple months with nice results. Particularly, sometimes when I am returning in the deuce court (I’m right handed), I intend to hit a hard backhand up the middle at the server and instead I get a little in front and unintentionally send it down the line, deep to his backhand. I wish I felt confident trying this shot intentionally more often. But, in any case when this happens unintentionally, I have been jumping on it and following right in to the net with very nice results. At the 4.0 level, most servers don’t like a hard return deep to their backhand and are happy to just get the ball back. I am then able to volley to the open court, usually for a winner. I have even found that a soft but deep return to the server’s backhand can be followed to the net with a high percentage of success.
Cheers,
Richard
Hi Richard.
I’m really glad to read that you’re now actively looking for those unintended opportunities.
I see so many players hit a great unintended shot and immediately scold themselves.
Hey, this tennis thing ain’t an exact science. Take advantage …!
Brent
Really like the way you put this video together.
Yes, I squander far too many opportunities, keen to seize more now.
Alert like a big cat, ready to pounce on his prey!
Good call Dom.
The more you look for those unintended opps, the more you’ll find.
Brent
another great demo clip ! Thanks Brent ~
I miss a lot of opportunities in both singles and doubles … is the idea to have our weight
a little more forward all of the time so that we can be MORE ready to move forward.
I find myself always loading on the back foot and transferring forward with the swing, so I should be moving forward more often. Can’t quite seem to understand why I don’t seize more opportunities to take advantage of an error from the opponent.
“Funny” how easy it is to see when pros don’t take a short ball and move in. What happens that we cannot see it during our own games. It’s not that we don’t know better….
Actually I think it is really hard to make the decision as to when to come in and when to stay back. It’s a split second decision and if it’s the wrong one, it’s easy to get burned. I’ve come in plenty of times and then thought “oops, that was a bad move” as my opponent has an easy opportunity to send a passing shot whooshing by me. But I have also found the more I push the envelope as to when to come in and allow myself to make mistakes, the easier it is to come in at the right time. And sometimes it even works out to come in when I shouldn’t have, cause opponents make mistakes too (e.g. hit an easy lob long). I think one should have weight forward and always be looking to come in, if you’re good at volleying and like to play at the net. The more I get to net when my opponent is in a weak position, the better I do.
Richard
Hi Richard.
I error on the side of getting passed as opposed to staying back and not getting passed.
Mr. Stow put it in my head that you’ve got to look at the big picture. Yes, you are going to get passed on mediocre approaches, and yes you’re going to get passed on great approaches.
If we measure each and every approach, especially after getting passed, most of us would never venture in again.
The truth is that our opponents cannot pass you all day long, and in fact, they don’t want to have to.
The more you keeping moving in when you get your opponent stretched out, the odds keep adding up in your favor over the course of the match.
Brent
Thanks !
Hi Fay.
Good question.
I always want to be moving forward, always looking for chances to rob my opponent tof their time to get back in the middle.
To me that translates into not being behind the baseline.
The chances are slim that my opponent is consistently going to play tough deep shots to the baseline over and over.
Just not going to happen.
So, practice being closer if not on top of the baseline and I think you’ll start to se a ton of opportunities to move in and create havoc.
Brent
Thanks Brent … will try that out.
Hello Fay,
I think one reason (for me) is that some things need to become mental habits. I’ve been reading a note of mine every day for two weeks and finally today, in the middle of a singles point, the thought registered at the right moment and I feigned movement in the direction where I didn’t want his shot to go before the bounce and after the bounce moved the other way – It worked, he hit it right to me.
That’s a good point … maybe I should write it on my hand, lol, so I don’t forget in the heat of the match ~
I forgot to tell you that my note has lots of suggestions on it for me, so, I think I might write them down on both of MY arms.
Seriously, it does work for me…somewhat akin to visualization as there is some visualization going on when I review my notes in the morning before I go out and play. Just to show the REAL ME, here are this mornings notes. By constantly reading these notes they become intuitive after awhile.
Jim M.: the better you get at the basics, the better you get.
Drill: a mindset, a relaxed split step practice regimen where you purposely vary your length, your height, your pace, your placement, on the rise, changing direction, and types of shots. My goal = hits every shot where you are not and varies his shots. (down the line, topspin lobs, slice approach using high bounce/low bounce, windshield for short dipping shots, footwork, spacing)
McEnroe outplayed the entire court with blocking strokes, not power, but playing for position with a simpler stroke – The simplicity of his return of serves often flat if not with low underspin, favored consistency and accuracy, as compared with the inaccurate power of his opponents, who were more accustomed to driving the return of serve with topspin and power. Blockers are more consistent than blasters. Not looking for the exit with winners, but building points by playing for position. That low shot can enable my partner and allows me to close into the net. Power gets us into trouble.
1) wide deep ready position and split step
2) unit turn, racquet high = preparation (prepare before the ball bounce) = shoulder turned into alignment with the ball.
3) wait for ball bounce before the swing
4) hold contact zone count (one, one thousand) stay in the present and focus on the quality of the hit.
5) stroke endings (3), aggressive windshield wiper, lifting reverse, mars topspin lob ball.
6) move forward through the approach drive strokes off outside foot
7) elegant overhead stroke: shoulder turn, hands up, two steps back, pronate, regain court position.
10) relax my body, stay down, and relax my grip, spread fingers
11) aim the drop shot to the center of the quadrant = make the shot = take it on the rise
12) aggressive kick serve
13) slow down in the transition area on the way to the net.
14) stay in your rhythm and don’t slap or swing at the ball, instead roll on the spin. Quantum Stroking, Match their pace.
15) Today’s players are able to neutralize 140mph serves with blocking returns of serve and hit short dipping shots that frustrate big powerful opponents. Ball feel vs power. Win dirty.
16) Doubles smart: a game of the sharp-angled shot, the fast-dropping drive, the short low slice, the attacking lob.
17) Doubles tactic: When they are about to hit a slice backhand, if you come in and poach, you might steal the net from them.
18) Double: Work that 4.5 guy low and over all day in doubles.
19) Doubles: Hit down the alley when you get a short shot in doubles and take the net.
20) Doubles Plays 1) : Lob over the net player’s head or attack the net with your partner, and then hit your volley (or overhead) between your two opponents. 2) Aim Center close to netman’s backhand then sharp volleys 3) Wide and then between.
22) The answer to a smash is usually a lob.
24)The dink to the middle of the service quadrant or the controlled low soft shot when they are not up into a good everyone’s court position is the way to go. Shot selection = low and move up into a better court position. Or a lob return of serve.
25)Singles Probe opponent: Semi deep looper and see what he does with it – does he back up? Offensive opportunity to move in. Use drop shots.
26)try to get to as many balls on the rise as you can and top of bounce. Hit without concern of the outcome.
27)The server or server’s partner can often put away anything but a low and/or exceptionally well placed return, and the pressure this puts on the receiver increases the likelihood of a return error.
28) Rarely does your rush get you all the way to the net for your first volley. Therefore, don’t make this tough shot tougher by going for too much and failing to split step.
29) follow T serves to the net.
30) get first serves in for more points.
31) topspin drill/variety of shots drill: 3 or 4 feet from the net, Topspin: turn the doornob, windshield wiper. Hit up and across. Get down deep. Not hit through the ball in this drill as you don’t have that much range to work with or short approach bounce low slice drill. Mix in lots of variety: slice, drop, roll topspin, short lob, angled slice, etc.
32) Look for the unintended really good shot to your opponent that can allow you to move forward.
33) It’s all about the ball, take it to the ball.
Hello Brent, I found that It’s not just the wide service return that can produce the opportunity to move in but during the main rally as well …. and this is my WEAKNESS; I still do not have the natural instinct to anticipate that a corner short of mine will force my opponent into a weak return so that I can put it away at the Forecourt. I recently lost in a tournament of which I was the defending Champion (only Semis this time) purely because there was an opponent who basically scrambled back shots from my hard baseline hitting …. I just didn’t move in often enough when he was ‘In the stands’ and paid the price ….. this is my main focus for improvement in 2012!!
Hi Marc. Good solid honest feedback there.
The first step is what you’ve already done, identified that this is a HUGE opportunity for you to improve upon, and then eventually capitalize on.
The next step is to simply get a practice partner out there, start a rally, and be looking for those chances to get in.
Experiment with it – see just how mediocre a shot you can come in behind and still control the point.
I think you’ll discover that there are way more opportunities out there than you can imagine right now.
Brent
Hi Brent,
1st thought: Why did she serve right into the returners wheelhouse where she can easily nail a return?
2nd thought: The serve is supposed to be at the returners weakness. It appears that it was a strong enough serve to immediately follow to the net for a volley.
3rd thought: The return was, as you say, relatively rare to get so much pace and angle against the server.
So, it was good to see the returner move to the net, however, a little late, and had to pick up the volley at the shoelace. She could have recognized her forceful return sooner and be better positioned at the net for the volley, but just a little late.
4th thought: This is not a usual return of serve. More often with that hard of serve, even if it is in the comfort zone of the returner, the server rarely expects more than just getting the ball back or blocked as a return so she waits for the setup. She was surprised as was the returner. Great shot and rare.
5th thought: Might be a good study of how a typical return of serve should be played by the percentages and by the angles to present the next shot to be an easier put away. More common problem for us duffers. Thanks Brent. David
Hi David.
1) Don’t know why PK served there, she may have been serving elsewhere prior in the match and wanted to mix things up. Don’t know …
2) Not always – you have to mix up direction and spin types to keep that returner off balance. Weaknesses can get better over the course of a match if your opponent knows what’s coming.
3) Possibly. Right, would be great to move in sooner.
4) Maybe. Whatever the case is, for the rest of us, we have probably MORE chances to capitalize on shots than the pros do.
5) No question that most rec players don’t think enough about how to use the geometry of the court to their advantage with their shot making.
Way too much “grip & rip” …
Brent
Hi again Brent,
Yup, agree. The grip and rip guys, oh boy, Watch them unhinge. Love the thinkers finesse to keep them guessing and cursing. Specially when they get really upset and can´t contain their frustration. Just turn your back to them and smile! Sorry for the sadistic chuckle, but that´s tennis.
Thanks Brent. David
I have been guilty many times, and I know I am not alone, of hitting a terrific looking shot and buying a ticket.
“Wow! Can he get there? Can he do anything with it? Oh, it is coming back. Time to move.” — That sort of process.
In contrast I see Federer nail a shot and take two steps in before he sees that it in fact is a winner.
The difference seems to be what we do at the point when we are recovering after our stroke, before the ball even gets where it is going to go.
Thanks Brent for these great videos! I am definitely one of those people who stand there marveling at the great return of serve I just pulled of instead of rushing the net to take the ball early. Now that I know it happens to other people as well I will pay more attention to this problem and be more aware of when it happens.
Hi Brent…Nice analysis and a good point of yours..Use that opportunity….But what makes you think this particular return was unintended? Seems to me like it was very concious and deliberate…Look at the footwork after that return…Not to mention the volley she put away…Almost in “no man’s land”, from the service line, the ball dropping below the net…That was extremely hard to play..I don’t remember the last time I saw a WTA player volleying that good and elegant..
Nice video I will apply it as soon as I got this chance
Also please work on how to return a serve on the backhand side.I’ve seen that many pros have difficulties with this return
Thanks
These are great comments. Try this one: awareness triggers opportunism. I once asked Jimmy Connors what he intended to do prior to a match. His answer was great: “As long as I pay attention out there I’ll be fine.” And this is where I urge so many of us to really, really, really pay attention in our practice — not just during points but in between them. What’s going on out there? What shots has the opponent shown? And what shots hasn’t he shown? Better yet, what shots haven’t you MADE him show?
So on that return of serve, certainly the inadvertent shot — the 5 that turns into an 8 — is one we should take advantage of. Pay attention and move forward.
But even sometimes, why not make a step forward with the 5? Get it in play, run forward — and see what the opponent brings to the dance.
On that note of paying attention, bringing engagement to the changeovers is also critical if we’re to become better competitors. So pardon me if this sounds over-intense, but so be it: Don’t talk to your opponents on changeovers. You don’t do this during tournaments, so why not simulate combat in practice?
Final macro point: So much of the stuff Brent’s posting has less to do with our technique than the attitude-mindset we bring to deploying it.