Players use many different strategies in a tennis match. The best players can use several tactics to keep their opponent off balance or on the defensive. I would recommend that most players stick with one or possibly two basic strategies so there is some consistency to your thought process.
My three favorite strategies in order of importance are: get the first few balls in play, keep your shots deep, and hit to the opening as well as covering the opening on the court. Keep in mind that if you don’t start the point well (get the first few balls in play), you are unlikely to be able to execute many of the ideas you have during the match. Serving and returning serve need to be your first point of focus. Making the first shot after the serve and return, followed by executing another good, solid shot to a big target should be your next point of emphasis. If you are not able to do these things on a consistent basis, any other strategy that you try to implement will be extremely difficult.
Once these things seem to be happening on most of the points, playing your shots to the opening on the court and then covering the opening with your recovery should be your next priority. Stick with these basic strategies and keep trying to improve in all three of these areas. By limiting your focus to these three ideas, the rest of your play will reap the benefits and you can move on to more complex strategies when needed.
Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis, www.annaconetennis.com and MyHamptonspPro, www.MyHamptonsPro.com throughout the Hamptons, NY. Sam Alexander, Steve, and Gill Gross run the TOP (Tennis Optimization Players-Top Team) program at the Tucson Jewish Community Center (Tucson, AZ) for high level players ages 8-18. Please contact Steve at sannacone@tucsonjcc.org or 865-300-7323