Tennis Tips- Putting Your Opponent on the Defensive

As your game advances and you begin to play higher levels of competition, being good is not enough.  Tennis tactics and strategy come into play.  One simple tactic is to keep your opponent busy and on the defensive.  You do not ever want to let your opponent take the game to you.  YOU be on the offensive and one way to gain that offensive advantage is to get your opponent moving and busy.  You do not need to make the perfect shot to do this.  Just play your shot to space and make the other player go get it.  This will make them not be able to get into an offensive position and allow you to put the point away as they sit back and react to you.

Another great tennis strategy to put your opponent on their heels is to attack the net at every opportunity. A basic law is that the advanced player will attack the net at every opportunity and the intermediate will wait for the first short ball before going in. Anticipation is a key element in the development of an advanced player. An intermediate will often hit and back up or hesitate too long when getting his opponent in trouble or sensing when a ball will be short. The average player is average because he seldom hits the ball deep. In fact against most players the odds are that the next ball or every other ball will be short so you should anticipate this probability and be inside the baseline expecting a short ball.

However you do it always take the initiative in tennis.  Put your opponent on their heels and make them react to you.  Keeping them busy and on the move or attacking the net regularly will have your opponent on the defensive and the odds in your favor on every point.