Don't Make Decisions - Recognize
Situations
Have you ever run into a player that has average strokes
but plays matches very well? I am sure that everyone has run into the
player with great strokes who warms up like a hero but is lost when
play actually begins. These examples point to the importance of shot
selection to winning. The greatest strokes in the world are of limited
use on a tennis court if we don't know how to string them together intelligently.
Tennis forces you to make split second decisions on the run constantly.
Early, sound decision making is essential to successful match play.
The trick is not to have to actually make those decisions
in the small moments of time that actual game play affords you. You
can get into the habit of making some general decisions ahead of time.
Think of it like a computer program. Given certain circumstances you
will hit a specific type of shot. To give you an example; If you a drawn
wide of the court on the forehand or backhand hit the ball higher and
slower than normal to give yourself time to recover to a better court
position. Now that you have made that decision ahead of time, through
practice you will get to the point where when given the proper circumstances
(a wide ball) you will hit a specific type of shot (a high slow ball)
automatically. As you map out some general guidelines on your shot selection,
shot making decisions will become easier to make. You will only need
to recognize which set of conditions is present and then the decision
is already preset. This is how the Pros do it and while you don't have
the range of shots or as much time to practice as they do you can use
the same principles. It is not as complicated as it seems. Keep in mind
that we are simply determining the type of shot to hit (a high slow
ball), not the exact shot to hit (a high slow ball to the backhand corner).
There are two factors you must keep in mind when mapping out your own
shot making plan. Your court position and your ability level.
Court position is the most important element of shot selection.
This is first question you must ask yourself. Am I in an offensive or
a defensive position?. If you are in an offensive position hit an offensive
shot, if you are in a defensive position hit a defensive shot. This
may seem obvious but many players ignore this common sense approach.
I have found that in general junior players are more likely to try to
hit offensive shots from a defensive position and seniors are more likely
to hit defensive shots when the are in an offensive position. What exactly
is an offensive position and a defensive position. Think of it in terms
of balance and comfort. When you are well balanced and have the ball
at a height that is comfortable for your stroke you are in an offensive
position. When you are stretched, reaching and/or on the run and/or
the stroke is at an awkward height for you to stroke comfortably you
are on the defensive. Now you must get more specific. Tailor your exact
shot according to the purpose or goal you have in hitting that shot.
Every shot hit on a tennis court has one of two purposes. To win the
point outright with that shot or to better your position. The majority
of shots are hit to better your position. Approach shots are a good
example of this principle. Many players when coming to the net overhit
their approach shot, often making an unforced error before they even
get a chance to volley. These players have hit the approach shot with
the wrong goal in mind; the goal of an approach shot is to set a player
up (better your position) in a strong volleying position. By trying
to win the point outright with the approach shot an unnecessary risk
was taken.
To truly get the most out of your current tennis game
you must be honest with yourself. This is the first step in playing
having your shot selection reflect your ability level. In match play
against an opponent of your ability level stick with the shots that
you can hit repeatedly and consistently even under pressure, not the
shots that you would like to be able to hit. Be a realist, if you can
hit a topspin lob every once in a while when you are practicing, don't
try at five-all in the third set, hit a shot you feel comfortable with.
You will find the most competitive players get that way by being humble
enough to know their own limitations, enabling them to play within them.
Be the player you are, don't try to be the player you wish or think
that you should be. We all want to aspire be better players and hit
more challenging shots, but the ball machine, practice court, and lesson
or group clinic are the forum to work on those shots until we have mastered
them.
If you will get in the habit of making your shot selections
early your shot execution and your winning percentages will
soon follow.
