These days, most players camp out on or near the baseline. They have one big weapon—a forehand or backhand—and they use it to dictate play.
If they do come to the net, it's behind an attacking shot for an easy volley to finish a point.
Despite this seemingly impenetrable game, there are ways to take back control. Here are four tactics you can use to combat the baseline style of play:
More: 8 Simple Ways to Instantly Improve Your Tennis Game
High, Deep & Heavy
Keep the ball deep with plenty of penetrating topspin. This will keep the ball out of their strike zone and force them to create their own power.
Play Every Ball
The more balls you retrieve, the more you will frustrate this style of player. Show them they will have to hit it harder and harder to get it past you and, hopefully, this will force them to make many unforced errors.
More: Move Like Federer With This 5-Step Footwork Drill
Stay Contained
Stay within your game. Avoid matching their power and hitting shots that are beyond you.
Accept the winners and use your mental game to force them to hit more and more from difficult situations. Use your time between points to regain control of your intensity of play.
Serve at Them
Take away their ability to attack from the first ball by serving at the body.
These are easy things that you can do to be a successful player. Remember, Andre Agassi always said that the most important point is the next one.
More: 4 Steps to a Faster Serve
To be a true champion on the court, you must think of and play every point as if it is the first of the match – that will ensure you don't obsess about a lost point or get too confident on a single great play. Having really poor short-term memory is also a plus in the game of tennis.
Now get out there, size up your opponent before the match begins and then dictate the style of play for the match by using your newfound strategies.
More: 4 Game-Changing Defensive Tips
Search for your next tennis event.
