Taking Control of Points

Recognizing ways to impose your will on an opponent will allow you to control your own destiny.

Have you ever played someone who always appeared to be in perfect position, while you spent the entire match running from corner to corner, chasing down every shot, huffing and puffing between points? Smart players know that there are many ways to take charge of a point—and that most of them rely on controlling the ball rather than crushing it. Here’s how you do it.

BEGINNER

OBJECTIVE 1: Keep it deep
Keeping the ball deep sounds basic enough, but you’d be surprised by how many players don’t focus on this simple tactic. As you practice and play, try to hit each ball beyond the service line with your ground strokes. Don’t try to hit the ball too close to the lines (this goes for the sidelines as well) and give yourself a significant margin for error over the net.

Remember that you’ll likely win more points due to your opponents’ errors— not your winners—because deep shots are particularly hard to handle at this level.

OBJECTIVE 2: Attack the net on short balls
The key is to look for a short ball and not be afraid to follow it to the net. You’re now rushing your opponent into making a decision on how to pass you. This is a great way to put pressure on your opponents and make them miss passing shots. The other advantage is that you’ll learn to hit solid approach shots and volleys. Make sure you split-step as your opponent makes contact with the ball so that you’re in good position for the volley.

INTERMEDIATE

OBJECTIVE 1: Vary the height and spin of the ball

During rallies, keep mixing up low-bouncing slices with high-bouncing topspin shots. (Mastering different spins also gives you more options with your shots.) This will make it difficult for your opponent to get into a groove.

OBJECTIVE 2: Take the ball on the rise
One sure way to pressure your opponent is to hit the ball early. This tactic can be more effective than just hitting the ball hard. Practice hitting the ball as it rises instead of waiting for it to drop, and get accustomed to playing close to the baseline. You’ll see that after some practice, your response time will improve dramatically. Make sure to work on your footwork as well, because your court positioning is critical to getting to the ball on time.

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ADVANCED

OBJECTIVE 1: Hit behind your opponent*

This play works well when you pull your opponent off the court with a wide shot. He’ll typically scramble to get back toward the center of the baseline, which gives you a perfect opportunity to hit your next shot right back behind him. A variation of this play is to hit a drop shot back to the side where you just hit the wide ball. Practice these sequences regularly because they require versatility.

OBJECTIVE 2: Use short angles
There’s no one in the world better than Roger Federer at hitting these shots. With all the heavy topspin drives in the modern game, the short-angle shot has become even more useful. It’s best for when you’re pulled wide with a ball that’s not too deep in your court. To pull it off, brush up sharply on the outside edge of the ball. If you can also keep the ball low, your opponent’s options are severely limited. Done well, a short angle will take your opponent out of position and give you an opening if his reply is short or ineffective. But remember to mix the short-angle shot with deep, penetrating drives so your opponent doesn’t start anticipating your strategy.

Illustrations by Craig Zuckerman