The ultimate purpose of any tennis player is to continuously improve their game regardless of whether he/she is a beginner, intermediate, or an advanced player. There is always room for everyone to grow and improve their tennis game. In addition to the regular practice and commitment to the game play, a tennis player can improve his game through using some tactics that provide him with an advantage over his opponent. Please note that, when you are able to control the ball placement, court position, tempo and pace of a match you put yourself in a much better position of winning whichever game you play.

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Let’s take a look at some of those tactics:

Consistency

This is the most vital tactic of all. You will need to incorporate it in your game play so as to improve your game play by always ensuring to work on your level of consistency through constant practice. Consistency involves getting more shots on the court than your opponent which gives you more confidence and a better advantage of beating up your opponent. Note that, there are always 4-5 shots on average that you really need to get back on the court while avoiding making unforced errors. Another way to increase your level of consistency is through hitting high percentage shots and saving the riskier shots for situations where you are either leading by a large margin or having an open court situation.

Control

The Control tactic is exercised through making a good use of your strengths and exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses. Some of the examples in ball control include playing repeatedly to your opponent’s backhand (assuming it’s their greatest weakness) and forcing them to have to hit to your forehand (assuming it’s your stronger groundstroke). You can also hit consistent deep shots to your opponent’s side to keep them on the defensive and then approaching the net on a deep backhand corner shot. Make your opponent move on the court side to side so that you gain control of that point.

Serve Placement

When serving the ball you need to consider carefully where to place the ball apart from the casual spinning and serving wide or down the line. You will need to force your opponent to hit the ball back to your stronger side so that you have a better advantage of finishing them off. If you succeed in making your opponent to play a shorter return back to your stronger side then that will set you up for an easy winner therefore do the needful by placing your serve so that it forces a short return to that side.
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Return Placement

A great return of serve provides you with an opportunity to place the ball such that your opponent is forced to hit to your stronger side. Note that most serve returns are meant to be hit down the middle as per the general rule of the game play reason being that it limits the angles of your opponent on their next shot and when they decide to hit to your backhand or forehand, the shot will be relatively easy to get to.

Rhythm

This is described as the timing of strokes that is from the time you initiate your backswing to the time you make contact with the ball. Note that during the game play you always play your shots with a certain rhythm, and so does your opponent therefore the Rhythm is a very key tactic to put in consideration so as to improve your game. How can you control the rhythm of a match? It the reaction you have on the ball and the way to place the ball towards your opponent. You force your opponent to hit out of their strike zone when you hit your shots high and with plenty of topspin which allows you to throw off their timing. .