Read Your Opponent Like a Pro
Posted on Dec 13, 2007 under The Mental Game |This is probably the best tennis tip I know, but I am amazed at how few people know how to use it. The top professionals are all able to hit every type of shot. However, under pressure they will always tend to hit the one they are most comfortable hitting. At the pro level it is not so easy to tell what this shot is. However for the average player it is much easier. Your job in a match is to figure out where your opponent will hit the ball when it is 4-4 in the third set.
For instance, if I come to the net and get passed crosscourt three times, it is probably safe to say that I was not paying attention because, by the third pass, I should have been standing on the crosscourt side. This is very true with service placement at the club level. Players are more comfortable on either one side or the other. Figure out this and you will find yourself waiting in the ball and always in the winner’s circle.