When it comes to the dynamic and complex game of tennis, there are many ways to examine tactics and techniques.
For 40 and older players, I like the power and simplicity of Read–Plan-Do. This three-pronged approach allows players and coaches to better examine and discuss the components of a single stroke or a rally. These three interwoven pieces are like strands of rope, and their strength comes from how they work together.
The 'Read' phase of stroke production is crucial and includes the skills of anticipation, reactions, and receiving.
For every stroke in tennis (except the serve), the player (should) start in their 'Ready Position,' which, alongside the 'Split Step,' forms the foundation for the overall tennis movement and stroke production.
Based on the opponent's posture and movement, you can also anticipate their actions.
For example, for right-handed players, if they toss a serve to their right, then it is likely that they will be hitting a slice serve. Or, if they are moving forward to a short ball, the chances are they will hit an approach shot down the line or crosscourt.
If you have played an opponent before, you will know a player's patterns and tendencies so you can position yourself accordingly on the court and potentially lean in a specific direction. For example, when you hit your approach shot to their backhand, they tend to lob you. Or, every time you hit a high topspin to their backhand they slice the ball short crosscourt.
In an ideal world, you aim to land your split step just as your opponent strikes the ball so your feet can react and move as needed. As we age, our reaction times can slow down, and we need to work hard on balance skills and improving the ability to change direction.
Tracking the ball from the opponents' strings before you make contact is crucial. Every ball you receive has five ball characteristics – height, direction, depth, spin, and speed:
1. Height. The trajectory of the ball off the opponent's racquet.
2. Direction. The direction of the ball you are receiving.
3. Depth. Based on the combinations of height, spin, and speed, you quickly need to assess the likely depth of the receiving ball.
4. Spin. From the players' stroke production, you can read the likely spin of the ball you receive – topspin, underspin (slice), and side spin.
5. Speed. From the opponents' stroke production, you can read the pace of the ball you are receiving.
The goal is to be efficient and effective in reading the ball characteristics of the incoming ball. These are skill sets that can be trained and improved upon.
As a military veteran, my stance is that preparation is everything. The quote is 'fail to plan, plan to fail,' which is acutely evident on the tennis court. Sometimes, plans take months in real life, but on a tennis court, plans take fractions of a second. Decisions like:
· Where do I reposition for the next shot?
· Are you hitting a forehand or a backhand?
· Forwards, backward, diagonally – or can you stay put?
Your initial read from impact could be incorrect, or factors like spin and wind can alter the expected ground impact point for the ball you are receiving. It sounds obvious, but keep tracking the ball and modify your movement accordingly.
You've read the receiving ball and made immediate preparations; now, you must rapidly execute your footwork to the ball.
Having read the ball characteristics from your opponents' strings and made sensible preparations and movements towards it, it is now what you have been training for. It is time to move around the ball to execute your selected shot, 'Zoom' in to track the ball as it gets closer, swing forward for an optimum contact point for your style and technique, and produce recovery steps to prepare for the next shot.
In my experience, almost all recreational coaching focuses on this phase and explicitly works to develop a solid technique that can be repeated.The challenge for me is that this often occurs with the coach's hand or racquet feeding balls to a known location and sequence of shots. It is predictable and comforting but not reflective of the live play.
The 'Do' phase of hitting a tennis ball is essential.
But if you want to improve your tennis game, spend as much time again considering the Read and Plan phases.
When playing in a match, your next forehand hits the net, ask yourself, was it my stroke production or (much more likely) was it becauseI was slow to read the ball I was receiving and late to prepare for the shot I needed to make?
These errors are especially acute when we get tired or lose focus. In these times, switch your focus to reading the ball and preparing your racquet early to execute the desired shot.
Rest assured, you'll be surprised by what Read-Plan-Do can do for you.
