💡 Tactics and Technique 💡

Other advanced tips like looking at the racket angle when opponent is going to play

135 commentsu/skomeros5w ago

Hi everyone, Any other advanced tips ? I’m starting to look at the opponent intention like if they are going to play flat or lob/chiquita. What other tips do you guys have to get to higher level ?

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Comments (5)

u/zemvpferreira5w ago

When you do get to a higher level anticipation gets less useful, people disguise their shots too well. It's not the skillset I would invest in. Two things will make a difference at any level: Footwork and concentration. Get used to always being ready to move (or always being on the move) and get used to watching the ball intensely at almost every moment. Those two skills are evergreen and undertrained by a lot of people. They will also help with your anticipation, curiously.

u/GerwinMusic4w ago

Agreed. But also think that appart from VERY high level players who can vary a lot and consistently their shots, most players and even the high level ones have patterns, so it's not so much about trying to read the shot but trying to read their patterns, so you'll anticipate even without trying to read their racket or body position. It's hard to do, especially when matches are short (like one set of nine games) and when you're in the heat of the match, but OP asked about getting to higher level...

u/zemvpferreira4w ago

Fair enough. I find most players at a reasonably good level can at minimum disguise a groundstroke with a lob and a smash with a tontona, both of which wouls be the strokes you most want to antecipate anyway. I find being quick to react to the ball they actually play to be much more valuable.

u/Hero7065w ago

Watching how they move right after contact helps i think. If they don’t step forward it’s probably a soft or defensive shot coming, and if they push in you can expect a more offensive ball. And then you can also try mixing up lob and short balls to break their rhythm!

u/Icy_Design6934w ago

I used to try reading the racket angle too. Then I realised most of the time people just play whatever the situation forces them to play. If they’re comfortable, expect anything. If they’re stretched, expect something safe.