Tennis Returns Of Slow & Easy Serves - Offensive Return Lesson
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2024
- What's the best tennis return attacking tactic of slow and easy serves? While you may think hitting an offensive return winner is best, that's not a high percentage tennis.
The best way to return easy serves in tennis is to pull opponent out of the court with a short cross court shot and start the point with a positional advantage.
www.feeltennis.net/return-sho...
Of course you use such offensive returns only of opponent gives you an angle with their easy serve.
If their slow serve is down the T, then it's best to return down the line and hit a faster ball that puts them under pressure.
You can also run around the backhand and hit a forehand return if the serve is really slow and predictable.
And finally, don't forget to apply a drop shot to return slow & easy second serves as opponents will not expect it after you attack their serves for a while.
0:00 Returning Slow Serves Question
1:22 Attack Easy Serves With Cross Returns
5:38 If Serve Is Down The T
9:20 Running Around For Aggressive Returns
10:48 When To Play Drop Shot Returns - กีฬา
Hit as fast as you can and then scream at yourself if it’s out.
lol
😂 That’s me! 😂
Practice half court mini tennis with heavy topspin more. So next time pull out that shot as if you are playing mini tennis and hit it cross court sharp angle. Don't need too much speed but lots of spin. Put your opponent off the court as much as you can.
Tomaz, just wanted to say a big thank you. I've been a long-time fan of your advice as a 4.5-5.0 player. You have helped me so much when it comes to very nuanced topics that I haven't seen anyone else put so simply (e.g. 1HBH in mini tennis, gradual acceleration of groundstrokes for consistent quality, the relationship between contact out in front and natural topspin generation at high pace).
Very much appreciated! Will do my best to keep sharing more useful tennis ideas...
Great video super tips, playing tennis chess & slowly break your opponents without them realising . Also a , “Without further-a-do.” 😂 Thanks so much Tomaz
BTW, I naturally like the "long term" tactics of slowly working your opponent. Excellent
This is great. When I play singles matches at my club, I have to deal with short, slow, easy serves and it always messes me up because there is no pace. Thank you very much for this video!
Great video and such an important message. Just because a ball seems simple, it doesn't mean it's an easy shot to execute consistently.
Hey Richard, those are some wise words, thanks for stopping by!
Great stuff! I play several players with weak serves. They can be very frustrating. But I like your idea of moving them rather than trying to hit winners. 👍
Thank you once again, Tomaz! So much wisdom in this video that goes beyond the returns of slow serves :
- Play within your skill and physical limits (we are not Alcaraz ;) )
- Make the opponent exert more than you. Even if they neutralize points, their extra effort stacks up for you and against them
- Tennis is a game of many minutes and many points, build up advantage(s) with each shot instead of attempting a winner at every chance. Don't be too greedy.
My own takeaway: The goal in a match is to make the opponent feel more pressured and uncomfortable, more tired (physically and mentally). Winning the match should coincide in most cases. Even if I lose, I'll take the satisfaction of having that effect on my opponent :) .
You're welcome, and thanks for the summary!
Mr Feel Good has always given me awesome insights! thank you.
Thank you for opening this up to the TH-cam channel. I really find the ideas such as this helpful in constructing an overall game plan. The combination of the mental/strategy and seeing the execution is excellent. Thank you so much.
And thank you for taking the time and sharing the feedback!
When receiving a slow serve in doubles, returner can lob over opponent's net player to opposite corner from server
How about same discussion in doubles?
Yeah, like I replied to another commenter, it's mostly the same, just don't drop shot and instead lob here and there. Tough to record as I would need 3 friends to help me out for 15 minutes. ;)
Great video for singles. What about handling this type of serve in doubles?
Exactly the same in doubles except for the drop shot down the line. Replace it with a lob down the line over the net player.
Very helpful Tomas, thanks. My friends and I had been discussing this one recently and I have begun to experiment with taking advantage of tap-in second serves but I was already running up against the dangers of taking low percentage chances and hitting above my pay, so to speak. Incidentally, in doubles, with one side guarded by the net player, does it make sense to try to stretch the server wide on the crosscourt side using the alley? Thanks, Rob
Yes, it does make sense. The general approach in tennis whether singles or doubles is to make opponent move. When they have to hit on the move they have less ball control than if they can position well. So you need to do anything you can to make them move...
What do you in this case if you are playing doubles?
Good idea in theory....
I am really frustrated as my opponent serves slice, pretty wide but very slow and close to the net (about halfway between net and service line, but bounces well in the double alley or even wider). I have to run to reach the ball and then I tried to implement short, wide, angle but whenever I do not hit almost perfect (meaning taking my opponent out in double lane or wider) they smash a down the line forehand that I have no chance to get to. When I return to the middle, unless I hit within inches to the back line, they do the same (forehand) or backhand angle.
😠
If you have to RUN forward, then you have positioned too far. Read the patterns of your opponent's play. If they keep serving second serves short, stand more inside the court. I know it sounds obvious but you are likely not conscious of this and just position by default behind the baseline. Position wherever you want depending on the likelihood of the next ball.
If the serve is too wide and pulls you out wide, then going for a short cross is not a good idea. Your PRIMARY concern ALWAYS when playing tennis is to PROTECT your position, meaning court coverage.
Do not play shots that hurt your court position even more.
So if that short slice serve pulls you out wide in the doubles, then go for more down the line shots. Play more drop shots from the position. Your opponent is behind the baseline and you are at the 3/4 distance from the net. Here and there play a cross just to keep opponent guessing. Here and there approach down the line off that short serve. Pressure them all the time with variations. You will never win all the points but you can have the upper hand and constantly pressure the opponent.
And finally, if that slice serve really pulls you out and you are not in a good position, then accept that you have been neutralized this time and play the ball deep cross or deep down the middle and recover quickly and play the point from there.
That is the nature of tennis. Is about tactics and the tolerance to implement and consistently stick to the said tactics
Start half way in move in quick. Look line and Go flat to xcourt side T. Drop occasionally. Trick is the attack the serve.
@@feeltennis thank you for in depth advice
Tbh I'd just commit to hitting it properly for a winner. Firstly to play well you got to start trusting in your shots, if you don't you'll slowly back off and end up pushing the ball around and lose while being very annoyed with yourself. Secondly they have no return, just hit winners twice and mentally they'll give up on the safe serve and give you free points by double faulting. Just pushing it wide gives them a return so they feel it's not the serves fault if they lose the point so will keep serving weakly but in.
Everyone has the right to their opinion but since this is my channel I need to make sure people are not misled and that they follow my philosophy. So going for a winner is not going to work long term on any level. It is just too risky and creates pressure for the player as they have created an outcome of their shot.
In tennis and in other sports we have NO CONTROL over outcome. We need to focus on what we can control. Therefore we choose to attempt to pressure opponent with a various shots but we do not specify or "want" an outcome. We simply know what shot is the right answer for this situation and we execute it. Depending on the outcome we react again and play the next shot.
@@feeltennis But there is a lot of psychology. To get yourself to play well you have to play positively. So in this case that means when you have the short ball you commit to hit it. Sometimes trying to play safe can lead to a mentality where you play safer and safer and just push the ball around, then when that doesn't work you can't turn up the pace and lose feeling like you can only hit like a beginner.
Equally you can get another player to beat themselves, and killing a few second serves can be enough to tip them into a negative spiral. They feel they can't win a second serve, that puts pressure on the first serve that falls apart, then even when not serving they are distracted thinking about how to serve and the rest of their game collapses and you win easily while they stomp of the court mad with themselves.
Yes, and in your view committing to hitting a ball ONLY means that it must result in a winner? Can you see how illogical that is? EVERY BALL at the pro level is hit with total commitment and yet maybe 5% of all shots are winners.
I am AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKING this short ball with my intention and intensity while hitting the ball safe!
Safe does not mean slow or pushed! Safe aggressive means hitting with high probability aiming the ball well INSIDE the court (not close to the line).
90% of the groundstrokes on the pro level (and even 5.0 level and above) are hit very aggressively safe as they make very few unforced errors and yet they keep pressuring each other.
Look how into what a heavy ball is in this article to see how I hit aggressively safe: th-cam.com/video/5wS36C9VapY/w-d-xo.html and if you want to know more about aggressive safe concept and other tactical concepts check out the membership area (Join button) where I have many videos on that topic.
What about doubles
nice video tomaz im trying to do it all the time i try to body tranfer the ball hit the deep angle return but sometimes i miss however its worth it. Can you tell in the next video how useless one handed backhand is nowadays ?
useless? why? I hit one handed bh and it is fine
All tools are useless until they're in the hands of someone who can use them properly 🙂
Ohbh takes time and patience to master. Lots of variables to consider when making shot selection on ohbh but that is why when executed properly it is the most beautiful shot in tennis. Still wished Musetti won the Queens 2024 grass court final, and i always root for ohbh players in the modern game.
@@mocee83 And that only proves that 2HB > 1HB (TOMMY P)
@@jakubhas7879 Mate, I think your definition of "proof" needs a bit of work 🙂
How do I become a member? Can’t find it
If you don't see a Join button below, you are probably on mobile view. (phone). You have to access TH-cam on desktop view and then it will show up.
Best way to handle slow serves is to attack with your footwork and step in
1:32 For the deuce side weak serve, why wouldn't you treat it as a short ball, hit a forehand approach down the line, and follow it to the net?
In your example you're hitting to his forehand, then running backwards to the center of the court - so no, it wouldn't be nice to start a point like this
Because that adds two risks. Change of direction and a higher net. The point is to put yourself in an advantageous position with little risk and effort.
Sure, you can approach the net but the serve has to be then REALLY SHORT. Most serves are not that short and approaching the net from too far behind is then too risky.
Placement Placement Placement plus repetition….
I don't think Peter serves so slow. He plays too well.