During tennis points, players hit winners and make errors. Conventional wisdom holds that recreational players lose more points than they win, and the winner of a match often makes fewer errors than her opponent. Better players don't try to win by hitting winners or waiting for an opponent to miss, they try to force errors. Understanding how to play forcing tennis will help get you win more games, sets and matches.
Winner and Errors
When you hit a ball your opponent can't touch or return, you hit a winner. An example of a winner is an ace. If your opponent hits what should be an easy shot into the net, wide or long, he has made an unforced error. An example of an unforced error is a double fault. If a player makes an error because he was under pressure from an opponent, he has made a forced error. An example of a forced error is a player hitting the ball into the net because he tried to pass a net-rushing opponent with a low-percentage shot.
Forcing Errors with Ball Control
If you don't have power, you can force errors by getting your opponent out of position. For example, you can force an error by hitting a ball that brings your opponent forward several steps to hit a forehand, then hit the next shot deep to her backhand. If she misses the shot because her weight was going backward and she couldn't make the shot, you forced an error. If you hit three consecutive shots to an opponent's backhand, moving her farther out each time, then hit one behind her as she runs to the middle of the court, she might lose her footing and hit a weak ball. You have forced another error.
Forcing Errors with Pressure
If you put your opponent under mental pressure that causes him to miss a shot, you have forced an error. For example, if your opponent has a weak second serve and you rush in to the net behind your return, you might force your opponent to panic and try to pass you down the line. If your opponent misses, you have forced an error. If you poach during the middle of a doubles point and your opponent misses his shot as he tries to change his swing to avoid you, you have forced an error.
Playing Forcing Tennis
As you learn to play tennis at higher levels, don't try to win by hitting a majority of your shots as winners, by trying to wait out your opponent by simply keeping the ball in play, or by exclusively trying to force errors. If you are playing an opponent who is relatively equal in skill, try to hit one third of your shots as winners, one third as forcing shots and earn one third of your points by waiting for your opponent to make an unforced error. Better players will hit more winners, while beginner players will play more defensive points, waiting for unforced errors.
Member Comments