BIG TENNIS ACADEMY
Win More Points With the Strokes You Already Have
Strategy is how you turn technique into victories. The players who climb the fastest are rarely the ones with the prettiest strokes — they’re the ones who know which shot to hit, when to hit it and why. This guide gives you the patterns, plans and routines that coaches teach tournament players, adapted so you can use them in your next match.
THE BIG PICTURE
Point Construction
Every point has three phases: neutral, attack and defense. Your job is to recognize which phase you’re in and choose the shot that fits. Most club players lose because they try to attack from neutral or defensive positions.
Neutral
Neither player has an advantage. Hit with margin: crosscourt, deep, heavy. Your goal is to create a weaker reply, not to end the point.
Attack
You have a short or weak ball inside the court. Step in, take time away, go to the open court or behind your opponent, and be ready to close at the net.
Defense
You’re stretched or deep. Buy time with height, depth and slice. Get back to neutral — don’t go for the miracle winner.
| Your position / ball | Phase | Smart default |
|---|---|---|
| Deep ball, you’re behind the baseline | Neutral or defense | Heavy crosscourt with height; recover. |
| Comfortable ball at waist height on the baseline | Neutral | Crosscourt with depth, or change direction if fully balanced. |
| Ball lands near your service line | Attack | Step in, hit to a big target, close to the net. |
| Pulled wide off the court | Defense | High crosscourt, slice or lob; buy time to recover. |
| Floating ball while you’re at the net | Attack | Volley to the open court or at the feet of the closest player. |
FIRST STRIKE
Serve +1
The “+1” is the first shot you hit after your serve. Plan your serve and the next ball together as a pair. The serve’s job is to create a predictable, attackable return.
- Wide serve, hit to the open court. A slice wide in the deuce court pulls the returner off the court; hit the +1 into the open space.
- Body serve, run around for the forehand. A serve into the body produces a short, central return you can attack with your forehand.
- T serve, then behind them. A serve down the T often comes back through the middle; hit the +1 back into the corner they just came from.
- Decide on your serve location and your +1 target before you start your ritual.
Keep a small menu of two or three serve +1 patterns you trust, and track which ones win you points. On big points — 30–40, break point down, the tiebreak — go to your highest-percentage pattern rather than something new. Variety matters too: if you serve wide every time, a good returner will start leaning. Hit enough serves to the other locations to keep them honest, and save your favorite for when you need it most.
NEUTRALIZE, THEN ATTACK
Return +1
The returner’s priority is simply to get the ball back deep. Against first serves, aim deep down the middle — it reduces angles and gives the server nothing to attack. Against second serves, step in, take the ball earlier and look to attack the server’s weaker side.
- Return deep middle on big serves; use a short backswing.
- On second serves, have a pre-chosen target — usually the server’s backhand.
- After the return, recover and look for the first short ball to take control.
- Chip and charge a weak second serve occasionally to show you’re willing to come in.
SEIZE THE MOMENT
Attacking Short Balls
When a ball lands near the service line, you’re in attack mode. The most common error is overhitting. The goal is to take time from your opponent, not to hit the hardest ball of your life.
- Move early. Recognize the short ball as it leaves the opponent’s racquet and close the distance fast.
- Take it high. Make contact at the top of the bounce whenever you can — it takes time away and gives you a better angle.
- Choose the target. Down the line approach is the classic choice: it keeps you in position to cover the reply. Crosscourt works for an outright winner.
- Follow it in. Move forward along the line of your shot and split step as your opponent hits.
STAY IN THE POINT
Defending
Good defense turns your opponent’s best shots into more opportunities for them to miss. Defense is about buying time.
Go high and deep
A high, deep ball to the middle gives you time to recover and resets the point to neutral.
Use the slice
A low slice on the run keeps the ball under the opponent’s strike zone and buys time.
Lob the net rusher
When they close fast, a defensive lob is usually the highest-percentage reply.
Make them hit one more
Many opponents can’t win a point twice. Keep the ball in play and let them miss.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS
Patterns of Play
| Pattern | When to use | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Crosscourt rally | Neutral exchanges | The net is lower in the middle and the court is longer on the diagonal, so it’s the highest-percentage shot. It also keeps you near the center for recovery. |
| Inside-out forehand | When a ball comes to your backhand side and you have time to run around it | Hits your forehand into your opponent’s backhand (for two right-handers), usually the weaker side. |
| Inside-in forehand | After establishing inside-out, on a ball you can attack | Changing direction down the line wrong-foots the opponent who expected the crosscourt ball. |
| Down-the-line change | When you have balance and a ball at a comfortable height | Changes direction; higher risk, because the net is higher and the court shorter. |
| Behind the runner | When the opponent is sprinting toward the open court | Hitting back to where they came from forces them to change direction. |
King of the Court
Play competitive points under pressure and practice sound decision-making.
- PlayersGroup
- Time20 min
- EquipmentBasket of balls
How to run this drill
Setup: One player (or doubles team) starts on the 'king' side. Challengers line up behind the baseline on the other side. Coach feeds from the side of the king's court.
- Coach feeds a ball to the challenger to start the point.
- If the challenger wins, they run to the king side; if not, they go to the back of the line.
- Only points won on the king side score.
- Play for a set time; the player with the most points wins.
Coaching cues
- Play percentage tennis
- Build the point before you go for it
- Reset between points
Common mistakes
- Going for winners off the first ball
- Rushing between points
Progression: Play doubles king of the court, or start points with a serve.
Serve +1 Pattern
Practice planning the serve and the first shot after it as a pair.
- Players2
- Time15 min
- EquipmentBasket of balls, cones for targets
How to run this drill
Setup: Server at the baseline. Returner at the opposite baseline. Cones mark a wide target in the service box.
- Server serves wide in the deuce court.
- Returner returns.
- Server hits the +1 forehand into the open court.
- Play out the point; repeat 10 times and switch patterns.
Coaching cues
- Plan the serve and +1 before the ritual
- Recover inside the baseline after the serve
- Hit to the open court
Common mistakes
- Not having a plan
- Hitting the +1 back to the returner
Progression: Add T serve plus behind-the-runner and body serve plus inside-out forehand patterns.
Two-Ball Short-Ball Attack
Recognize short balls and attack them with control.
- Players2
- Time15 min
- EquipmentBasket of balls
How to run this drill
Setup: Feeder at the opposite baseline with a basket. Player at the baseline.
- Feeder hits a deep rally ball.
- Player rallies it back crosscourt.
- Feeder hits a short ball near the service line.
- Player moves in, approaches down the line and follows in to volley.
Coaching cues
- Recognize short early
- Take the ball at the top of the bounce
- Follow it in
Common mistakes
- Overhitting the approach
- Retreating to the baseline after attacking
Progression: Play the point out live after the second feed.
Browse the full Drill Library →
KNOW WHO YOU’RE PLAYING
Playing Different Opponents
Playing a lefty
A lefty’s forehand crosscourt goes to a right-hander’s backhand, and their slice serve in the ad court pulls you wide. Stand a little further to your left on the ad-court return, practice high backhands, and use your own crosscourt forehand to attack their backhand. Remember their spin curves the opposite way to what you’re used to.
Playing a pusher
Pushers get everything back but rarely hurt you. Be patient, play to the middle with height and depth, and then approach on short balls. Draw them forward with drop shots and short angles — most pushers are uncomfortable at the net. Avoid going for low-percentage winners.
Playing a big hitter
Big hitters thrive on rhythm and pace. Take pace off with slice and high, heavy balls. Mix spins and heights, and hit deep to the middle to reduce their angles. Stay calm: they’ll hit winners, but they’ll also make errors.
Playing a net rusher
Keep the ball low at their feet and use the lob early to push them back. Hit passing shots with margin, aiming for the feet rather than the lines.
TWO PLAYERS, ONE TEAM
Doubles Positioning and Tactics
Doubles is a game of angles and the net. The team that controls the net usually wins.
One up, one back
The standard starting formation for most club players. The baseline player rallies crosscourt while the net player looks for balls to poach. Its weakness is the gap in the middle at an angle.
Both up
The most aggressive and effective formation. Both players move forward together, covering the middle and pressuring opponents. Watch for lobs.
I-formation
The server’s partner crouches on the center line. After the serve, they move left or right based on a signal, and the server covers the other side. Great for disrupting good returners.
Australian
The server’s partner stands on the same side as the server. This blocks the returner’s crosscourt and forces them down the line. Useful when an opponent is crushing crosscourt returns.
Poaching and signals
A poach is when the net player crosses to intercept a ball heading toward their partner. Go diagonally forward toward the net, not sideways, and time your move as the returner commits to their swing. Use hand signals behind your back: a fist often means “stay,” an open hand “poach,” and a pointed finger can indicate the serve direction. Agree on signals before the match.
| Situation | Who covers |
|---|---|
| Ball down the middle | Usually the player who hit the previous crosscourt shot, or the forehand player. |
| Lob over the net player | Net player calls “switch”; the partner covers it and the two switch sides. |
| Partner poaches | Server or baseline partner switches sides to cover the open court. |
Australian Doubles
Learn the Australian formation to take away crosscourt returns.
- Players3-4
- Time20 min
- EquipmentBalls
How to run this drill
Setup: Server's partner stands at the net on the same side of the court as the server. Two returners or one returner with a partner on the other side.
- Server serves from close to the center mark.
- Partner stays on the same side, covering the crosscourt return.
- Server moves to cover the open (down-the-line) side after serving.
- Play out the points, then rotate.
Coaching cues
- Communicate before every point
- Server moves immediately to the open side
- Net player looks for the crosscourt return
Common mistakes
- Server staying in place after serving
- Leaving the middle open
Progression: Combine with the I-formation and signals.
Poach and Signal
Practice poaching with hand signals and coordinated coverage.
- Players3-4
- Time15 min
- EquipmentBalls
How to run this drill
Setup: Server, net partner and one or two returners.
- Net player gives a hand signal behind the back: open hand to poach, fist to stay.
- Server serves.
- Net player poaches diagonally forward or stays.
- Server covers the open side.
Coaching cues
- Move diagonally forward
- Go when the returner commits
- Server switches on a poach
Common mistakes
- Poaching too early
- Server not covering the gap
Progression: Add fake poaches to confuse returners.
Two Up vs. Two Back
Practice volleying as a team and defending with lobs.
- Players3-4
- Time15 min
- EquipmentBalls
How to run this drill
Setup: Team A at the net; team B at the baseline.
- Feed from the baseline to start the point.
- Play out the point.
- Rotate after 10 points.
Coaching cues
- Move as a unit
- Volley down to the feet
- Lob over the net team
Common mistakes
- Partners splitting apart
- Hitting up to the net team
Progression: Team B may approach to the net.
Browse the full Drill Library →
PRESSURE POINTS
Tiebreak Strategy
- Maximize first-serve percentage — use a reliable spot rather than going for aces.
- Play your highest-percentage pattern. Now is not the time to experiment.
- Make returns. A missed return is a free point for the server.
- Treat each mini-break as a bonus, not as a win. Stay focused point by point.
- Use the change of ends every six points to reset with a breath.
- Know the serving rotation: the first server serves one point from the deuce court, then each player serves two, starting from the ad court.
- In a 10-point match tiebreak, the same principles apply — but there’s slightly more room to recover from an early mini-break, so stay patient.
The tiebreak rewards the player who keeps doing what has worked all set. Lean on your best serve location, your safest return target and your favorite rally pattern. If you’re down, don’t panic: a single mini-break can swing it back. If you’re up, keep playing to win rather than “not to lose” — tentative swings under pressure produce short, attackable balls.
THE 25 SECONDS BETWEEN POINTS
Match Management and Between-Point Routine
Most of a match is spent between points. Players with routines handle pressure better. Try this four-step routine, inspired by sports psychology research on elite tennis players:
- Respond. React briefly — a fist pump or a deep breath after a lost point. Let it go.
- Recover. Walk slowly, adjust your strings, breathe deeply. Let your heart rate come down.
- Refocus. Check the score and decide on your plan for the next point.
- Ritual. Do your pre-serve or pre-return ritual and play.
Managing the match, not just the point
When you’re winning
Don’t change a winning game. Keep the same patterns, the same tempo and the same routines. Many matches are lost by players who relax at 5–2.
When you’re losing
Change something: pace, height, net approaches or court position. Use changeovers to identify one adjustment and commit to it for at least three games.
Changeovers
Sit, hydrate, breathe and review your plan. Write a short cue in your head — “high and deep,” “attack second serves” — and take it onto the court.
Big points
At 30–30, deuce and break points, play your most reliable patterns. Make your opponent beat you; don’t beat yourself.
Learn more mental skills in our mental game hub and the visualization guide.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Scouting Checklist
Use the warm-up and the first few games to answer these questions. Record your answers in your tennis journal.
- Which side is weaker — forehand or backhand?
- How do they handle high balls, low balls and slice?
- Do they come to the net? How comfortable are their volleys and overheads?
- What is their favorite serve on big points?
- How do they move — side-to-side or forward-and-back?
- Do they get frustrated? How do they behave after losing a point?
- Are they a lefty?