Most players warm up, spin the racquet, and start playing without a plan. The players who win consistently are gathering information from the very first ball. Here is what to look for and how to use it.
During The Warm-Up
Warm-up is scouting.
Watch for: Which side do they favor? Do they slice the backhand or drive it? How comfortable are they at net when you hit a soft ball at them? How do they handle pace? Do they redirect it or muscle through it?
Hit to both wings with pace and without. See which side they groove and which side they look uncomfortable on.
This tells you where to start.
The First Two Games
Use the first two games to confirm what you saw in the warm-up. Attack the weakness you identified once or twice and see how they respond. If your read was right, you will see the error or the defensive reply. If they handle it better than expected, adjust.
Do not overcommit to your read on the first point. Gather two or three data points before you decide this is the pattern for the match.
Key Things To Identify
- Do they like pace or do they prefer to generate their own?
- Are they comfortable hitting on the run or do they prefer to rally from a set position?
- How is their second serve? Can you attack it?
- Do they come to the net voluntarily or only when pushed?
- Do they slice under pressure or try to drive through it?
Adjusting When Your Read Is Wrong
The best players adjust quickly. If you have been attacking the backhand for three games and it is not producing errors, stop. They have a better backhand than you expected. Find something else.
Too many players commit to a game plan and keep running it even when it is not working. Tactics should be dynamic, not fixed.
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