The beauty of tennis is the fact that players can choose any style they want to compete against their rivals. There are no limits according to the strokes or areas on the court so that is why we can say that success in tennis can be achieved in different ways. However, on our way to lift the trophy can stand a defensive player and it is important to learn how to beat this difficult style of performance.

Marcin Bieniek

We all have our own individual styles of play. Some players love to hit the ball hard and play short rallies. Other players can’t imagine the game without coming to the net. There are also ones who move a few steps back behind the baseline and put all the balls back. We have our own styles but we also have our own preferences about the opponents we compete against. For one player it is easier to play against a rival who bases its own strategy on flat shots but for another competitor, it will be a much easier task to deal with consistent but slow-pace balls. One of the styles of play that many players don’t like to play and don’t know how to play against is a defensive player.

Defensive players can be a nightmare. It is the style that doesn’t provide easy points. Defensive players run far behind the baseline and keep the ball in play without taking any risk. They aim at big targets and hit high over the net. They use a lot of topspin and slice shots. The more difficult the ball the bigger chance they will hit the lob ball to get additional time for recovery as also to check rival’s level of patience. They are definitely good athletes because they don’t get tired but their approach to competition is based on forcing opponents to make mistakes. They don’t look at tennis as a sport where they can hit spectacular winners. More important for them is to see an angry opponent who complains and hits another ball into the net.

If you compete in tournaments there is a big chance that you have already played this kind of opponent. Additionally, there is also a big chance that you remember this situation negatively because without proper preparation you can’t achieve good results against a defensive player. It is the combination of strategy and mental composure that will allow you to get advantage and show the opponent that just keeping the ball in play is not enough to make you lose.

Beating a defensive player requires some conscious actions. Here is what you have to implement to your game to make your opponent think again about own style of play:

Be ready for longer rallies

Don’t expect to have quick and easy match. It won’t be because it doesn’t have to be. Against defensive player, you have to get ready for longer rallies but at the same time you can’t let your opponent dictate the terms of the point.

Have plan

Make sure you stick to the previously set plan. Try to use your strengths to dominate the opponent and take him out of the comfort zone. Don’t try to hit winners from behind the baseline because your rival just waits for that. Build the point and hit offensive shots inside the court to put pressure on him and force him to take more risk with own responses.

Be ready to take some balls out of the air

One of the best methods to beat defensive player is to not let him play his favorite tactic. Defensive players love when the opponent is far behind the baseline because he is not dangerous there. By coming to the net more often after good approach shots you not only get better position for finishing the point but you also put opponent’s mindset under more pressure because he will have to change his plans and come out with shots that he probably doesn’t practice too much.

Control your emotions

The worst mistake you can do is to get angry at the opponent’s style of play. A lot of players complain at rivals who constantly hit defensive balls and they say that it is not tennis. Remember that you have not invented the rules. The rules allow different styles of play so accept this fact, focus on your game and don’t let emotions ruin your performance.

The more skills you have the more tactical approaches you can use successfully. It is important to constantly learn new skills and improve your repertoire of strokes because when you compete you will have to deal with different styles of opponent. Defensive rival is definitely a demanding one but if you know how to approach this rival and have proper skills you will see that his limited style won’t be a problem over the course of the match.

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