Things we’ve covered this season:

• Finish Strong, finish together, encourage one another all with grace.
• Trust!

Singles tactics

• High % ground strokes:  keep the ball deep and crosscourt
• Recovery to proper position
• Limit recovery steps….stop on contact and reverse
• Play as close to baseline as possible
• Create or recognize openings on the court and take advantage
• “zone” play

Singles strategies

• Backhand pin                          
• Directionals                             
• Short ball approach (d/l)
• Short ball attack                      
• Receive and volley
• Serve and volley

Dictate (follow the opponent for fewer changes and errors)

Doubles tactics

• Communicate

• Base combinations on hammer/wedge styles

• “Set up” your partner 

• Flow                                      
• Create and see the “opening”. Always set up to the open court.
• Vary starting position and shot selection (be unpredictable)
• Continuous movement   (Wellesley style)
• Fakes, signals for surprise and pre-decision (motor learning research)
• Attack second serve; rise ball return using the “y” formation
• Recognize the three possible returns:  drive, lob, chip (try to pre-decide before the ball comes.)

Doubles strategies

·        Outside/inside patterns

·        Defensive “I”

·         Offensive “I” (understand various versions based on 1.defending from opponent’s strength, protecting your weakness or surprise.)

·        Chip and charge (return toward the sideline)

·        Serve and volley

Tryout criteria (posted on website)

Rule review (quiz during pre-season)

Stroke production:

·        Know the difference between grips.  Use proper grip and recognize opponent’s grip (Eastern, western, continental and semi-western)

• Forehand:  attack short ball, approach down the line, crosscourt on deep shots, offense and defense lobs.
  • Fundamentals: “butt cap” to target on start and finish; extension through the shot; early contact
• Backhand:  approach down the line slice, attack short ball, xc on deep shots, offense and defense lobs
  • Fundamentals: arms are straight on contact;  early contact; load back leg and drive weight into front; finish stroke,
• Volley:  put away (flat above net), half volleys, high volleys, approach volleys
  • Fundamentals:  keep it simple, contact ball above net when possible, make contact in front of front foot, cross step to each ball, split step recovery, recover quickly

• Overheads:  crossover step, get under the ball, reach up and recover.
• Serve:  continental grip; reach up, hit up with loose wrist;

Stack shoulders for more power

• Second serve:  continental or bh grip and spin, spin, spin

• High ball out of the air:  anticipate high ball from opponent; sneak in and take the

 ball before it drops.  Place it deep.

• Mid-court approach, approach volley:  bracing with steady racket; if ball low, go straight ahead (slice); if ball high, close in and put away flat.
• Lobs:  importance and perfection of each.

Practice/ drills

• Forcing drill, coming in to net quickly, balance and split step
• Consistency past service line (depth) 10-10 drill

·          Goal setting(importance of individual scrutiny, accountability and constant revision)  (Elizabeth Caton-Lyman)

• Court positioning/recovery (video)
• Slice:  Approach shots – down the line, drop shot, power slice, slice lob
• Recovering vs attacking shots: when to use each.
• Strategy focusing on directionals (not having to think what is the right type of shot to hit from a certain position); follow-up with zone play.
• Coming in after a good lob
• Taking balls out of the air, even behind the service line
• Element of surprise; timing of when to go
• Not letting down after match win
• Poaching:  timing:  before opponent hits the ball, run toward net strap
• Momentum:  if ahead by 2-risk;  if even-risk

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