Your first opponent is the net.

You have seen the draw, met your opponent and walked to the court to begin the battle.  However, when you warm up to begin the match, you must first defeat two opponents before you can even begin to win the match against – the player on the other side of the net.

Opponent #1 – The Net

The first opponent is the net. Unless you clear the net with your shots, you cannot begin to compete against your opponent on the other side of the net.  The game you will be playing will resemble golf – you hit the ball into the net then go pick it up and repeat the process.  Doesn’t sound like much fun to me.

Opponent’s Description:

1. The net is a deceptive opponent; it is almost transparent, it has holes and you can see through it.
2. The net is only 3 feet high at the center and grows to 3 feet 6 inches at the net posts – about the height of the character “ET” in the movie with the same name.
3. It is distracting when you are playing. Your eyes seem to be attracted to the white band at the top of the net.  This amazingly seems to direct all your shots to this 3 inch target – which means you seldom get a chance to play the person on the other side of the net – Advantage Net.

Problem:

1. Because 60% of your points lost never clear the net, you end up losing to an opponent that doesn’t even move.
2. 60% of the time you have to go pick up our own mistake.
3. You have a hard time defeating the player on the other side when we give them 60% of their points with no effort on their part.

Solution – create consequences in practice.  The next time you go out to practice, select from the following options:

1. Any ball hit in the net equals 5 push ups for the striker.
2. Any ball hit into the net gives your opponent 2 points.
3. Any ball hit into the net on your service game (your serve) allows your opponent to become the server and visa versa.
4. Any ball hit into the net within the first 4 balls of a rally (including the serve and return) equals a game for the opponent.

Opponent #2 – The Lines

Once you have defeated your first opponent, you will now face your next opponent – the lines. Unless you are able to place your shots on or inside the lines designated for serving, receiving and rallying (depending upon whether you are playing singles or doubles) you will never be able to score a point against that “person on the other side of the net.”

The lines on the opponent’s court create a network of options for us when we play.

1. First there are 4 giant squares or actually rectangles in which to hit our shots.  The two rectangles near the net are 13 ½ feet. wide and 21 feet long. The two in the back are 13 ½ feet wide and 19 feet long in which to direct our shots.
2. If we are playing doubles there are two alleys that are 4 ½ feet wide and 39 feet long to add to our shots.
3. There are singles sidelines, doubles sidelines, center service lines, baselines, service lines and even a center service hash mark that divides the baseline into a deuce and ad court half to distract us.

Opponent’s Description:

The lines are 2 inches in width and white in color.  They mark the boundaries of the court which may be a variety of colors; green, blue, tan, etc.

Problem:

Because the lines are the only targets you usually see when we are selecting our options for our shots, we will have a tendency to aim for them.  They are awfully small targets from so far away, while hitting a ball hard with a small racquet.

Solution – create consequences:

1. Keep score, minus 1 point for every ball hit into the net and minus 2 points for a shot hit wide of the correct side lines and minus 3 points for a shot hit beyond the baseline.
2. Any 1^st or 2^nd serve hit wide of the service box sidelines allows your opponent to become the server.
3. Any ground stroke or volley hit wide of the singles or doubles sidelines allows your opponent to become the server.
4. Any shot hit wide or long, equals 5 push ups (not as punishment but to create fatigue in the arms for subsequent shots.)
5. Any shot hit wide or long before completing a 4 ball rally will equal a game for the opponent (the average length of a point for most players is 4 shots at most every level of play.)

Once you have defeated the Net and the Lines you now have a chance of defeating your Opponent on the other side of the net – using your shot selection, speed, cunning and guile.

Check out my next article on “Defeating the Player on the Other Side of the Net” and visit my website at www.kendeharttennis.com.

Good Luck to you and may you never lose to the net or the lines – only to a better opponent.

Ken DeHart
USPTA Master Professional
USA High Performance Coach

Filed under: Ken DeHart by Alex Ramirez