Singles Tactics: How to Play Singles--6 Rules to Play By

[trilfy]

Use my forehand? My backhand is way better than my forehand

[hi10spro]

@trilfy can you disguise it? is it a one hander or two hander? you could use these theories with your backhand

[trilfy]

@hi10spro my backhand is a two handed backhand. It's better than my forehand so should i use it to return serves?

[hi10spro]

@trilfy you can do this with a two hander, because your disguise factor is better.  you can't do this with an one-hander though

[jsguy100]

I may be naive, but I don't see why so many people are complaining about this video. He's just trying to simple things down for the people who are getting into the sport. It's one of those instructions, where if you don't like it, don't watch it. I don't exactly agree with the tactics, but played right, they can work. I've been beaten by it during high school play a few times by his strategy. At least he's trying to help... I give him a thumbs up. :)

[hi10spro]

@jsguy100 thank you :P

[fitforfood]

I've watched a lot of your videos and one thing I don't understand is how you are qualified to teach others to play tennis. You are at most a 4.5. Growing up, all my coaches were either former d1 college players or former touring pros. You look like a good practice partner rather than a coach... just saying.

[hi10spro]

@fitforfood you ever seen nick bolleterii play tennis? he's not very good, but he has a good eye and a system. i've met other pros who are like you say former d1 etc--but they played tennis before they walked, they can't relate to people that can't play or have a hard time playing. the other thing about me is i'm actually a school teacher also so i'm used to breaking things down--watch the vids--they're simple, systematic, and logical. if i didn't go to usc, i could have played :D AHAHHAHA

[fitforfood]

@hi10spro i can understand that. I guess i took the point of view of an experienced tennis player and thought you'd be able to help me out... (not saying your tactics are wrong, just fundamental). Anyways - nice videos!

[hi10spro]

@fitforfood go to serve and volley tactics beating the serve and volleyers and breaking the baseliner

[Bunny926]

First things first!!

1. it's good to use a high topspin forehand but it's when to use it. That shot it used to change up the pace, but if you were playing against me I would crush anything that come shoulder height or higher on both sides.

2. You just can take a ball down the line because you are on balance you have to know when and your example was terrible.

3. you approach shot should not be just behind the service line. It needs to be deep on short so that they not have to sprint.

& More

[hi10spro]

@Bunny926 you would crush a high topspin to your backhand at shoulder height...get real jack.  so you suggest take the down the line when you're not balanced? hmmm... i don't understand 3 don't type so fast

[Bunny926]

@hi10spro Yes I will crush a hish back hand with one hand at shoulder height I do it all the time.. First of all yes go down the line the person won't be able to run forward on your shot; they will be running more backwards than forward...

[hi10spro]

@Bunny926 um...most people can't do that...

[purgatory13z]

@Bunny926 I have a strong one hand backhand shot, even at shoulder height, but I would almost never try to crush a high roller with good depth, at least down the line. If I'm at the baseline at contact, sometimes yes, but I generally try to make guys pay for this with a very heavy backhand to either corner or a short crosscourt, making them go for low % play or leave it short. It's different if they're just fluffing it though. down the line has several reasons to be used depends on the opponent.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z yep high rollers and down the line angle changes are tough. i believe a good guideline is if you are set/balanced, can step in hit it

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro I would also add that if they stepped out wide and hit a big inside out, it's worth taking pace off or bunting it down the line just to take time away. rolling it crosscourt again against that kind of player is asking to stay on defense. Depends on your style though, good counterpunchers use this play a lot i.e. djokovic. In general, still want balance even if you're moving back.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z OHHHH now that's a good one. what's your background

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro ....a lot of youtube videos? haha nah that's part of it, but I started playing late in highschool, and fell in love with the game. Have hung around a lot of strong players and studied technique to make up for my late start(I'm 21 now). I'm a strong all courter with emphasis on baseline play and topspin at this point, trying to improve my attack game as a whole. I just have to make sure, you weren't being sarcastic right?

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z dude if i was sarcastic, i would block you and then, rip you. no it was a good point

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro Hahaha well, this is the internet, it's hard to tell what people are trying to say sometimes. For the record, I like what you're trying to do with a lot of your videos, there's a good amount of basic strategy for people to employ during matches when they're used to just going out and bashing. It's the same reason why good ballstrikers that are physically fit have trouble against old guys; solid point construction. If you'd like, I have a couple stroke vids, see what you think.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z ohh where's your vids

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro To clarify, videos of my strokes, I don't have the video editing that I'd want to make an informational one, and those are just on my channel under uploads

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z kay that's cool i'll look

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z dude what's your rating? you can play

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro Thank you! Actually, I was posting on a different video of yours regarding ratings, and we had a discrepancy. I have five vids, the 3 slow motion and 1 point play vid were in late2009-early2010 when I would call myself a solid 4.0, and the practice vid was recent when I'd say 4.5 (hitting level is higher on both counts). Some would call me a 5.0, but there's so many strong players here that a 5.0 is almost D1 strength. I could hit with most D1 guys, yet I can't beat them. So, 4.5.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z you can play bro

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro I know you have been rated at 5.0 in the past by computer rank, but in this area, it's not like you're playing down, but 5.5 guys are D1 winners and national USTA champions(Rosetti Brothers). So, our open tournaments can be obscene.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z whoa that's awesome

[purgatory13z]

@hi10spro Yea, it's why I consistently get my ass handed to me hahaha. I must say, you have the kind of style that would give a lot of guys trouble once in a rally. Those oversized rackets... When somebody actually hits spin with them, it's hard to keep a rhythm. How did you decide on that racket?

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z honest truth. i get three frames a year free so i pick the most expensive frame... and figure if i can't play with it, i can sell it. ( a big nono by the way) anyways I play serve and volley--and the frame--not this one but the first time I did it.. I used to play pro kennex mid size silver ace.  anyways I switched and this frame--oversized, widebody...i could hit a ball back on my back hand if I could get the racquet in front and move the frame one inch forward...SERIOUSLY

[asfadasfa1234]

when you say the heavy topspin forehand down the line, or whatever you called it is the shot to live by, in my opinion you are wrong. Im a serious tennis player and if you hit that shot to any1 decent, unlike the guy you were playing, they'll step in and hit an insideout forhand then come in to the forehand side and hit a crosscourt volley for a winner. thats why i love playing people that think that shot is effective.

[hi10spro]

@asfadasfa1234 I'm saying use the heavy topspin down the line, because you want to turn the court over to the backhand side. If I hit it down the line to your backhand, and you run around that shot to hit an inside out--that's a MASSIVE angle change--the odds of you doing that are low--if you can do that over and over then you're awesome. and to come in off a crosscourt approach--dude...what are you saying? get REAL...what do you do if i get it to your backhand? and I turn the court

[SupremeTennis]

i just want to say that you and your friends may have decent "footspeed" but you and your friends dont have good "footwork". meaning that your footwork is not efficient. please, i hope i dont have to explain what i mean by the word efficient. and also you people are off balanced alot, and should not be off balanced so many times FOR EASY SHOTS. i know u might make a statement to refute what i say by saying the shot is hard to get. it only looks that way. dont stress urselves out.

[hi10spro]

@SupremeTennis nope. i admit, i'm old, and my footwork is bad, but it works. for my footwork to improve, I would have to run lines, condition, and do things that a serious player would do. i don't have that kind of time. but isn't it cool, i don't even bend my knees and I can play

[bhallic24]

I think that was the most intelligent piece of tennis advice I've heard in a while. "your backhand is about as good as their backhand, but your forehand is a lot better than their backhand." Definitely gonna try and implement that next time I play against my buddy. Although I am a little afraid of his backhand since it's low, flat and sometimes can be powerful. Yikes!

[hi10spro]

@bhallic24 and it's so simple but so many people don't apply it... I never ever understand that

[gotbrandon]

you can only use a forehand to return every second serve if the guy you are playing is as bad as you, or you are playing on clay standing very far behind the baseline. teach the right way.

[hi10spro]

@gotbrandon no...that's not true, if you make a concerted effort---you can hit every ball with your forehand, BUT you must learn how to read the second serve as the toss and hit is about to occur--and make your move there--try this, stand with your right foot on the doubles line on the deuce and hit second serve returns--you should be able to slice the ball if they go middle. THEN, it won't matter after that...trust me dude, all my kids hit forehands on second serves

[gotbrandon]

@hi10spro all your kids can hit forehands on second serves because your second serve has nothing on it.

[hi10spro]

@gotbrandon my kids do it in tournament against other kids... watch Nadal--count how many backhand returns he hits on second serves...and then, get back to me. you want a high percentage of shots on your forehand on the second serve. watch any solid pro, they all try to bring that forehand up on the second serve

[squaborn]

@hi10spro True... even people with exceptional backhands like Gasquet - they still run around their backhands to hit a forehand if they have the time.

[hi10spro]

@squaborn it's weapon construction and DISGUISE, at upper levels, you have to be able to hide where the shot is going...or you're screwed... and everyone runs around their backhand to nail a forehand.

[hi10spro]

@bleachfob 1) easier to disguise. 2) usually bigger than a backhand 3) intimidation. so you nail it to the backhand/weaker side of your opponent, grabbing offense--your opponent will either 1) put his first serve in--thus you don't have to worry about aces. 2) freak out and double fault giving you free points. 3) put the ball in thus letting you use your forehand on the first serve

[gotbrandon]

your kick serve does not kick at all

[hi10spro]

@gotbrandon it does but it's not BIG. I hurt my back about 14 years ago hitting a kick serve--i have a straight spine so i put pressure on my lower vertebrae--on one of the discs, so I have to be careful about twisting and arching--so I don't...and my kick serve suffers from it

[conversetennis]

You must have a newer version of ms publisher than I do, lol! I am looking at video cameras and wondering if a HD is worth the extra dollars. Perhaps a used HD could be found. I understand the budget concerns, wouldn't it be nice to have dartfish!

[hi10spro]

@conversetennis the pubisher is the old one...you use movie maker to create a still image--jpeg, insert the jpeg into the publisher, edit it, then re-insert into the movie... HD is awesome, BUT be careful, some formats of it is difficult to edit. my boys told me the prob with HD--memory to save so you need a big hard drive on the camcorder, transfer rate to computer is SLOW..dartfish is awesome...

[conversetennis]

I enjoy your videos. What type of camera are you using and what software to add the lines demonstrating the angles, etc. Thanks!

[hi10spro]

@conversetennis AHHAHA we're a low budget operation... would you believe...publisher from microsoft. moviemaker from live. and casio exilim camera--the old z10. but i dropped it in the Erawan waterfall...DAMMIT... that shot videos from video 300 to number 1820... but now we have a z90...and it shoot HIGH DEF...but only 10 minutes shots at a time...that's going to be a problem

[conversetennis]

I enjoy your videos. What type of camera are you using and what software to add the lines demonstrating the angles, etc. Thanks!

[hi10spro]

@conversetennis i just upgraded my camera to a z90 casio exilim. the HD burns memory like wth--1.5 gigs..per 10 minutes. it's also eating the batteries--shoot times 1.5 hours. I did buy a spare battery and another 8 gig card, but this is annoying. time to upgrade to a camcorder

[JoshDragon18]

Some people have a better backhand than forehand. It would be better for them to hit with their backhand as much as possible. Same goes with the serving.

IMO, it really comes down to what you feel most comfortable with.

[JoshDragon18]

Some people have a better backhand than forehand. It would be better for them to hit with their backhand as much as possible. Same goes with the serving.

IMO, it really comes down to what you feel most comfortable with.

[hi10spro]

@JoshDragon18 it's really hard to hide a backhand--it's much easier to hide/disguise a forehand so I recommend using the forehand. these strategies work regardless of what your weapon is, you could adjust it

[sendhelpbaylon]

these are great tips but they are hard to remember while playing =P haha cuz when you play you just think of winning the point.

[hi10spro]

@sendhelpbaylon start simple. just work on keeping the ball out of the middle. if it helps, use chalk to etch it on your practice court...but make sure people don't get mad

[lenobaleno]

and always finish the point with a misjudged half volley

[SunderedPrey08]

Thanks for taking the time to do all these wonderful videos. They really do help. More power and God bless.

[hi10spro]

@SunderedPrey08 thank you

[johnpettitt]

I just wanted to say that I love to listen to your tennis strategy and perspective. Your videos are just a great resource. Thanks so much.

[hi10spro]

@johnpettitt no problem

[matkimi]

very in-depth guide, im going be sticking too these rules especially too the 5th rule. thanks for the guide

[hi10spro]

it's a compilation of USPTA, books I've read from Chuck Kriese, Jim Loehr, Ron Eisel, Paul Wardlaw, and my playing experience plus a great clinic from JD Martin and Todd Martin (not the Todd Martin, but another one).