Side to Side Baseline Rally Position

Our sport is as much a dynamic movement game as it is a dynamic hitting game.  Hopefully you are training to become an explosive mover!

This singles strategy lesson discusses how to become a more PRECISE mover than your opponent by giving you an exact way to position yourself from side to side during a baseline rally.  Becoming a more precise side to side mover than your opponent, will give you a pure strategic advantage.

You are going to be in position allowing for maximum court coverage, while your opponent will be out of position if he is NOT USING HIS “T”.  This creates a frequent offensive opportunity for you, and a consistent strategic edge.

1. Use Your “T”

To introduce this concept and to practice initially, I recommend placing an object (cone, can of balls) directly on the service “T”. Use this visual reference point to align yourself with your opponent as you practice. As your opponent moves to return your shot, so will you.

You’ll visualize an imaginary line between you and your opponent through this object. The objective is to keep the “T” (or cone) between you and your opponent after you hit your shot and before they hit the ball back.

Examples 1 and 2 illustrate where you should position yourself in relation to your opponent using this method.

2. Recognize when your opponent is out of position

Not only will this help you position yourself properly, it will expose an opponent’s vulnerability when he’s not aligned with you in this manner (using his “T” as a reference point).

Eventually, you’ll be able to do this automatically without an object on the “T” and be able to use this tactic during a match to give you better positioning over your opponent.