Tennis Game Styles

Game Styles

1. Counter-Puncher These are defensive baseline players who react to shots, wait to counter, make good passing shots, play far behind baseline, and hit with high net clearance and heavy topspin usually. Depth, consistency, control are their keys. They tend to be mentally tough and patient. They are not risk takers, but they have high fitness and like to run. They usually play high percentage cross court tennis. They use directionals well. Example: Leyton Hewitt.

2. Aggressive Baseliner They try to dictate play with aggressive groundstrokes, and usually have a baseline weapon such as big forehand. They are very quick and agile. They are good service returners. Their personality is aggressive, and they go for winners and want to make it happen rather than wait. They are good at changing direction, using the inside-out forehand, and opening up the court with angles. Examples: Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters, and Lindsey Davenport.

3. Net Rusher They possess aggressive court personality, and much prefer short points. They are big risk-takers. They like high risk or high reward. Don’t like long points; they not patient players. They like putting pressure on opponents. The serve is usually a good weapon for them. Outstanding volleys and net coverage. They are good athletes, with good anaerobic powers, powerful sprint-and-stop skills, and fine court movement skills. They know how to approach, come behind their shot, and make high percentage volleys. Examples: Pete Sampras, Taylor Dent, and Martina Navratilova.

4. All-Courter They are capable of mostly all styles. They use all strokes, and are usually very fit. They move between a defensive and neutralizing game. They like to adjust and adapt, or they get bored. They may or may not have one clear weapon. All-Courters are problem solvers and thinkers. Yet most tend to prefer mostly one style or the other, such as net or baseline most of time. They usually like ball control. They like to use play patterns – serve/volley, approach down the line, cross court directionals but with smart change of direction, and inside-out shots. Examples: Martina Hingis and Justine Henin.

Reference
http://essentialtennis.com/spotlight/2010/03/coach-saviano-on-tennis-styles-secrets/

Game Styles

1. The Defensive Counterpuncher Able to return almost every shot, this player usually waits for his opponent to make a mistake. He stays back at the baseline and concentrates on getting the ball over the net. You need to be physically and mentally strong to play this way because it is basically a defensive game where you just keep hitting the next ball until your opponent makes a mistake, perhaps out of frustration or impatience. You need to be fast and physically flexible.

2. The Aggressive Baseliner This player likes to stay back at the baseline and play long powerful strokes from there. He usually has a very strong serve, and has mastered either the forehand or backhand for high endurance long rallying sessions. This can be very intimidating to his opponent because he appears to be driven by an endless supply of energy. The only things that will usually bring him down are mental distraction and fatigue. Two famous aggressive baseline players are Andre Agassi and Bjorn Borg. On a good day, nobody could beat them, but if tired or distracted, they could easily be brought down. A famous player from the 1920s – Bill Tilden – wrote a book in which he theorized that a top quality baseliner will always beat a net rusher.

3. The Net Rusher (Volleyer) This person loves moving straight to the net after a powerful serve. She stays at the net and has a gift for punching high impact volleys, slamming them home for a winning point. She is a fast mover, since she has only about half the time to respond to an oncoming shot as the baseliner has. This player’s strategy is to force her opponent to respond to a challenging surprise passing shot in record time, because a volley can go in any direction quickly. It can be highly effective, especially against those who prefer to play the baseline. Two well known net rushers in recent years are Pete Sampras and John McEnroe. Some of the best tennis you can watch on TV is when an aggressive baseliner and a swift net rusher get into an enduring battle. Roger Federer has been known to move in and become a net rusher when his opponent is Rafael Nadal, in order to try to win a seemingly endless rally.

4. The All-Court Player This is the master strategist who uses all play strategies, and knows when to use each of them for a powerful aggressive game. He is a counter-puncher, an aggressive baseliner and also dominates the net with a put-away volley, all at different times. This opponent is difficult to beat and keeps you on your toes at all times. The name of his game is versatility, and there is nothing predictable about it. Don’t let this discourage you, though. You can beat any player using your own most effective strategies. Roger Federer has somehow earned the unofficial title of greatest all-court player ever.

Reference
http://www.improve-your-tennis.com/tennis-game-styles.html