How Hitting with Depth effects Your Opponent

Are you tired of constantly being on the defensive in your tennis matches? Do you feel like your opponents always have the upper hand, leaving you scrambling to keep up? If so, it’s time to take control of the game by mastering the art of hitting with depth.

Why Hitting with Depth Matters

Hitting with depth refers to hitting the ball deep into your opponent’s court, close to the baseline. This tactic can be incredibly powerful, as it puts pressure on your opponent by taking away their time to react and plan their shots. When you hit deep, your opponent is forced to retreat, giving you more time and space to set up for your next shot.

Breakdown the Advantages of Hitting with Depth

1. Limited Options for Your Opponent

When you hit deep, you limit your opponent’s options. They have less time to prepare for their next shot, which reduces their chances of hitting an aggressive winner. As the ball drastically slows down after bouncing, the closer to the baseline it bounces the faster your opponent will have to be. Additionally, hitting with depth makes it harder for your opponent to hit the ball at an angle, as they are further away from the net, making the net “higher” as the furth you move back the more the net covers the court. This forces them to play more defensively, increasing your chances of gaining control of the point.

2. Increased Shot Difficulty

Hitting with depth forces your opponent to hit shots from a less favourable position. When they are pushed back, one, the court is a smaller target area and, two, they must generate more power to hit the ball further, which leads to a higher chance of errors. If they stay up on the baseline they will have to move and react much faster than normal to take to ball on the rise or half volley, also leading to an increase in errors. By consistently hitting deep, you can exploit their weaker shots and put them on the defensive, giving you the upper hand in the rally.

3. Opportunities for Offensive Play

Hitting with depth sets you up for offensive opportunities. What is an offensive opportunity? When your opponent is constantly on the defensive, their shots become weaker, giving you the opportunity to play offensively by moving forwards into the court and taking advantage of the time, angles and pace that a shorter and/or weaker ball affords.