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Mastering the 1-2 Strategy in Tennis: A Winning Move
Have you ever wondered how tennis players strategically plan their shots to gain an advantage over their opponents? Or what they are thinking about before serving up the next point? Often they are thinking of the most effective tactics to win the point… starting with the 1-2 strategy. This is where players carefully choose where to serve their first shot and follow it up with a well-placed second shot. In this blog post, we will dive into the world of 1-2 tennis strategy.
Understanding the 1-2 Strategy
The 1-2 strategy involves planning where to serve the ball first and then anticipating the ideal location for the second shot. Typically there are two options to choose from, one, your first shot is a serve out wide, drawing your opponent off the court followed by your second shot to the open court typically deep in the corner. Or two, your first shot is a serve down the T pulling your opponent to the centre of the court, followed by your second shot played back behind your opponent. Both of these options make your opponent move one way and then the other, slowing them down, pushing them around the court, and giving you wider spaces to play your shots, pressuring your opponents and gaining control of the point.
What if they Return my Second Shot?
Typically, if you are powerful and accurate with your first and second shots, the second shot will result in a winner or forced error. If your opponent does just manage to get your second shot back while they are on the run and/or off balance, their shot will be weak and/or defensive. In this case, you still have the upper hand and time is on your side, time is the key ingredient here. Once you see they are defending you can start to anticipate a weak return and move in to take the ball early or on the full and play it as far away from your opponent as possible before they have the chance to recover.
If you can see that your opponent is not on the run or defending after you hit your second shot it is even game, your 1 – 2 wasn’t effective at this point and you’ll have to take to another strategy to gain the point.
Mix it up
If you have been “programming” your opponent by playing the same way each point/game there is a huge advantage in mixing it up. You will often see players not always sticking to the rules, and for good reason. For example, they might serve out wide and then “break the rules” by hitting their second shot back in a similar spot to the wide serve, not the open court. The reason for this is the same as why you are doing the 1 – 2 strategy to start with, remember
“make your opponent move one way and then the other, slowing them down, pushing them around the court, and giving you wider spaces to play your shots”
and is very effective if the opponent is already running to the open court anticipating what you have “programmed” them to expect.
The 1-2 strategy is not just about hitting powerful shots; it’s about outsmarting your opponent and strategically placing your shots to gain an advantage.
Hit the court and have some fun playing with this!