Use It Or Lose It

I was watching the women’s Wimbledon tennis finals last month and, not really being more than just a recreational player myself, I was struck by what a simple game it actually is. You serve the ball, stay back and volley until an opening is created, and then pounce, usually with a strong corner shot which, even if your opponent returns it, puts them far out of position. You follow that up by charging the net to slam home your opponent’s feeble return.

It is rare that you find a player in control of the game anywhere near the middle of the court. To a novice this may seem to be the best place to be, all parts of the court are somewhat in reach. However, this is really “no man’s land”, too far from the net for an aggressive return and too close to the net to return a well-placed lob shot (that’s the soft shot that goes over a players head, just inside the baseline).