Trench Warfare

I received the audio but no video on your trench warfare topic.

What about a pusher, who stands a couple feet inside the baseline, won’t back up but will hit the ball as a groundstroke or a volley, depending on how deep your shot is?
(N.B. Last year I found this player tough but still won 6-3 6-3, this year beat this player 6-0 6-0, but not by moving forward. Just wanted to know coz I see a lot of players where I play never standing behind the baseline but always a couple of steps inside the baseline and they hardly ever back-up)

Too much talking! People learn best by watching and imitating. So just reverse the time talking with time hitting and you’ll be more effective teachers.

Very interesting. i am definitely starting to move forward but get burned high low and everything in between. I will definitely check out the inside man drill and the footwork drill to see how they can help me not to run through some and get shoelaced on others.Pat Cee

Very interesting. i am definitely starting to move forward but get burned high low and everything in between. I will definitely check out the inside man drill and the footwork drill to see how they can help me not to run through some and get shoelaced on others.Pat Cee

None of the videos on this page today will play for me.

Jim

None of the videos on this page today will play for me.

Jim

Good strategy but I’m curious to know why a lot of teaching professionals shy away from teaching the swinging volley. It seems to me that this stroke is essential to beating this common type of player encountered at the recreational level.

Hi Will. Thanks for all the advice you give. I have another way to combat the moonballer: if you take the ball high and use the western or semi-western grip and blast a forehand to their weaker side. It’s almost like having a serve with the entire court. I realize that both grips may not be comfortable for some and others may not have the arm strength, but it seems to work for me even in doubles. I can get a good topsin bounce at the baseline as opposed to moving in. My friends like to lob as a defensive strategy but they also hit hard so I’m worried about passing shots. Darned those naturally athletic types!!! Thanks and take care.

This is very usefull for me, a good strategy, I’ll try, thanks for the lesson

If you are winning with twin bagels, it sounds as if you have already answered your question. As is shown on the “Inside Man” drill, if that player is moving right a few steps, left a few steps, up a couple of steps, and so on, they are hardly able to camp out on that spot inside the baseline and control the location of their replies, and they are leaving court open for you to move them around. Assuming it is a legitimate pusher type player and not an Agassi taking everything early and hitting them aggressively, a lot of their replies are going to be weaker so you can put them away with a low-risk shot of your own.

I also really like the video with Yan on profiling your opponent called How to Beat a Pusher with Modern Tennis Footwork. This set of videos is a fantastic contribution.

I think you are supposed to watch the videos, which demonstrate all the points and techniques. They will keep you busy for weeks, if not months.

Best video ever seen for Modern Tennis Footwork with clear explanation followed by demonstration

That’s actually so true! I use a strong semi western grip almost veering onto the western grip and I like balls at shoulder level or so and it helps me construct some offense. Going to a pusher’s backhand might be a good way to break him down.

Yep pretty much. Playing inside the baseline as a default strategy isn’t a good idea because you’re exposed on a number of fronts… court positioning, strike zone, etc.

Cool let me know how it goes PatCee

Eh dunno…

Thx!

Thanks Robert!

Glad to hear it!

Hey! So yes, that can work. Just a matter of being comfortable swinging away on high forehands.

Great footwork lesson. Makes all the difference in successful tennis

Thanks glad it helped!

Thanks to you both. A very good educational video. Please, go on that way.

As always excellent video with clear understandable instruction. Well done keep up the good work.

As always excellent video with clear understandable instruction. Well done keep up the good work.

Thanks Glen!

Thanks Glen!

Thx Nunzio

Thx Nunzio

I’m sorry but I don’t get this. If I tried this in a game the opponent would not hit hit to me but aim for the corner. Since I would be up so far there is no way I could get to the ball.

I’m sorry but I don’t get this. If I tried this in a game the opponent would not hit hit to me but aim for the corner. Since I would be up so far there is no way I could get to the ball.

Will, totally get what you are saying about moving forward and it is right to do so but in match situations I would for sure tighten up and miss easy drives or a volley. Will be incorporating this drill into my weekly training sessions though and get the courage to put it into practice.

really nice lesson, clear and visual. keep up the good work! greetings from spain

Nice one, Will, as usual. Inside man: one of the examples why Tennis RX has been the best $$$ invested in my tennis.

Cool Jorge! Glad you liked the program.

Hi Adrian – thanks!

The first few times are tough for sure. It’s really all about getting comfortable moving forward, which just takes practice.

This doesn’t work against all opponents. But it’s good against pushers / moonballers because they hit down the middle of the court and don’t have much directional control.

I’m an experienced player and senior(old) to boot! This video on footwork was excellent! Saves joints and groin pulls. Keep this up.

Will do! =)

hey Will, do you have any links to any pros using the walking step? I see them jump, occasionally hop and mostly pivot off their left (for right handed forehands), seems walking step is very rare? Or am I just not seeing it?

There are all sorts of clips if you bounce around our stuff on Youtube. Keep in mind that the walking / hopping steps are used to move forward and the pros are very good at keeping their opponents back (i.e. not hitting short). So you’re not going to see it too often during a baseline exchange.

One guy who uses dynamic footwork all the time is Dogopolov. Look for some clips of him.

Best footwork 100% description and 100% demo – Excellent and extremely useful stuff. Not only shorten the time but most importantly prevent injuries by reducing impact momentum. The pivot step forces to break the momentum by landing on both feet instead of only on one, and be ready to sprint back to the center of the court. Davidenko won his 2009 Maters by using the pivot step at every opportunity.

great lesson, thanks so much!! Have used these lesson with my four kids who play. My youngest, age 6, even enjoys watching.

great lesson!

This is good stuff. I’ve been trying to encourage my daughter to play like this for a year or so. She’s stuck on the ladder with better ground strokes, approaches and volleys than the girls above her. They take no chances and don’t go for any winners. Watching them is like watching paint dry. Maybe now she’ll see that I’m not the only one to embrace the strategy.

Glad you liked it Jean Pierre!

Thx =)

Cool thanks for sharing Karl!

Glad to help Marc

I signed up for your singles playbook but after paying, the link is broken. I thought you should know.

Thank you so much for these free lessons. You are great and hopefully, I will some day become great too (in tennis,)

That was an excellent lesson. Yann breaks things down in such an easy-to-understand way it’s obvious why he is such a successful instructor. His serving video was also exceptional and I look forward to seeing more of his work!

Hey will
i really struggle with a type of player similar to a pusher :
it’s the type of player that Can hit good aggresive shots But moonball instead.
so i tried Trench warfare and it didn’t work because once i started move forward he would hit a aggresive shot instantly to keep me on defence
what do i do to beat that kind of player?
thanks

lol

Thomas, I used to struggle with these type of players aswell. I find the best way to play them is to move forward but don’t forget to put a good shot and then go into the net. If you don’t put in a good enough shot and stay back you will be caught in ‘no mans land’ with the agrresive shot! So put in a decent approach and dictate play! Also a low slice to a corner can help alot when you charge the net against this kind of player! Get the ball out of their ‘hit zone’ (a spot where you just love to have a go at!) to come in!
Try some stuff out, when i was about 13-14 i struggled so much, buta coupla yeard later its pretty easy beating them!
Hope this helps!:)

I am sold. I’ve only seen one video clip, and I’m sold. I can’t wait to see the rest of them. Thank you. This type of lesson is exactly what I was looking for.