Hey everyone,

After playing hundreds of matches and grinding through four years of college tennis, I've learned that the game really boils down to one thing—errors. While most of us obsess over cutting down our own mistakes, there’s a huge advantage in forcing errors from your opponent. Today, I want to share with you a simple yet game-changing tactic that’s helped me win more matches: taking the ball early.

I know we talk about this a lot, but we all need to focus more on making our opponents make more errors then trying to hit winners.

The Big Idea

The trick is to move up in the court and take the ball early. Sounds straightforward, right? But most club and junior players miss this opportunity completely. When you grab the ball early, you’re not only improving your own shot—you're also messing with your opponent’s rhythm. Trust me, when your opponent sees you confidently attack short balls, they start playing it safe. And safe tennis? That’s when errors start piling up.

Why Taking the Ball Early Works

• Better Ball Quality:
  When I move up and take the ball on the rise, I can load up my body weight, hit faster, and generate more depth. It’s like having a built-in turbo boost on your shots. This extra speed and power often forces an outright error or puts my opponent completely off balance.
  

• Disrupting Opponent’s Rhythm:
  Most players love to stick to a predictable cadence—hit, recover, and then hit again. But when you step in early, you break that rhythm. Your opponent suddenly finds themselves out of sync, trying to adjust on the fly, and that’s when they start making unforced errors.

How to Master This Strategy

Here are the key tips I’ve picked up over the years to perfect this approach:

1. Anticipate the Short Ball
Learn to read your opponent’s body language. If you notice them backing up or reaching for the ball, chances are it’s going to land short. Don’t wait until the ball bounces to realize it’s a short ball—get there in your head first. By anticipating, you’re always one step ahead.

2. Get in the Right Position
I like to stand about 4-5 feet behind the baseline. This positioning gives me a great balance: I’m close enough to pounce on a short ball, but still have enough time to react if they hit deep. It’s all about finding that sweet spot on the court.

3. Shorten Your Backswing
When you take the ball early, you have less court behind you. This means you need to adapt your swing—go for a shorter, more explosive backswing. This adjustment ensures that even when you’re on the move, you’re still packing a punch without compromising accuracy.

4. Adjust Your Stroke Based on the Ball’s Trajectory
There’s a simple rule I follow: when the ball is rising, drive through it; when it’s dropping, lift it. By tailoring your stroke to the ball’s movement, you can better control depth and pace, making it harder for your opponent to anticipate your shot.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice
Drills are your best friend here. Set up specific drills with a partner or coach where you focus solely on moving up to the ball and taking it early. Even during practice matches, consciously try to step in whenever you spot a short ball. Over time, this will become second nature.

Incorporate these strategies into your game, and you’ll start to see a shift in how your opponents play. They’ll be forced into making more errors while you dominate the pace and rhythm of the match.

Give it a try at your next club or tournament match. Remember, it's all about timing, anticipation, and a willingness to change the way you approach each point. I promise you, once you get comfortable taking the ball early, winning those extra points will feel like a no-brainer.

Until next time—keep pushing your limits and playing smart on the court!

That’s all for now—see you next week!

See you on the court,
Cade & Chris

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