Baseline Game Tactics: Building the point
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Description:
The coach suggests an exercise, training or competitive activity, focused on the players working on the different tactics or strategies of the game.
Goal of the activity
By hitting deeper and heavier shots, we want to keep the opponent back and away from the area of attack (inside the court); this way we are creating an opportunity to build the point. We are in a good position to start building the point when our feet are on the baseline or around half a meter (+/- 0.5m) behind the baseline
By building the point we try to put our opponent in a forced position so we can get opportunities to finish the point with and open court.
If we biuld the point properly we will we able to finish the shot without aiming to the line.
Key aspects:
Building the point can be started with longer or shorter shots, cross-court or down-the-line shots, or topspin or slice shots.
To be able to build the point and take advantatge is very important that our position on court is better than our opponent. For example it would have a negative outcome to try to change down the line with the forehand if we are in a forced position and our opponent is in a good position in the middle of the court.
Practical examples
Down the line set ups “Real Game”:
Player change down the line with the forehand to set up attacks.
Down the line set ups “Live ball”:
“Hitting drills to work on Building the Point”: One player strikes between 1-3 hits with the forehand cross court and changes direction down the line to set up the point, at the same time the other player, hits between 1-3 backhand strokes and changes down the line (repeatedly).
Forehand down the line set up “Coach Volley”:
“Working on building the point”: The player strikes between 1-3 right forehand shots and changes in long down the line set up shot, to later hit the ball with a cross backhand. Afterwards, the coach changes to a long down the line shot with his volley (exchanges repeatedly).
Variant: The same but the player changes also with the backhand down the line
Down the line preparations “Baskets”:
“Working on building the point”: The player strikes the balls thrown by the coach trying to alternate long strokes (crossed and parallel) and short cross strokes (in preparation towards the serve box).
Variant: The different preparations you decide to work as a coach.
Preparations in short cross opening “Live ball”:
“Hitting drills to work on Building the Point”: Both payers are hitting deep and heavy cross-court shots, building the point; when a player gets very close to the baseline he/she hits an ‘angle’ opening the court wide, and afterwards hits to the Open Space.
Preparations in short cross opening “Live ball”:
“Hitting drills to work on Building the Point”: Players exchange strokes as the video shows, and when the back player hits close to the baseline, he makes a first long hit and a second short cross opening stroke.
“Propositions on different ways to Build Points”
Preparations in short cross opening “Live ball”:
“Propositions on different ways to Build Points” Hitting Backhand Vs Backhand Cross-court, and whenever a player gets close to the baseline he/she has to hit a short ‘angle’ wide shot and afterwards play the point out full court.
Preparations in short cross opening “Live ball”:
“Propositions on different ways to Build Points” Hitting Free Full court, and whenever a player starts building the point and gets closer to the baseline the point is started and played out.
“Propositions on different ways to Build Points”
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