Is your opponent racking up winners? It can be frustrating, and the pressure can push you into playing shorter, which only makes things worse. It becomes a vicious cycle. Many players think there’s nothing they can do when their opponent is on fire. Thoughts like “I’m just unlucky; this guy is playing out of his mind.” or “Oh my God, he’s so good, I have no answer.” start creeping in.

Well, here’s the truth: no player is unbeatable, and there are always ways to fight back.

Next time you face an opponent who seems unstoppable, try these two key strategies to disrupt their rhythm:

1. Identify Their Comfortable Contact Point and Take It Away

Pay close attention to where your opponent is making contact when they hit their winners:

  • Shoulder height? That means they love high balls.

  • Waist or hip level? They prefer standard-height shots.

  • Below the waist? They thrive on low balls.

Once you identify their comfort zone, your goal is to force them out of it.

  • If they like high balls → Slice more or hit flatter shots.

  • If they like low or regular-height balls → Use higher, heavier topspin shots to force them to adjust.

By taking them out of their ideal strike zone, you make it much harder for them to keep hitting clean winners.

2. Find Your Depth

It may sound simple, but one of the biggest reasons opponents dominate is short balls. If you’re hitting too short, you’re giving them the perfect setup to attack.

How to fix it:

  • Experiment with deeper shots until you find the right length that keeps them uncomfortable.

  • Hold the ball longer on your strings for better control.

  • Follow through properly to get the right combination of depth and speed.

  • Aim higher over the net to allow more margin for error and keep the ball deep.

When you keep the ball deeper, your opponent will struggle to step inside and dictate play. They’ll have to generate their own pace, which takes away easy winners.

Take Control of the Match!
The next time an opponent is effortlessly crushing winners, remember: it’s not just them playing well—you’re also giving them what they want.

Start adjusting their strike zone and pushing them deeper, and you’ll quickly notice their confidence drop. Suddenly, they’re not hitting winners so easily, and now the pressure is on them.

Try it in your next match and see how much of a difference it makes. Let me know if these adjustments help you win more matches! 🎾💪