How To CONTROL YOUR OPPONENT

[@huntsail3727]

Always enjoy your videos and find something I can use in them. Great job!

[@ironwilltennis]

Thank you for the compliment 😁 I hope I can keep helping

[@K4R3N]

I would say Alcaraz is the perfect example. He gets the opponent used to a rhythm and then either injects pace or throws in a dropshot. You can see the opponent scrambling

[@ironwilltennis]

He is a great player to watch when it comes to that skill😁👍

[@hobbes4583]

I really like that forehand slice dropshot you hit to the middle at 9:32. I've never seen someone use that, but it makes sense. I'm gonna try that.

[@johndunn3492]

Perfect sense to me. I also like how you warn about just hitting to a weak backhand over and over again. This approach is about the only thing that keeps me in the game with the young guys because they have so much more power than me.

[@ironwilltennis]

Definitely don't want to help the groove their weakness 😁👍

[@gabrielcoutinho503]

Very good video, man!

[@ironwilltennis]

@gabrielcoutinho503 thank you, hope it helped

[@rolandinnamorato1953]

Cool content I haven't seen before. Thanks Coach!

[@ironwilltennis]

Very welcome 😁 hope it helps

[@johnattinger7980]

Great, simple concept.

[@lukeoldfield7940]

Interesting! I've been doing this instinctively, even though I am not particularly high level (playing 2.5 years). I always try to slow a fast hitter down to the pace I am comfortable with, then speed it back up when I get a shorter ball to attack to throw their timing off - works particularly well against better players to stop them teeing off on you - and they then tend to overhit in response to a slower/shorter ball then you have been feeding them. Similarly I try to speed up slow hitters.

[@ND-9]

Great video. I’m not ready for this yet, tho. I only hit at one pace…forehand or backhand. Maybe that’s why I’m easy to figure out and beat.

[@ironwilltennis]

That definitely makes it easier to get into a rhythm

[@RecordSisi]

Great job as always

[@ironwilltennis]

Thank you as always 🙏 hope it helps

[@warrentondixon2650]

What thinking should one adopt to respond seamlessly to the opponent's deliberate or inadvertent rhythm change?

[@tennis47]

Very practical tips!

[@ironwilltennis]

Thank you 😁 hope it helps

[@AlonParis22]

Great video! Seems like it is more of a style change than a rhythm change. For example going from a rally ball 6 to a high heavy topspin 6 or a low slice 6...followed by a rhythm change, eg rally ball 8. Is that correct?

[@ironwilltennis]

Yes, both combinations are an option. You can change the rhythm by switching from one shot type to another. Or you can change the rhythm by switching from one level of intensity to another.

[@AlonParis22]

@@ironwilltennis thanks! Enjoying the whole series and learning a lot!

[@davdmoi]

❤, I just did . Forwarded to others . They sure can use some changes. They are same rhythm behind base line. Just waiting who’s will make the errors.

[@ironwilltennis]

Let me know how it goes👍

[@vubot1]

Changing the rhythm for them, also changes it for yourself. Won't that increase your own chance of error?

[@ironwilltennis]

Not necessarily because you are receiving a ball in rhythm and you are dictating the tempo 😁

[@vubot1]

@@ironwilltennis Makes sense. I'm in control so my risk is less.

[@ironwilltennis]

@@vubot1 exactly 😁

[@percivalmvoco2569]

I like it . Thanks 🙏

[@ironwilltennis]

You are welcome 😁 let me know it helps

[@richied7507]

A game is for me most fun i can have . serving 100mph first and 2nd serve and serving and volleying behind that on return of serve sabr all there serves come to net then the iceing on the cake is drop shotting them even on the return of serve 25 mins maybe 30 = 6-0 = dont even have to hit a fore hand or backhand unless i want to. slices all ground stokes. they pretty much never wanna play with me again. nice bagel to go home with.

[@ironwilltennis]

Sounds like a solid plan if it works fir you😁👍

[@richied7507]

i say practice your A game and B game C game and D game and mix it up ABCD game plan.

[@ironwilltennis]

Interesting illustration but well said 👍

[@christhompson9128]

Good stuff. The key is you have to have the skills to change the rhythm. Most Rec players don’t have the variety of shots to change up.

[@ironwilltennis]

The trick is to find the tempo changes that fit your comfort zone. Low-high, fast-slow, deep-short, left right, topspin-backspin. Everyone has something

[@lukeoldfield7940]

@@ironwilltennis this is very true. I was rallying with a better player just this evening and trying to keep to his tempo when I was already a bit tired - I was miss-timing a lot and hitting out, so I slowed him down to my tempo and started varying it and then he was the one suddenly over-hitting and catching the a net lot, whilst I was a lot more comfortable!