The pendulum of variety in tennis swings back and forth. The men’s game, though power dominated with serve plus one (a strong serve followed by a powerful shot – forehand usually), is beginning to show more variety. Years ago Federer was overheard saying that he could not imagine using a dropshot. In the final years of his career, he incorporated this shot into his lengthy repertoire. Alcarez, Djokovic, and Sinner — the top three players in men’s tennis — all play a dropshot repeatedly to challenge their opponents hugging the baseline. The recently played 2024 Olympics Gold Medal match is a great one to watch if you want to see some well-timed and well-executed dropshots.
But there are many more options when varying your tennis play than just incorporating the dropshot. Sharp angles are used to pull opponents off court outside the doubles alley. Using a sharp angle is an excellent way to create an opening against a baseliner.
This year we watched as Alcarez incorporated high heavy groundshots against Sinner instead of just playing bang-bang tennis. The high heavy ball made Sinner play his response above his shoulder and often led to a shorter ball, which Alcarez attacked.
The slice is another shot used to disrupt the rhythm of the opponent — watch matches against Zverev or Medvedev, both extraordinary at the baseline and yet uncomfortable moving forward. Being 6’6″ makes the slice a powerful tool as the ball stays low after the bounce. The slice is crucial and helps blunt the ball used by power hitters.
The use of variety is now the norm on the women’s tour and on the college level. Sabalenka and Rybakina are the exceptions. When Plan A (power from the baseline) is on — excellent. But if there is no Plan B, trouble may lie ahead.
Besides the dropshot, sharp angle groundstrokes, high heavy balls, and slice, the swinging volley has emerged as a lethal weapon in recent matches. This shot is a full groundstroke with the ball taken out of the air and takes time away from the opponent, hindering their ability to prepare for the reply.
Variety allows players to control the pace of the match. It’s not about trying crazy shots but about understanding the competition. Ons Jabeur is a top player who incorporates variety into her game. She is able to hit clean dropshots off both her forehand and backhand sides, making her unpredictable for her opponents and a fun player for spectators to watch.
When pro’s start to become unbeatable, take Swiatek for instance, watch as her opponents employ varied shots that may not even be in their typical shot repertoire to outsmart their higher ranked opponent. Even the best players get frustrated and beaten by lower ranked players who do this well.
So — practice, practice, practice. Watch videos. Learn new shots. Get coaching. There is more to tennis than just forehands, backhands and serves. AND … it’s more fun!
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Judy Dixon 