What is the percentage tennis game? I put it very simple, it is to play the right ball to the right place at the right moment.  To understand and execute percentage tennis you have to have a greater understanding of the game that involves:

-  Mastery of strokes (good clean technique),  experience (match and tournament play), fitness (tournament level), confidence (mental stability), tactical & strategic implementation plus other elements.

Why all of these? Because to use percentage play you must be able to execute the strokes that lead to the situations and capitalize on the opportunities they offer. It takes time to develop all of these and like anything built to last (a solid foundation), it takes time to build but, the rewards are endless!

Often Teachers can be miss undertood and players follow litteraly certain patterns that are supposed to be "percentage shots". For example:

- "Johnny, hit your returns cross court all the time - the net is lower in the mid section of the court, you can hit the ball harder because the court is longer and if you hit a good shot 95% of the times your opponent will hit cross court back to you and you will not have to run"

"Johnny" does just that and his opponent wether he stays back or goes to the net is ready and waiting for the "cross-court percentage-shot".

What should "Johnny" really do to stack up the odds in his favour? If the opponent is a baseliner or an agressive baseliner:

- Indeed return a high percentage (60%) of 1st services deep-cross court; use top-spin for better control, bunt and slice as needed.

- Return 20% deep down the middle at your opponents feet as he finishes the service motion.

- Return 20% deep up the line, if you read your opponents service early enough and you are able to hit a solid deep shot, you can totaly surprise him. Either get a winner or an easy put away short ball on the next ball if not a volley (if you moved in behind your return).

                        RETURN

How do you blend and mix the return percentages? Primarily it depends on the quality of your opponents first serve and your ability to return well. Secondarely but not of less importance your return mix depends on your relative position to the court and the angles created by the server. The weakness or strengh of your opponents wings (forehand & backhand) as well as the speed of his lateral or forward/backward movement will determine your choices of placement.  Finally the score where you will either try to play a short or a long point accordingly (we will discuss this in another article).

If the opponent is a Serve an volley player:

- Indeed return a high percentage (60%) of 1st services cross court; use top-spin, bunt, slice and by all means keep the ball low to his shoe laces! If you have enough control use the return angle (dink) low and short as well, to make him come closer to the net then he may want to, this will open the possibility of an agressive top spin winning lob for you.

- Return 20% hard down the middle at your opponents mid-body section or shoe laces as he comes in. Force him to hit unconfortable body volleys or low volleys in awkward positions.

- Return 20% up the line top-spin when possible, bunt, slice when needed. A well placed return  down the line will test your opponents ability to move and cover the court as well as to volley on the stretch.

Here keep this always in mind, whatever serve comes at you, make your opponent volley. Do not feel threatened with his presence at the net, make him volley, get the ball over the net no matter how bad your shot may be!

So far I have explained how to direct the percentage of the returns to certain areas of the court, but now I am going to explain what would be a percentage play.  This variety of complex elements that you have to string together to construct points, games, sets and matches, are what makes tennis such an exciting and at the same time challenging game!

Situation:  - Sets: 1-1 - 3 set - Games: 0 - 0 -  Point Score: 0 - 0

Opponent serves a wide slice 1st serve.

The higher the level the more important it is to get that 1st point lead in the first game (or any game) of the 3 set  to open the door to a possible early break and a very important psycological blow to your opponent.

In this case the percentage return is a well paced/placed down the line shot to the red zone. You could argue that there is to much risk and I will say; consider the odds of returning cross court and the amount of running you will have go through to reach the down the line shot your opponent will deliver next!

Server

                                               Returner

This type of shot should be applied in a variety of situations which involve being pulled out of the court on either the forehand or backhand side and put into a win or lose position, your percentage shot 95% of the times is the down the line choice. You have to have nerves of steel, but the more you do it in practice match play, the easier it will be to do it in tournament play.

Another example:

- Coach says; "Andy, get 70 to 80% of your first serves in and you will have it in the bag"

All of a sudden "Andy's" opponent starts jumping on top of his "First Services" and hitting winners all over the place!  Why? Because Andy forgot that he has a first serve that goes 30 to 40 miles faster then the one he is using.

What should Andy and others do? 

- Consider the opponents return quality and movement. Pound the first service at the opponents strenghts to break him down. Never be afraid to challenge the opponents best shots, by managing to shake his confidence at the early stages of a match it is very likely to be crucial in helping to win the big points later on.

- Use the first serve (The Big One) to the place in the box where you are most confident to succeed and get either an ace or a cheap point. (Allways use your strentghs)

- Mix those powerful 1st services, changes of pace with slice and kick  according to the score*, situation and desired strategy.

Service placement as a rule of thumb depending on the surface and its speed (also if you are right or left handed):

   Clay & Slow-Hard Courts                     Grass, Fast-Hard and Indoors

                 Server                                                   Server

Placement Service % for Lefthanded Players any Surface:

Here I am going to give an example of percentage play that often is miss understood but, players like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer perfectly execute.

How many times (if you had the opportunity to see) did Pete and Roger get into a load of trouble (break points, set points and even match points against them) and get out of it with gigantic first serves down the middle!?! They do this over and over and the opponents know it is coming neverthless they can not do anything about it! What have Pete and Roger understood that most "coaches" and players have not?

- When you are serving you have total control of the situation! Decisions you make then are independente of your opponents will and control.

- Under pressure respond with pressure! Use your best weapon.

- While serving in a pressure situation going for an Ace down the middle is the percentage shot .

- All odds are in your favour, the net is lower, the reaction time of your opponent is cut off by 30% or more and if he ever manages to return the service, he will have the tendency to play a weak shot to the middle of the court therefore allowing you an easy put away shot.

For the nay sayers and the ones asking; what about getting a 3/4 pace first serve and go from there?  I will say; it is a good safe idea but, i am affraid it will not carry the trophy home! Odds are you will have an emboldened adversary ready to agressively pounce at the return and put you under so much pressure that you will regret for ever not to have used your Ace tactics to begin with.

So next time you are in a tight spot with your serve (if it is one of your weapons) you know what to do. Go for it!

Next example:

- "Mardy, be patient, rally cross court to his backhand place the ball about 6 feet from the side line and wait for the short one to attack or hit a winner!"

A flury of inside-out and inside-in forehands is clocked at 120 Mph and the winner quota from the opponent looks like Wallstreet in a feeding frenzy, up and up! Why? Because Mardy became to passive and let all the initiative to his opponent.

What should "Mardy" and others do?

- Stay in control as much as possible.  Play agressively to the opponent backhand deep and close to the side lines if necessary to get an opening.  Yet mix the speed (changes of pace), spins, ball heigth and when possible pound the forehand side with a few winners to keep adversary honest.

- Hug the baseline and get inside the court at every opportunity. Combine winners with angles drops shots and aproach shot attacks.

In the diagram below you will see what I consider the "Control Zone", if you're disciplined enough to hold onto your guns, to fight for that position and as much as possible fire from the inside of that area, your match winning percentage will increase dramaticaly.

- Stay in control of the center of the court.

- Either attack the short balls and go to the net or put them away according to individual situations. 

Remember going for the lines at certain moments is percentage play as well! What is important is, that you sense the moment is right to do it and you have previously developed confidence in the shot by using it during practice match play. Great wins allways involve great acts of courage, sacrifice and boldeness.

Percentage tennis is mastery of the game and yourself at all times.

There is a lot more to talk about it, I only scratched the surface of the percentage tennis game but, I try to just let you have some ideas of my own and inspire you to create yours.

Now, how do you combine percentage play with point play? I will tell you that next month. In the meantine continue to develop your game and have a good time doing it! :)

PRO TENNIS LESSONS, BEGINNERS 4 DVD TENNIS STARTER SET! INCLUDES: ULTIMATE FOREHAND, ULTIMATE BACKHAND, ULTIMATE SERVE, RULES OF TENNIS.

CONSISTENT TENNIS WINS (The Complete Series) Volumes I -VIII

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