IDENTIFICATION of players strengths and weaknesses
There are basically two ways to identify a players strength or weakness, both should be done when possible. These are :
- How early is the preparation for shots, late preparation usually means you can rush them to cause errors
- Identify what shot they prefer to hit (Forehand, Backhand, slice etc...)
- Look for technical flaws, usually mean the shot can break down
- Hit balls near the edge of the court to see how they move
- Vary the spin to see how they like different types of balls
- How do they move overall?
- Scouting your opponent - It is always a good idea to watch your opponent play their previous match or watch them hitting in practice to get a feel of what they like or do not like. The things to look for are the shots they struggle with or miss often, the shots they like, patterns they use, do they complain about any shots, technical flaws, game style etc...
- During match Warm Up - The warmup can be a valuable part of game plan development. In the warmup you should try a couple of different things :
- How early is the preparation for shots, late preparation usually means you can rush them to cause errors
- Identify what shot they prefer to hit (Forehand, Backhand, slice etc...)
- Look for technical flaws, usually mean the shot can break down
- Hit balls near the edge of the court to see how they move
- Vary the spin to see how they like different types of balls
- How do they move overall?