My opponent's weakness

Jeff Plumb Answered 17 years ago

Hi Willy,

If you get a chance to watch your opponent play in other matches, you can take note of how they win and lose points. This is a great way to prepare yourself.

Unfortunately we don't always get the benefit of seeing our opponent play first. In this case you simply need to try out different tactics. You still want to play your style of game though. As an example, if you are an attacker, you may want to try playing your topspins wide to each corner and into the middle. This allows you to judge whether they have a better backhand or forehand block.

You also need to try out a range of different serves against a new opponent to find one they don't like. By just finding a single serve they have trouble with can win you an entire match. Try varying the spin, speed and placement of your serve.

With experience you will be able to quickly identify the best tactics to use against newer players. Good luck!