A player without a plan is a player in trouble.

There are some singles players out there who hit hard, very hard. In fact, they hit too hard and they make lots and lots of errors.

On a good day, they can be formidable opponents. On a bad day, they can be beaten by a novice who just keeps his balls in play.

Just like a home run slugger in baseball, the tennis slugger strikes out a lot.

When playing an opponent, be patient and regard consistency as your counter-attack. Keep moving and keep sending the balls back; hopefully deep.

There is nothing a slugger wants than a ball that sits up in his mid- court. So keep your shots low with backspin and aim short so that the hitter must lift the ball. Hopefully, he’ll lift it over your baseline!

So, basically keep the ball in play and send your shots deep to his baseline. As a change-up, hit short and give your shots a low bounce (use under spin). Stay on the job; when they’re hot, they’re hot, then they cool down. Be patient.