This Means War

There was a time, not long ago, when in most of my tennis matches I was the big banger. Win or lose, I usually hit faster and heavier balls than my opponent. But with age, that’s changing.

Yesterday I played with a friend whom I’ll call Art. He’s got a big game himself along with something I rarely possess: stamina. He loves nothing better than to run side to side on the baseline, retrieving balls and wearing down his opponent with big topspin.

When I get into a contest with Art on his terms, I usually lose. He makes me hit that extra shot and I too often miss it in an attempt to overcome his “leg” advantage. But when I play thoughtfully, I win.

Playing Small

One interesting and under-appreciated aspect of sports is the degree to which — all things being equal — success flows from the strategic occupancy of space. Think about the over-rotation of a baseball defense to an extreme pull hitter. Think about what goes on in a football game: linemen and linebackers (in addition to all their other tasks) creating or filling passing lanes. Think about a good singles tennis player recovering to the area where his opponent is most likely to hit the next ball.

So why do many otherwise competent club doubles players begin so many points out of position?