Fight frustration with this easy strategy!

The "Boring" Strategy That Will Save Your Bad Tennis Days

We’ve all been there. You step onto the court, and within fifteen minutes, you want to launch your racquet over the fence. Whether it's a lingering bad day at work or just an off-tempo afternoon, frustration takes over, the unforced errors pile up, and the fun completely vanishes.

When your strokes, footwork, and mental game suddenly desert you, you don't need a complex technical overhaul. You need a quick, reliable reset button.

Next time you feel the rage building, commit to a simple survival tactic before you even finish warming up:

The Mirror Shot Strategy.

What is the Mirror Shot Strategy?

It is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of trying to construct brilliant, aggressive points, you resolve to simply mirror whatever your opponent sends your way. You can use it for a few points to regain your confidence, or ride it out for a couple of games—or even a whole match.

Here is how it translates on the court:

• They hit cross-court? You return it cross-court.

• They hit down the middle? You send it right back down the middle.

• They push a soft ball? You push a soft ball back.

• They slice? You slice it right back.

• They hit with heavy pace? Don't overswing. Just block it back using their own speed.

The One Critical Exception: If your opponent hits a down-the-line shot, do not mirror it. Instead, hit it back down the middle or cross-court. If you mirror a down-the-line shot, you will open up the entire court and end up doing an exhausting amount of running.

Why This Strategy Solves Your Frustration

By mirroring, you instantly shift 100% of the pressure onto your opponent.

You are forcing them to take the risks, change the ball's direction, and find a way to hit a winner. If they happen to be having a flawless day and beat you anyway, fair enough. But the most important thing? You stop beating yourself. Your unforced errors will plummet, and you’ll be shocked by how many free points you get just by staying in the rally.

Match Point

Is playing this way boring? Honestly, yes. It requires you to put your killer instinct on the back burner and play simple, patient tennis.

But you will be incredibly surprised by how many more balls you get back—and how many more matches you can scramble to win when you aren't playing your best.

Give the Mirror Strategy a shot next time the wheels start coming off. Stay on your toes, keep it simple.

RSPA Pro Coach Roberto Martini

RDMTennisCoaching