Leveling Up: An Intermediate’s Guide to Advanced Strokes

Ready to move past the basics and truly control the point? As an intermediate player, your goal shifts from simply getting the ball in to dictating play. It’s time to add variety, power, and strategy to your game. This guide will focus on key techniques to help you level up, with special tips for mastering the unique challenges of grass courts.

Adding Depth and Consistency

The hallmark of an intermediate player is the ability to consistently hit with purpose. No more hitting to the middle of the court—it’s time to push your opponent back.

Deep Groundstrokes: Aim to consistently hit balls deep into your opponent’s court, forcing them behind the baseline. This limits their offensive opportunities and gives you control of the rally.
Controlled Aggression: While consistency is still king, start to incorporate more aggressive shots. When you get a short ball, attack it with purpose, but make sure your shot is well-placed with a good margin for error.

For more drills on shot depth and court positioning, check out our guide on Advanced Tennis Drills.

Spin Variation: Your New Weapons

Spin is how you control the ball’s trajectory, pace, and bounce. It’s what separates a good shot from a great one.

Topspin: Develop a more pronounced topspin on both your forehand and backhand. This spin allows you to hit the ball harder with a higher clearance over the net, causing it to dip sharply and bounce high off the court. Learn how to generate more spin with this tutorial on Top Tennis Training’s YouTube channel.
Slice: Master your slice on both wings. The slice backhand, in particular, is an excellent defensive tool to neutralize a powerful shot, and a great offensive tool to keep the ball low and force your opponent to hit up on it.

Serve Variety and Effectiveness

The serve is your most important shot. As an intermediate player, you must develop a variety of serves to keep your opponent guessing.

Flat Serve: Increase the pace and accuracy of your flat serve. This is your primary weapon for a quick point.
Slice Serve: Develop a reliable slice serve that curves away from your opponent, pulling them off the court and opening up the court for your next shot.
Kick Serve: Learn a kick serve for a higher, jumping bounce. This is especially effective as a second serve on slower surfaces, forcing your opponent to hit from an uncomfortable position. For a great kick serve tutorial, visit The Tennis Tribe.

Grass Court Tactics: The Slice is Your Best Friend

The lower, faster bounce of grass courts fundamentally changes how you should approach these intermediate strokes:

Embrace the Slice: The low skid of a slice shot is incredibly effective on grass. A well-executed slice will stay low, making it difficult for your opponent to generate power or spin. Use your slice backhand to chip and charge, or to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm.
Serve and Volley: As an intermediate player, you can begin to incorporate this classic grass court strategy. Use a strong serve (especially a slice serve out wide) to create an easy opportunity to come to the net and finish the point with a volley. This is a very effective way to shorten points.
Topspin: While topspin is crucial, you’ll want to use it differently on grass. A loopy topspin shot might sit up too much and be easy to attack. Instead, focus on a more penetrating topspin with a flatter trajectory to take time away from your opponent.

For a deeper dive into the physics of how spin works on grass vs. clay, check out this video on Baseline Media’s YouTube channel.

Climate and Court Conditions: Adapt Your Game

Playing in different climates matters significantly, as it affects both the ball and the court itself.

Humid Conditions: The ball feels heavier and slower. You might need to generate more racquet head speed to achieve the same depth. Your kick serve will also be less effective as the topspin won’t bite as much on the surface.
Dry and Fast: The ball will fly and skid more. A flat or slice serve becomes even more of a weapon. Be prepared to take the ball early and use your slice to exploit the low bounce.
Wind: In windy conditions, focus on a lower ball toss for your serve to maintain control. Add more topspin to your groundstrokes to keep them from sailing long. For more tips on playing in the wind, check out the USTA’s guide.

By understanding these nuances and practicing these intermediate strokes, you will transform your game and be ready to compete at the next level on any surface.

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