Tennis situations
Real match points: read the score, the positions and the opponent, and pick the best play.
Serve (57 situations)
Serve guide- Serving on the ad sideBeginner
- The T on the deuce sideBeginner
- Game point on serve, 3-3 on clayBeginner
- Lefty serve on the ad sideBeginner
- Aiming your first serveBeginner
- New ballsBeginner
- The returner is way backBeginner
- After the serveBeginner
- Repeating the serve that worksBeginner
- A returner standing inside the courtBeginner
- First service game against an unknown opponentBeginner
- Second serve at 30-30Beginner
- A second serve that is too shortBeginner
- Second serve: spin or pace?Beginner
- The wide slice on grassBeginner
- They return with anglesBeginner
- They know where the serve is goingBeginner
- Serving to a leftyBeginner
- The weak side is the forehandBeginner
- Wind at your back on the serveBeginner
- First serve at 0-30Intermediate
- Serve and first shot on the ad side, on clayIntermediate
- They always return the T serve to the same spotIntermediate
- Against the long-armed returnerIntermediate
- Break point down, serving to stay in the setIntermediate
- Which serve to come in behindIntermediate
- Serving into the windIntermediate
- Kick to the one-handed backhandIntermediate
- Serving to a lefty on the ad sideIntermediate
- Your lefty slice on the deuce sideIntermediate
- Lefty against lefty, on the ad sideIntermediate
- The shot after the serveIntermediate
- They are protecting the backhandIntermediate
- Second serve on the ad sideIntermediate
- Second serve against a returner who steps inIntermediate
- Second serve on break pointIntermediate
- They are waiting for the wide second serveIntermediate
- Tiebreak against the leftyIntermediate
- Surprise serve and volleyIntermediate
- Serving at altitudeAdvanced
- The serve you saved for deuceAdvanced
- Break point on grassAdvanced
- Facing break point on clayAdvanced
- Crosswind on the serveAdvanced
- First serve against a weak backhandAdvanced
- They are waiting for the wide oneAdvanced
- Against a short returner, on clayAdvanced
- Serving tired late in the third setAdvanced
- The lefty's weaponAdvanced
- They have timed your serveAdvanced
- Against a second-serve killerAdvanced
- First serve at 40-0Advanced
- Serve and volley on the second serveAdvanced
- Second serve against chip and chargeAdvanced
- An extreme-grip forehandAdvanced
- Serving at 3-5 in the tiebreak against a leftyAdvanced
- The returner stands four meters back on clayAdvanced
Return (57 situations)
Return guide- Returning a big serveBeginner
- Serve into the bodyBeginner
- The default returnBeginner
- A big, wide serve on clayBeginner
- Returning into the windBeginner
- Lefty wide serve to your backhandBeginner
- Returning against serve-and-volleyBeginner
- Returning at 15-40 against a big serverBeginner
- Slow serve, returner way backBeginner
- Returning against a leftyBeginner
- After the returnBeginner
- Weak second serveBeginner
- A short, slow serveBeginner
- The split step on the returnBeginner
- Fast wide serve to the backhand on grassBeginner
- Returning in the tiebreakBeginner
- Returning to the weak sideBeginner
- A wide serve to the forehandBeginner
- Wide serve to your backhandBeginner
- Wind at your back on the returnBeginner
- Break point against a first serveIntermediate
- Break point on a second serveIntermediate
- Cutting off the wide serveIntermediate
- Taking away the forehand after the serveIntermediate
- Second serve to your forehandIntermediate
- Heavy kick to your backhandIntermediate
- Second serve to your forehand on the ad sideIntermediate
- The lefty's slice down the TIntermediate
- They close in tight after the serveIntermediate
- A high kick to your one-handed backhandIntermediate
- Where to return against a cannonIntermediate
- Return position on grass after the clay seasonIntermediate
- They are serving on autopilotIntermediate
- Reading the tossIntermediate
- Returning to a tall opponentIntermediate
- Second serve in the tiebreak against a big serverIntermediate
- After the underarm serveIntermediate
- The lefty's second serve to your backhandIntermediate
- Returning against serve and volleyIntermediate
- Moving the heavy serverAdvanced
- They always go wideAdvanced
- Second serve to your forehandAdvanced
- Against a server who moves inAdvanced
- They are waiting on the backhandAdvanced
- Chip and charge on grassAdvanced
- Break point against a 220 km/h serveAdvanced
- Wide serve to your backhandAdvanced
- Deep against the kickAdvanced
- Slow second serve from someone who backs up after servingAdvanced
- The lefty's wide sliceAdvanced
- Facing match point on a second serveAdvanced
- Three break points on a second serveAdvanced
- Running around the second serveAdvanced
- Bringing the server forwardAdvanced
- Their serve has slowed down in the third setAdvanced
- They have timed your returnsAdvanced
- A lefty serving and volleyingAdvanced
Baseline (74 situations)
Baseline guide- Your ball landed shortBeginner
- Missing by inchesBeginner
- Against someone who gets everything backBeginner
- Backhand rallyBeginner
- When in doubt, deep down the middleBeginner
- Opponent takes every ball on the baselineBeginner
- They move poorly to one sideBeginner
- Against the big server, a long rallyBeginner
- Comfortable forehand on clayBeginner
- The ball that kicks up too highBeginner
- Against a player who rushes every short ballBeginner
- Forehand against a leftyBeginner
- Answering the low sliceBeginner
- A ball down the middleBeginner
- Net clearanceBeginner
- The empty sideBeginner
- They keep missingBeginner
- Crosswind in the rallyBeginner
- Playing into the windBeginner
- Pushed back by a big hitterBeginner
- Choosing a sideBeginner
- Recovering after the shotBeginner
- Way behind the baselineBeginner
- Late on the backhandBeginner
- Rallying in the tiebreakBeginner
- The lefty's crosscourtBeginner
- A deep, flat ball to the forehandIntermediate
- Backhand rally against a volleyerIntermediate
- Time to change directionIntermediate
- Taking time away from the counterpuncherIntermediate
- Holding back an attackerIntermediate
- Time for the drop shotIntermediate
- Comfortable forehand on grassIntermediate
- The one-handed backhandIntermediate
- They recover too earlyIntermediate
- Time to run around the backhandIntermediate
- You are a lefty: the wrong diagonalIntermediate
- A low ball to their forehandIntermediate
- Against high, slow ballsIntermediate
- They ran around the backhandIntermediate
- A high, deep ballIntermediate
- After the down-the-line shotIntermediate
- The ball after the returnIntermediate
- Short-angle forehandIntermediate
- Third set in the heat, more tired than themIntermediate
- Breaking their rhythmIntermediate
- High ball to the backhand on clayIntermediate
- The server is tiredIntermediate
- Against the lefty, the backhand down the lineIntermediate
- Against a lefty, the right diagonalIntermediate
- The lefty's slice to your forehandIntermediate
- They are stretched on the forehandAdvanced
- The weak side is the forehandAdvanced
- Against a player who lives off anglesAdvanced
- Bringing them where they do not want to beAdvanced
- Against a drop-shot artistAdvanced
- On grass, the first short ballAdvanced
- They are waiting for the inside-outAdvanced
- Your left-handed weaponAdvanced
- Against a flat hitterAdvanced
- Rallying against a two-meter serverAdvanced
- Your backhand is better than theirs; their forehand, better than yoursAdvanced
- Open courtAdvanced
- They are hiding the backhandAdvanced
- 40-0 on your serve, a slightly short forehandAdvanced
- First match at altitudeAdvanced
- Set point in the rallyAdvanced
- Where to recover after opening the courtAdvanced
- Using their pace down the lineAdvanced
- The angle against a deep defenderAdvanced
- The lefty is guarding the backhandAdvanced
- Running around against a leftyAdvanced
- Run around it or not?Advanced
- Against an anticipatorAdvanced
Approach (45 situations)
Approach guide- Your opponent was stretched and the ball is floatingBeginner
- The short ball on grassBeginner
- Short ball in the middle, on grassBeginner
- Power or depth?Beginner
- Where to go at the netBeginner
- Short ball to your forehand against a leftyBeginner
- After the approachBeginner
- Reading the short ball earlyBeginner
- Short, but not one to approach onBeginner
- Short, high ball in the middleBeginner
- The return landed shortBeginner
- Approaching to the weak sideBeginner
- They are far backBeginner
- Short ball to your forehandBeginner
- Approaching against a fast passerIntermediate
- Short ball at 5-5 in the tiebreakIntermediate
- Strong approach: how far to come inIntermediate
- Your lob got overIntermediate
- Inside-out forehand approachIntermediate
- Short ball with your opponent off the courtIntermediate
- Low short ball to the backhandIntermediate
- Approach or drop shot?Intermediate
- Short, low ball to the backhand on grassIntermediate
- The split-step momentIntermediate
- A floater in mid-courtIntermediate
- Approaching against a leftyIntermediate
- Coming in against a lobberIntermediate
- Short ball with a strong headwindIntermediate
- The side where they pass worseIntermediate
- Attacking without coming inAdvanced
- After the crosscourt approachAdvanced
- Approaching down the middleAdvanced
- After your drop shotAdvanced
- Running around a short ball against a leftyAdvanced
- A lefty's backhand approachAdvanced
- Approaching against a solid two-handed backhandAdvanced
- Return and come inAdvanced
- A short, angled approachAdvanced
- Sneaking inAdvanced
- Coming in on the sun sideAdvanced
- Short ball against an exhausted opponentAdvanced
- The exception to the down-the-line ruleAdvanced
- Approaching to a one-handed backhandAdvanced
- After the forehand that forced themAdvanced
- Wind at your back: go to the netAdvanced
Net (47 situations)
Net guide- Chest-high volleyBeginner
- Ball at your feetBeginner
- High, slow ball near the netBeginner
- Sky-high lobBeginner
- The pass is going outBeginner
- Lob over your headBeginner
- Volley below the netBeginner
- Moving forward to volleyBeginner
- Overhead after letting the lob bounceBeginner
- Where the overhead goesBeginner
- Short lobBeginner
- Both players at the netBeginner
- Volley to the empty sideBeginner
- Volley with the opponent in the middleBeginner
- A lob over your backhandIntermediate
- Your overhead did not finish the pointIntermediate
- Deep lobIntermediate
- They are far behindIntermediate
- Volley into a strong headwindIntermediate
- The first volleyIntermediate
- After the volley into the cornerIntermediate
- High backhand volleyIntermediate
- High passing shot at the netIntermediate
- Lefty volley against a rightyIntermediate
- They are tight to the netIntermediate
- Overhead on break pointIntermediate
- A lob into the sunIntermediate
- The second volleyIntermediate
- Low lob as you reach the service lineIntermediate
- They are already runningIntermediate
- Volleying against a leftyIntermediate
- Your first volley landed short and centralAdvanced
- High volley with your opponent centeredAdvanced
- A full-speed passing shot to your backhandAdvanced
- The wrong time for a drop volleyAdvanced
- The feint at the netAdvanced
- Low first volleyAdvanced
- An overhead close to the netAdvanced
- Overhead against a lefty in the middleAdvanced
- After the angled volleyAdvanced
- After your drop volleyAdvanced
- Reading the passerAdvanced
- Ball at your body at the netAdvanced
- The stretch volleyAdvanced
- Volley against a fast defender on clayAdvanced
- Against a heavy-topspin passAdvanced
- Match point at the netAdvanced
Defense (53 situations)
Defense guide- They came to the net: the passing shotBeginner
- Their attack landed shortBeginner
- Stretched on the forehandBeginner
- High, deep ball to your backhandBeginner
- They are coming to the netBeginner
- Chasing the drop shotBeginner
- Stretched and out of timeBeginner
- The lefty's forehand kicking up to your backhandBeginner
- Lob over the backhand sideBeginner
- Defending into the windBeginner
- They are tight to the netBeginner
- On defense, no winnersBeginner
- After the defensive lobBeginner
- Your lob was short and they will smashBeginner
- Stretched on the backhandBeginner
- Against a heavy hitterBeginner
- Pulled wide on the forehandBeginner
- Wrong-footed on break pointBeginner
- They always follow up with a drop shotIntermediate
- Fast ball at your bodyIntermediate
- Passing a volleyer who is almost two meters tallIntermediate
- Stretched on the forehand, on clayIntermediate
- Topspin lob or slice lobIntermediate
- Their overhead is shakyIntermediate
- Defending on your break pointIntermediate
- They are glued to the netIntermediate
- A short approachIntermediate
- Where to defend on grassIntermediate
- They are stretched in the forehand cornerIntermediate
- Stretched on a two-handed backhandIntermediate
- Reaching the angled volleyIntermediate
- Answering the short angleIntermediate
- Ball at your feet, on the lineIntermediate
- The two-shot passIntermediate
- Stretched by the lefty's crosscourtIntermediate
- Stretched on the backhand, on grassIntermediate
- You reached the drop shot and replied deepAdvanced
- A low ball and a volleyer on the netAdvanced
- Answering the drop shot with them far backAdvanced
- Backhand pass against a player covering the lineAdvanced
- You reached the drop shot and they came inAdvanced
- Lobbing toward the sunAdvanced
- Lobbing a lefty at the netAdvanced
- Stretched against a net rusherAdvanced
- Neutralizing the inside-outAdvanced
- They are about to smashAdvanced
- The volleyer who moves earlyAdvanced
- Passing a left-handed volleyerAdvanced
- Passing on the runAdvanced
- A near-impossible drop shot at 0-40 in the third setAdvanced
- Their attacking patternAdvanced
- After the defensive ballAdvanced
- After the overheadAdvanced
Score & momentum (41 situations)
Score & momentum guide- After the double faultBeginner
- Starting the second set after winning the firstBeginner
- Break point in a rallyBeginner
- The changeoverBeginner
- Leading 5-2Beginner
- Serving at 0-40Beginner
- Down 0-3 early in the matchBeginner
- Nervous at the startBeginner
- They take forever between pointsBeginner
- Time for plan BBeginner
- After missing an easy oneBeginner
- Your first tiebreak against a leftyBeginner
- Against a stronger playerBeginner
- Playing in strong, gusty windBeginner
- You lost the first setIntermediate
- After missing three set pointsIntermediate
- After a bad callIntermediate
- Big point, trusted playIntermediate
- Down 0-5Intermediate
- Extreme heat in a long matchIntermediate
- Restarting after an hour of rainIntermediate
- Returning to stay in the setIntermediate
- Serving for the setIntermediate
- A set and a break upIntermediate
- Tiebreak: down 1-5Intermediate
- First point of the tiebreakIntermediate
- Warm-up against an opponent you do not knowIntermediate
- Right after being brokenAdvanced
- Your opponent took a medical timeoutAdvanced
- The deciding tiebreakAdvanced
- Wind at your backAdvanced
- The favorite, tight in the first setAdvanced
- Playing with the crowd against youAdvanced
- Match point on the returnAdvanced
- Breaking your opponent's rhythmAdvanced
- They changed the gameAdvanced
- They are going for brokeAdvanced
- Your opponent is limpingAdvanced
- Saving a set pointAdvanced
- Serving for the match on grassAdvanced
- Serving into the sunAdvanced