Hi ,

I used to dread playing against Mike. He’s a classic serve-and-volleyer who beat me twice in a row just by rushing my rhythm and cutting the court in half.

Every time I saw him charge the net, I would panic, take my eye off the ball, and try to hit a winner too early.

For our third match, I finally changed my strategy to take back control.

I realized that the secret isn't hitting a perfect passing shot on the first try.

To beat a serve-and-volley player, you have to stay calm and follow these steps:

1. Shorten your backswing. Treat his volleys like half-volleys and take the ball early or on the rise.
2. Keep your eyes on the ball. Don't let the intimidation factor of him rushing forward make you look at the opponent instead of the ball.
3. Don't try to pass them immediately. Aim to hit one or two solid shots to get them off balance before going for the winner.
4. Target their weakness. Notice if they struggle with body shots, low volleys, or a weak backhand side.
5. Surprise them. Sometimes the best way to beat a net rusher is to move up to the net yourself and play them at their own game.

By staying patient and making him hit extra balls, I finally walked away with the win.

If you want to dive deeper into these tactics, I have a specific section inside the Total Tennis course at WebTennis24.com.

I go into great detail on both singles and doubles strategies for beating different types of opponents and choosing the right shots for every situation.

You’ll also get instant access to over 2,000 other coaching lessons and drills.

If you ever get stuck, just reach out. I personally respond to every email, usually in less than 12 hours, because I truly enjoy helping you play or coach better tennis.

Enjoy tennis,

Cosmin Miholca

P.S. If you want to practice these shots on your own, I highly recommend my favorite tennis ball machine, the Pongbot Pace S Pro. You can use the coupon code WT24 to save 5%.