One of the first things I notice when international players arrive for a tennis week in Spain isn’t their forehand or backhand.
It’s where they stand.
I see it almost immediately — often before players even reach the baseline.
Positioning problems show up in the warm-up, during rallies, and especially once match play begins. Many adult players have solid strokes but still feel rushed, crowded, or unsure where they should be on the court.
And most of the time the reason is simple.
No one ever clearly taught them where to stand.
Where Should You Stand on a Tennis Court?
For most rally situations, adult tennis players should position themselves a few feet behind the baseline, not directly on the line or inside it.
Standing slightly behind the baseline gives you space to judge the incoming ball, move your feet, and strike the ball comfortably in front of your body.
From there, your position adjusts depending on the situation — stepping forward on short balls, moving deeper for heavy shots, and recovering toward the center after each shot.
Once players understand this basic reference point, the court begins to make much more sense.
The Real Problem Appears in the Warm-Up
One of the first coaching clues appears during the warm-up.
Most tennis clubs around the world begin with mini tennis, played from the service line. Players gently pass the ball back and forth rather than hitting full strokes.
The goal of mini tennis is to wake up the:
- eyes
- hands
- wrists
- feet
- and ball judgment
During this warm-up, the service line acts as your temporary baseline.
But surprisingly, quite a few players stand directly on top of the line, crowding the ball and leaving themselves no space to work with.
And immediately I know something important:
Spacing and positioning were never clearly taught.
You can see a traditional mini tennis warm-up drill from the service line in the video above. You can explore more beginner tennis fundamentals on Indie Tenis.
The Baseline Is Your Reference Point
Once players move back to rally baseline to baseline, positioning differences become even more obvious.
Some players stand inside the baseline – or in no-man’s land.
Some stand directly on it.
Others position themselves a few feet behind it.
Only one of these positions usually works well.
In most rally situations, players should begin behind the baseline.
Why?
Because no man’s land is where the ball bounces.
Standing behind the baseline gives you the space you need to judge the incoming ball and strike it comfortably in front of your body.
The exact distance depends on your opponent. If someone hits deep, heavy balls, you may naturally position yourself several feet behind the line — just like professional players often do.
That extra space isn’t a mistake.
It’s preparation.
The Spacing Rule Every Player Should Learn Early
{Using the non-dominant hand helps players judge spacing and stay balanced behind the ball.}
Another positioning issue I see constantly is spacing around the ball.
Many players end up beside the ball or on top of it, instead of positioning themselves behind it.
In beginner tennis this should be corrected early:
You want to position yourself behind the incoming ball so you can strike it comfortably in front of your body.
This is why on the first day of many of my adult camps we spend time working on forehand contact point.
Using the non-dominant hand to help judge distance allows players to space themselves properly and stay balanced.
Once spacing improves, many other problems begin to disappear.
Court Geometry: The Lesson Many Players Miss
Another fundamental that often gets skipped is understanding the geometry of the tennis court.
The court lines and net structure tell you a lot about how tennis should be played.
For example:
- The net is lower in the middle
- Cross-court shots give you more court to hit into
- Down-the-line shots travel over the highest part of the net
This is why strong players build rallies cross court.
It’s simply the highest percentage shot in tennis.
Without understanding these geometric advantages, players often choose low-percentage shots and struggle to recover into the correct court position.
Why Recovery Becomes So Difficult
Many improver-level – through intermediate level players hit a shot… and then stay where they are.
Recovery isn’t automatic yet.
But every shot in tennis requires a small reset.
You recover because you’re preparing for the next incoming ball.
If recovery habits weren’t built early in a player’s development, positioning during points quickly begins to break down.
Recovery isn’t automatic yet. But every shot in tennis requires a small reset so you’re ready for the next ball. This is one of the biggest differences between rallying and actual match play.
Deep Balls vs Short Balls
Another common confusion is judging ball depth.
A solid deep ball often lands two or three feet inside the baseline.
That is still considered a deep ball.
Many players mistake these balls for short ones and rush forward unnecessarily.
The result is predictable:
They crowd the ball and lose control of their shot.
Understanding depth helps players decide when to:
- stay back and rally
- step forward into the court
- approach the net
The Danger of No-Man’s Land
Players will sometimes move inside the baseline to hit a shot.
That’s completely normal.
Entering the court is part of many common tennis patterns.
But there is an important rule:
You must recover out of that space again.
The area inside the baseline — often called no-man’s land — is where most balls bounce.
If you stay there too long, you lose time to react and balance for the next shot.
Good players constantly move in and out of the court during a rally.
Positioning at the Net
Net positioning creates its own set of challenges.
Some players stand too close to the net and panic when the ball arrives quickly.
Others stay too far back and end up taking volleys around their feet.
A safe starting position is usually around the middle of the service box, where players have enough time to react and adjust.
From there, positioning can adjust depending on your opponent’s tendencies.
Doubles Positioning: Where Many Matches Break Down
Doubles positioning is another area where I see confusion.
Often one player is hitting the ball while the other three players simply stand still.
But in good doubles, all four players move together with the ball.
If the ball moves right, everyone shifts right.
If the ball moves left, everyone shifts left.
This movement helps close the court and reduces open space for your opponents.
It’s a simple concept, but it’s rarely explained clearly to recreational players.
Why Experience Matters
Tennis is a lifetime sport.
Judging incoming balls — height, spin, speed, wind, trajectory — requires seeing thousands of them over time.
But good coaching accelerates that process.
One of my favorite moments during a tennis week is when players suddenly realize where they should be standing — and why.
Once positioning begins to make sense, the entire game becomes calmer.
Players move with more confidence.
And tennis starts to feel much easier to understand.
Want to Work on These Things on Court?
Understanding court positioning, recovery, and shot selection is one thing. Practicing it in real match play situations is where the game really starts to click.
At Costa del Tennis we work on these exact skills during our small-group adult training weeks — helping recreational players learn where to stand, how to recover after each shot, and how to make smarter decisions during points.
Understanding positioning is one thing. Having a coach watch your movement in real match situations — and correct it in real time — is where it actually sticks. We work on exactly this during the first two sessions in Mallorca. Most players feel the difference by Tuesday. If that sounds useful, the Mallorca page is here.
