By Rhonda Costa | Tennis Director, Costa del Tennis Updated: May 2026 | 5 min read
The Assumption That Costs Club Players Matches
The moment someone says adult club tennis player, there’s an immediate assumption: they know the game.”
They don’t. Not match play. Not really.
I’ve coached adult recreational players from around the world on tennis coaching holidays in Spain — and you learn fast what the game actually looks like at club level. This post is for the advanced beginner through to the solid intermediate player. If you’re already competing at a high level, this isn’t for you. But the vast majority of adult club players sit somewhere in that middle range — and most of them are still learning, whether they realise it or not.
So let’s talk about why you’re picking the wrong shots. And what to do instead.
They Simply Don’t Know — And That’s the Real Problem
The honest answer? Most club players pick the wrong shots because nobody has ever shown them the right ones.
Last week I ran an improver camp — advanced beginner to intermediate level — and not one player had a working understanding of match strategy. Some didn’t confidently know the lines of the court. If you don’t know where you are on court, you cannot play smart tennis. Full stop.
Court geography is non-negotiable before you reach intermediate level. The service boxes, the tramlines, the no-man’s land zone between baseline and service line — these aren’t details. They’re the map you navigate every point from. If you’re unsure, start with the official tennis court dimensions and get them locked in.
Most of these players have had minimal coaching. Conflicting advice here, a group session there — then they settle into hitting sessions with another club player and call it practice. Then match day arrives and they fall apart.
The Two Most Common Match Play Mistakes I See
1. Too Much Ego, Not Enough Plan
Some players arrive on court wanting to end every point quickly. They overhit. They go for big winners on low-percentage balls. They make unforced error after unforced error — not because they lack ability, but because they have no plan.
Tennis is a chess match. One shot sets up the next. When you’re swinging for winners from the baseline on a 30-all point in game three, you’re not playing tennis — you’re just hitting balls and hoping.
2. Reacting Instead of Reading
Most club players don’t begin to move for a ball until it has bounced on their side of the court. By then, it’s too late.
At intermediate level, you should be moving with the ball as it travels toward you — reading whether you need to move forward or back, adjusting your position before the bounce. Reacting after the bounce leaves you late, jammed, or with too much space and no control over your shot.
High Percentage vs. Low Percentage Tennis: The Core Decision
Here’s the concept most club players have never been taught properly.
High percentage tennis = use the lowest part of the net (the middle) for the majority of your shots. You keep the ball in play. You stay inside the court longer than your opponent. You build the point.
Low percentage tennis = going down the line, going for a big angle, taking a risk. This has its place — but only at the right moment.
Most club players reverse this. They go for the low percentage shot on neutral balls and then wonder why they’re losing.
When to go cross-court (high percentage):
- The point is neutral — nobody is dominating
- You’re under pressure and need to reset
- Your opponent is in position and balanced
When to go down the line (low percentage):
- Your opponent is off balance or out of position
- You’re returning serve and your opponent has moved toward the middle
- You’re well ahead in the match and can afford the risk
Practical Match Play Fixes — From the Warm-Up Onward
Scout During the Warm-Up
The warm-up is not just rallying to get loose. It’s your first coaching session of the match. Use it.
Watch for:
- Body language — are they confident or tense?
- Groundstrokes — flat, topspin, deep or short?
- Movement — do they cover the court well?
- Net game — what grip are they using at the net? A forehand grip at net means they struggle to volley. That’s a weapon for you.
- Overhead — comfortable or awkward?
- Serve — first serve percentage, placement, spin. How different is the second serve? Can they move it around?
By the time you walk to the baseline for game one, you should have a starting plan.
Serve Into the Body on Important Points
Most club players aim for corners. The body serve is underused and brutally effective.
When you serve directly at your opponent’s body — especially on a big point — you constrict their swing. They don’t know whether to move left or right. The result is either a missed return or a weak, short ball you can attack.
At intermediate level, if you can get your serve in and move it around, add the body serve to your arsenal.
Return of Serve Into the Body Too
The same principle applies on the return. A return aimed directly at the server’s body creates the same confusion and constriction. It’s not glamorous — but it works.
Hit Down the Middle to Neutralise Big Angles
If your opponent is running you ragged with wide angles, stop trying to match them. Hit the ball back through the middle of the court.
It takes their angles away. It keeps you in the point. And it uses the lowest part of the net — which means higher margin. Stay in the rally, catch your breath, and make a new plan.
Use the Volley Grip Tell Against Them
During the warm-up, watch how your opponent holds the racket at the net. If they’re using a forehand grip for volleys — you’ll see the racket face angling toward the ground — they cannot volley effectively.
Bring them to net and hit low balls at their feet. It’s nearly impossible to get that ball over the net with the wrong grip. I see this with roughly 80% of players who come through my camps. It’s one of the highest-percentage tactics at club level that almost nobody uses deliberately.
A Note on How I Learned This
I was a late bloomer in match play. I’d often drop the first set — nerves, slow start, poor decision-making — and then have to play smart, calculated tennis from the second set onward to come back. It’s stressful. It’s not where you want to start.
But it taught me to think on court. To observe, adjust, and play the situation rather than just the ball.
That’s what I now coach on court every week with adult recreational players at our tennis camps in Spain. Not hitting harder. Not grinding endless drills. Understanding the game — and how to play it smarter.
The Short Version: Why You’re Picking the Wrong Shots
- You don’t know the court’s geometry well enough yet
- You’re reacting to balls instead of reading and moving with them
- You haven’t gathered information during the warm-up
- You’re playing low percentage tennis on neutral balls
- You’re not exploiting what you can already see your opponent can’t do
Fix these — one at a time — and your match play changes.
Want to Work on This in Person?
This is exactly what we focus on at Costa del Tennis — small groups, real match play, practical coaching that travels home with you. Mallorca, Marbella, and Andalucía.
