Reset The Point With The Lob

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Reset The Point With The Lob
By Thurston Soros, Lawn Tennis Correspondent, Posted: Thursday, April 24, 2008 7:25am CST USA

Suzanne Lenglen, Reset The point With The Lob
Suzanne Lenglen. Photo by NYT (lawntennismag.com) Playing a big server or a big groundstroke hitter can be overwhelming. But you can stay in more points as well as turn more points to your favor if you reset the point with the lob.
Oftentimes the lob is viewed as a last resort defensive shot. In reality if you play the lob correctly, it can set up your next shot which you can use to hit your signature shot.
If your opponent is hitting aces or serves you can't return, try standing three to five feet behind the baseline to return serve. Then lob some of the serves back either deep to the center of the court or to the opponents weaker groundstroke side; forehand or backhand.
If you are successful and you take away a big server's main strength, you've put yourself into a winning position.

You should not sacrifice your game's strengths in order to lob. Only supplement your game with the lob. You should not lob if you “don't feel like” hitting a topspin, flat or slice groundstroke. If that is the case, take some time after the match to work on your fitness.
When you find yourself stretched out wide or when your opponent is covering the net behind good approach shots, you can reset the point with a high, deep lob. If possible a lob to your opponent's backhand is the tougher shot for him to retrieve, but any deep, high lob will not be easy to return.
If your lob forces a weak reply from your opponent, move your feet to position yourself to hit your strong shot. Not only will you have restarted the point, but you will have taken control of it and done so in an aggressive manner.
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