I found an article recently regarding a players ability to anticipate where your opponent is going to play the ball when you are at the net.

I know that I have been guilty in the past of telling clients that "all you have to do" is watch your opponents racket/body position/ball position and so on and so on.

But after reading the article you realise a couple of things that the pro's on the circuit take years to make this judgement by practice/playing that opponent many times/ and even then if they are so good why do they get passed?

So how do we on our tennis planet start to learn to make the right moves?

You begin by first developing three simple mental skills at the net.

1. A relaxed mindset

2. Impact awareness

3. Shot priority

A RELAXED MINDSET

First, you must learn to relax at the net and alleviate any unwanted anxiety that produces a racing mind. When the mind is racing you are playing with a more conscious, rigid mindset not allowing the instinctive and spontaneous nature of the subconscious to function properly. To begin the process of reading your opponent's shot and improving your senses you must learn to control mental anxiety. Try when at the net to think of NOTHING - easy for some folk as they pretty much think of nothing during the entire game!

With practice this mental technique will teach you to tap into the automatic and instinctive subconscious.

IMPACT AWARENESS

Second, with this relaxed concentration you must next learn to focus on the exact moment your opponent will impact the ball with the racket. At that moment you are in a heightened state of awareness. You are relaxed, but alert! Not an easy combination, but one that is necessary to begin the journey toward anticipation at the net. With this heightened state of awareness your subconscious will go to work and begin taking note of your opponent's position, racket face, etc. In time reading the ball WILL become easier and more automatic. You are beginning the repetition process that will give you the experience to anticipate your opponent's shots.

SHOT PRIORITY

Third, when you are at the net your mental priority should be that your opponent will drive the ball at you, not hit a lob. Most players have lob in their mind the moment they arrive at the net. As a result they are constantly playing back on their heels and never ready for a volley. There is not much of an opportunity to anticipate where your opponent's driving shots will be hit if your mind is obsessed with a lob! Also your opponent's driving groundstrokes will arrive much faster than a high lob over your head, therefore driving groundstrokes should be the FIRST PRIORITY in your mind if you wish to improve your anticipation at the net. If you practice these three mental skills consistently, a relaxed mindset, impact awareness, and shot priority, I guarantee you will create the correct mental environment that will influence your senses and teach you to read those crucial clues at the net. It may take some time, but to develop a more automatic, instinctive and spontaneous net game will be well worth the wait!

Taken from an article by Tom Veneziano on Tennis Server