USTA Singles & Doubles Tactical Play 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In singles, when your opponent is pulled wide to the deuce side, where is the highest-percentage target for your next shot?
- Down the line to the ad side
- Back to the same wide deuce corner
- Into the open court on the ad side (Correct answer)
- Short angle crosscourt
Correct answer: Into the open court on the ad side
Hitting into the open court (ad side) exploits the space created by pulling your opponent wide and makes recovery difficult.
Question 2: A doubles team is in the 'both back' formation. What is the primary tactical disadvantage of this positioning?
- It eliminates the crosscourt passing shot
- It surrenders control of the net to opponents (Correct answer)
- It prevents lob returns
- It makes the serve-and-volley ineffective
Correct answer: It surrenders control of the net to opponents
Both players staying back concedes the net, allowing opponents to volley at sharp angles and control the point.
Question 3: In singles, what is the purpose of hitting a 'moonball' (high topspin lob) to a baseline opponent?
- To approach the net immediately
- To force a short ball with pace
- To push the opponent deep and disrupt their rhythm (Correct answer)
- To create a winner outright
Correct answer: To push the opponent deep and disrupt their rhythm
A moonball pushes opponents behind the baseline, resets the rally, and can break the rhythm of a hard-hitting player.
Question 4: When the opposing net player in doubles poaches and moves across to intercept a crosscourt return, where should the returner's partner ideally move?
- Stay at the baseline
- Move diagonally back and toward the center (Correct answer)
- Rush the net
- Move wide toward the doubles alley
Correct answer: Move diagonally back and toward the center
When the net player poaches, the returner's partner should move back and toward center to cover the now-open opposite side of the court.
Question 5: In singles, which tactical approach is most effective when playing a baseline opponent who struggles with high balls to the backhand?
- Slice low to the backhand
- Heavy topspin to the backhand (Correct answer)
- Flat hard drives to the forehand
- Drop shots to the backhand
Correct answer: Heavy topspin to the backhand
Heavy topspin to the backhand generates high bounces that force the opponent into an uncomfortable contact point, exploiting their weakness.
Question 6: In doubles, what does the term 'I-formation' refer to?
- Both players standing side by side at the baseline
- Server and net player lined up vertically along the center line (Correct answer)
- Net player positioned in the alley
- Both players at the net in a tandem position
Correct answer: Server and net player lined up vertically along the center line
The I-formation places the server and net partner aligned along the center service line to confuse the returner about where each player will move.
Question 7: In singles, when should a player most appropriately use a drop shot?
- When the opponent is inside the baseline and moving forward
- When the opponent is deep behind the baseline (Correct answer)
- When facing a second serve return
- When the opponent is at the net
Correct answer: When the opponent is deep behind the baseline
A drop shot is most effective when the opponent is deep behind the baseline and cannot reach the net in time to retrieve it.
USTA Singles & Doubles Tactical Play 2
In singles, when your opponent is pulled wide to the deuce side, where is the highest-percentage target for your next shot?