Ways to counter a net rusher

Most of the current players are accustomed to the baseline game — hitting hard back and forth. That said, sometimes you come across someone who loves to rush to the net and wait for an opportunity to close out the point using a volley, drop shot or overhead. This can get troublesome at times because the balls may be coming at you from awkward angles or maybe you might need to hit good angles to win a point.

Stefan Edberg — arguably the greatest net rusher of all time (Photo Courtesy: The Telegraph)

Playing against a good net player can be tricky but we still have options to counter it. Here are some ways to:

1. Beat your opponent to the net: Net rushers usually like to make it to the net as soon as possible so that they can position themselves to win the point. But one option for you (especially on your serve) is to try and make it to the net before they do. They might not be comfortable getting to the net with you already at the net — so when the situation arises and if you are comfortable at the net, go for it and get them out of their comfort zone.
2. Instead of trying to pass them all the time, hit low and at them: If your opponent has already made it to the net, aim to hit a short loopy ball at their feet and without too much power. Net rushers love to use your shot power against you, so don’t hit too hard and if you keep it low, they need to make the extra effort to bend and get to the ball. Make it as difficult for them to get to the ball — and even if they do, you have a better chance at passing them given that you just made them hit an awkward shot and then forced them to get back into position.

Nadal hit at Djokovic when Djokovic rushed the net — Rogers Cup 2013 (Photo Courtesy: Tennis Pro Now)

Note: Also, even though sometimes it is frowned upon and something we should not pursue if we had another choice, hitting at your opponent is a legitimate shot and can be put into action if needed.

3. Lob to the backhand: Sometimes when you opponent plays a volley, it is difficult to hit an accurate passing shot and the only choice you have is to go for a lob. In that case, try and lob to their backhand. Hitting a backhand overhead has a higher probability for error given that it is more difficult to the execute (your opponent has to hit the ball without having a clear view of the court). And even with that, there a greater chance that you might be able to return the backhand overhead.

The Top Spin Lob (Photo Courtesy: Larry Loeb Tennis)

4. Practice the top spin lob: This is a shot that can come in handy. Use this as a tool to push your opponent back. A good top spin lob can be effective in making your opponent run backward for cover and even if it’s shot, can make for a difficult overhead smash

5) Use a heavy slice: The slice shot can be effective against net rushers too. A heavy slice shot can be difficult to volley given the amount of backspin placed on the ball. This is especially effective if you have been cornered on your backhand and don’t have enough angle to make a good passing shot

6) The passing shot: This shot is the most attempted by players as the viable option against net rushers. Although effective, the key here is to remember two things — anticipation of where the opponent is going to respond to your shot and try to follow what I suggested in #2 — hit a low passing shot. You can increase your chances of enforcing an error from your opponent if they have to bend low to return as opposed to hitting them while they are up.

I am sure there are many more techniques but hopefully these might be some you can put into practice during your next tennis match! Best of Luck!