There are different degrees of strength in how left-handed individuals do things. And like any other sport, southpaws can develop great advantages when it comes to playing tennis. Just review how Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, or Rafael Nadal plays on the court and you’ll soon realize that even lefties are (if not, more) capable of winning Grand Slams.
Playing with your dominant left offers many weapons on the court but they do have several challenges and difficulties as well. One of the most important aspects of playing as a southpaw is how you develop your footwork as you’ll find yourself going down the line with your backhand side when going up against right-handed opponents. As trainers know well, most lefties tend to adjust over and look for their forehand leaving that side more open and requiring more speed to move up and down the court for run-arounds.
Because of this, practicing various patterns and footwork are essential for southpaws in training. One such pattern is the ‘two and one’ wherein you go one deep, one angle, and return the ball with a fast drive down the line. Forcing your opponent towards the alley gives you a higher percentage to control the open court and play more safely.
Serving left
Lefties can also harness the power of killer serves as they can serve out wide at the advantage side of the court and swing the ball to the backhand of their right-handed opponents. This immediately places their opponent in a compromising position which can make them struggle to regain control of the ball.
By opening up the court and putting yourself on the offensive, you can move your spin farther from yourself and into your body. You get to control the ball by letting it come to you naturally while giving you the option to move away depending on which side of the court you are serving. Mastering this pattern will get your right-handed opponent on the run as you create more advantageous angles with your forehand.
Train yourself to adjust your serves in a way that you hit more precise and accurate shots with strong returns. Use the slice serve to volley the ball out wide towards your opponent’s backhand then look for weaker spots on your returns to take control of the point. Right-handed players are not too keen on receiving the ball at this angle so they will have to adapt to your style of play rather than the other way around.
Acquire mental toughness
Playing left-handed would require the mental toughness of champions as there can also be quite a few obstacles along the way. Polish your footwork, court strategy, and try to improve how you open the court with your serves and angles while you train. You’ll stand to gain the upper hand during play when you focus more on tactical patterns and ball control rather than perfecting your strokes.
Be patient and apply some serenity prayer into your game by discovering which aspects you can or cannot control. Regularly perform footwork drills that will improve your cross-court rally. If you hit a right-handed player’s forehand, you can take control when you strike the ball towards their weaker side. If you can hold a rally with an efficient defense via your backhand, then you are in a better position to score the point.
Another helpful drill is one wherein you’ll use a ladder and shoot balls at your feet to work your tempo. Focus on controlling the ball for every strike and soon enough, you can use this defensive technique as a weapon during your matches.
Be tactical on the court
Developing your tactical patterns, patience, ball control, and speed is essential if you are playing as a leftie. One major weapon that Nadal uses against his right-handed opponents is his ability to return strong spins to either kick it up high or move it around so that his opponents have to chase it. If you hit the ball with a strong spin while it comes to you from an angle your opponent is not comfortable with, then you can shoot a return that’s more to your favor.
Try hitting a forehand crosscourt and give a high looping ball ample topspin. This will kick the ball up high to your opponent’s backhand making it more difficult to hit a return. Bring back the ball to the other side with as many heavy slices off your backhand as you can and towards your right-handed opponent’s forehand to get them digging low for the ball.
Forehands and serves
A few other things to keep in mind when playing right-handed opponents, always try to move the ball to your opponent’s left side by applying the right amount of spin and use slice serves when they are farther from their left and over-stretched for a backhand return. If you find your opponent in this type of awkward position, you may also swing the ball down the middle and into their body.
Expect righties to hit your returns with a forehand crosscourt and their backhand down the line so that you’ll be forced to stretch for a backhand. They will want to serve down the center as well and will try to avoid hitting your forehand as this can allow you to use your backhand.
Once you master taking advantage of your forehand and serves that will drag your opponents out wide, go to the net and finish plays with a volley into the open court for the point.
Also, always check the direction of your grip as most racquet grips are designed to accommodate the contours of the righty’s hand. Put your grip on upside down to make it more comfortable and not give you any disadvantages.
No unfair advantage
Being a lefty gives you the chance to apply a variety of techniques in your game that right-handed opponents are unfamiliar with. You can play with various trajectories, tempos, and amounts of spin until you find that perfect leverage to neutralize your opponent during the match.
Whether you play right or left, there is no unfair advantage as many would think southpaws will enjoy. Winning matches requires training, discipline, and considerable planning and preparation for your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses so you can develop and adjust to his style of play and dictate the match according to how you’d want to control it.
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