Is playing close to the net in Tennis a popular strategy?
Playing “very close” to the net is extremely situational. The strongest area to stand is at either 1/3 or 1/2 the distance to the service line. The reasoning is geometry. If you are standing right at the net you have a larger distance to travel to catch passing shots, you have less time to react, and less power due to lateral motion. Of course also you are much more susceptible to an easy offensive lob. When you are farther from the net you gain more reaction time but more importantly you travel a shorter distance for passing shots. By moving IN to the court you cut off the angle of the passing shot and gain power by moving your weight through the ball and into the court. For any somewhat skilled player it’s very easy to dispatch a net player who stands too close.
