Many players at the recreational level make the mistake of returning serve from the same place all the time without considering their opponent’s serving ability. The truth is that few players at the 4.5 NTRP level or below can serve to all areas of the service box with equal effectiveness. And you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
Take notes and adjust: The next time you play a match keep track of where your opponent places his serves and adjust your position, if necessary. For instance, if your opponent never serves out wide in the deuce court, it makes no sense to stand at the intersection of the sideline and the baseline to cover a return you’ll rarely have to hit. Chances are your opponent doesn’t use this serve because she can’t hit it well. So make a smart move and adjust your position a foot or two toward the middle of the court to better position yourself for the serves your opponent will most likely deliver. The same thing works in the ad court.
Pressure the server: By adjusting your position on the return of serve to take into account the server’s abilities, you’ll send two strong messages. First, it tells your opponent that you’re observant and actively looking for ways to get ahead. Second, it tells the server that you’re daring him to beat you with his least effective serve. In both cases you’re putting pressure on your opponent, and you’re doing it without hitting a ball.