If you close your eyes and listen to tennis players playing, you will hear the constant squeak of what sounds like a bird-like chirping. This is from their rubber sneaker soles during continuous stop-and-go foot movement.
If you lose a point and miss a ball, many times it isn’t that your opponent had a great shot, but it is more likely that your positioning could have been better. The lack of movement to position yourself into a better area of the court creates a challenging situation. Consider dancers on the dance floor. You will see that their feet and bodies are constantly in motion and their energy is high. High-performing tennis players are like good dancers without music. Their feet are moving constantly. On the court, players should listen to the music station KYFM (Keep Your Feet Moving).
As a baseline player, look for opportunities to transition and move forward toward the net area to apply more pressure on your opponent. Parking yourself in the backcourt area limits your effectiveness to win points versus the front “attacking zone.” Practice transition movements from one area (court zone) of the court to another. Another movement on the court is to poach. You move horizontally to your partner’s side, allowing you to quickly end the point.
We have all encountered the opportunity to poach but in the moment did not—why not? It is the lack of action/movement and ultimately a missed opportunity.