Five tips to win more tiebreaks
Facing a nerve-shredding tiebreak? Have no fear - here’s how to swing the odds in your favour…
Six games all. It’s time for a tiebreak.
Your heart is racing. You’re nervous. The last hour or so could be for nothing if you don’t perform right here, right now.
You really really don’t want to lose this tiebreak…
So what’s the play? How should you approach this extremely crucial moment of a tennis match? If you follow my five tips, hopefully you’ll relish the prospect of six games all instead of fearing it.
Let’s go!
1. Keep your foot on the gas
First things first - no letting up!
Your full focus is required from the very start of the tiebreak to the very end.
This might sound like obvious stuff but think about just how precarious some scorelines can be. 5-2 up? Two points from victory? Two big serves from the opponent and just one solitary service point separates you and the opposition.
Stay focussed. This means sticking to your tactics consistently, executing consistently and fighting for every point consistently.
If you’re playing doubles, keep your partner motivated on every point. Racket taps, high fives, fist pumps - whatever. You want to show your partner and the opposition that you’re here to fight for every point.
Okay, you’re pumped up. There’s the fuel for your tiebreak. Let’s talk tactics.
2. Make every first shot
Listen carefully.
NO. CHEAP. POINTS.
Under no circumstances are you to gift your opponent a cheap point. If they’re winning this tiebreak, they’ll have to earn it.
This means making every first shot. Whether you’re serving or returning, you have got to put that first ball in the court.
Serving. It should go without saying you should not be double faulting in a tiebreak. If there’s any doubt about your second serve, consider taking some pace off of your first serve. Do not look for a cheap ace unless you’re fairly certain you can land it. It’s so important to at least ask the question of your opponent.
Returning. Do everything you can to make the return - again, ask the question of your opponent. I would recommend playing with margin and height on your returns in the tiebreak. This will keep the ball deep in the court and take the net out of the equation. If the opponent is serving bombs, consider using a block return to give yourself the most chance of putting the ball in the court.
No double faults, take a little off your first serve, block the return into play, hit with more margin and height on the return - NO CHEAP POINTS.
Start the rally by making every first shot.
3. Novak Djokovic’s Lockdown Mode
Who better to learn from than the man with the highest tiebreak winning percentage of all time?
With a 65.4% win-rate in tiebreaks, Novak Djokovic is a proven master at dealing with the highest pressure moments in the sport.
Remember his win over Roger Federer in the Wimbledon 2019 final (sorry if this traumatises you)? Novak won less points than Roger overall but won the three sets that took him to victory in three individual tiebreaks.
The stats?
Unforced errors in the three tiebreakers (combined): Federer 11, Djokovic 0.
Djokovic went into lockdown mode in all three tiebreaks. He did not miss a single ball he shouldn’t have.
If you’re playing singles, set up an extremely solid backhand cross-court dynamic. If you can hit your backhand cross-court reliably with depth, your opponent will be forced to take on more risk than they might be comfortable with. Go practice your backhand cross-court to sharpen it up for pressure moments.
If you’re playing doubles, you can still take notes. Stay in the rally as long as you can, maintain depth on your shots to stop your opponent putting pressure on you… again, NO CHEAP POINTS.
For both singles and doubles, I’d recommend practicing your backhand cross-court to execute your own version of lockdown mode. Channel your own Djokovic tiebreak energy.
(See more here: Cut down on unforced errors - a simple tip for practicing patience)
4. Use high-percentage plays
Lockdown mode is perfect but don’t misunderstand - Novak’s not just floating the ball back into play. You should still be looking for the means to apply pressure whilst minimising risk.
Here are a few singles and doubles plays that should make you the odds-on winner for the point.
Singles:
Backhand barrage to forehand offence. Use your Novak Djokovic lockdown backhand cross-court until your opponent gives you a central ball. Once you can get your run-around forehand into play, choose the right ball to attack the deuce court or continue to patiently pepper the ad court until that opportunity is presented.
Serve out wide + 1. In the deuce court, use your serve out wide to give yourself the highest chance of playing a forehand as your second shot into the now open ad court.
Doubles:
Heavy backhand approach. If you’re playing from the baseline in the ad court, capitalise on shorter balls by approaching deep and heavy using your inside-out forehand to the ad court opponent’s backhand. If you’ve hit with enough depth and your volleys are solid, your opponent will have to respond with something special to win the point.
Serve down the T + 1. In the deuce court, use your serve down the T to give your opponent zero angles to work with. Try and get the net player involved as soon as possible for a quick one-two.
Look familiar? These are strategies for tennis matches as a whole…
A tiebreak is just a microcosm of a match. Use the percentage plays you know work primarily and perhaps throw in a few surprise tactics to keep the opponent honest. Nothing special.
If you don’t feel comfortable executing these tactics, at least heed this advice. Use whatever has got you to that stage of the match. The odd secondary tactic is fine but, first and foremost, you should be using whatever works.
Don’t try and be fancy! Nothing special. Give yourself the highest percentage chance of winning the tiebreak.
5. Controlling Nerves
All of this won’t count for much if you can’t play how you want to play.
If nerves are getting in the way, here’s a few ways to counter them.
Slow down. As nerves take hold, you’ll want to speed through every point. Keep the pace of play nice and steady and don’t rush things.
Breathe. Try and counter your adrenaline by focussing on your breath. Breathe in for three counts and breathe out for five counts.
Visualise the next point. A clear plan for each point will stop you from making any rash decisions under pressure.
Cold drink to the neck. Different things work for different people! Holding something freezing cold to the back of your neck has been proven to stimulate your vagus nerve, distracting you from anxiety. It works… if you’ve got something freezing at hand!
Easier said than done, I know, but find a way to stay calm during the tiebreak! (Red more tips here: How to deal with nerves during a tennis match – 4 practical tips)
Summary
My five tips to get you over the line the next time you find yourself in a tiebreak…
No letting up! Keep your foot on the gas from the first point to the last.
Start each and every point by making the first shot.
Take inspiration from Novak Djokovic's lockdown mode.
Apply pressure using high-percentage plays.
Find a way to stay calm for the entirety of the tiebreak.
As always, any questions or thoughts, tweet me @ontheline_jack. Happy hitting!
Jack Edward is a tennis analyst and host of the On The Line podcast, which takes regular deep dives into ATP and WTA tour matches. He’s also a qualified LTA coach and on Talking Tennis he brings his unique analytical insights to help club and recreational players to be more effective on the court.
See also:
How to beat someone who is better than you at tennis
Cut down on unforced errors - a simple tip for practicing patience
How to deal with nerves during a tennis match – 4 practical tips
Tennis tactics: 5 simple, effective doubles strategies for club players
