A Contrarian Moment

I first heard the word contrarian maybe 20 years ago when I would follow the stock market with some interest. A contrarian would buy stock in a company when everyone else would be running for the exits. A contrarian acts contrary or against what would seem to be "common sense".

The common sense for most people on the tennis court is to win you have to hit the ball hard, harder or hardest.

The other day I was playing a good friend whose game I know well and once again he was attacking the net. His shot to me was mid-court to my backhand side. I generally loop the ball to his backhand with topspin so he has to volley UP or hit a half-volley. I have erred in the past hitting a hard line drive right at him but that usually results in an easy block volley putaway for him and I lose the point.

-- Back to the point above. My opponent is at the net and instead of me looping the ball with topspin or hitting it hard, from my backhand side, I hit an angled 25 mph slice to his backhand side that would land at his feet-- knowing he would have to half volley. He can half volley "okay" and I would not do this against a doubles specialist or someone else who is gifted with short balls. So what happened? My opponent half volleyed weakly (as I expected or hoped) and I came in and won the point.

It takes brains, instinct, and a contrarians appetite for risk taking to hit a ball softly to your opponent but sometimes it's exactly the right thing to do.