The simple rule that wins at every level of tennis is one most players never actually follow.

Most everyday players believe the best way to win points is to hit it where their opponent isn’t.

I get it, because that shot feels smart in the moment.

You think you’ve outtricked the person across the net.

Here’s the painful truth: it’s a trap.

That clever shot you’re so proud of is the very thing sabotaging your matches.

It pushes you into low percentage plays, piles up errors, and hands your opponent easier chances to hurt you.

That’s why the pros play completely differently.

Yes, of course they hit down the line.

But they only do it when one of four specific opportunities shows up.

Sadly, those four factors are mostly invisible to everyday players.

Today I’m unpacking every one of them so you can level up right away.

Watch the pros practice in person and you’ll notice the pattern they train most.

Crosscourt forehands and crosscourt backhands, over and over.

Even during matches, they’ll trade crosscourt shots many times before somebody finally changes direction.

Crosscourt is the highest percentage play in tennis, and it sets the table for everything else.

So what replaces hit it where they’re not?

I call it plan A, and this is the simple rule that wins at every level of the game.

It’s incredibly simple, but it demands discipline and precision to master.

Hit the ball crosscourt until you have a good reason to go down the line.

Wondering what counts as a good reason?

There are four, and here they are.

Reason one: you’re approaching the net.

You’re hitting this shot and then moving forward to take the next ball out of the air.

Approach down the line and you hit yourself into position.

You end up automatically on the correct side of the court.

Reason two: your opponent is out of position.

You’ve pulled them off the court, and they’re no longer standing in the center of your two possible shots.

Now going down the line makes real tactical sense, instead of sending the ball back crosscourt.

Reason three: your opponent has a big weakness on the other side.

Maybe it’s their forehand, maybe it’s their backhand.

You notice they miss far more shots on one wing, even when you haven’t done anything special.

Over the long run, targeting that weaker half of the court absolutely pays off.

Reason four: the crosscourt rally keeps losing you the point.

Perhaps your opponent owns a killer crosscourt forehand.

Perhaps your timing is simply off on your own forehand today.

In that case, go down the line with plenty of margin and change the direction.

Don’t keep feeding a losing target just because it’s technically the high percentage shot.

When you spot a losing pattern, shifting it up is often the smartest percentage play.

Those are your four good reasons.

Stay crosscourt until one of them is clearly on the table.

You’ll win more points with less effort, less risk, and fewer errors.

Commit to the simple rule that wins at every level, and your results will start climbing fast.

You’ll also have a lot more fun out there.

Try the simple rule that wins at every level in your very next match, then tell me how it went in the comments.

Your Coach,

-Ian