A Strategy or a Tactic?

In terms of tennis, your strategy is the plan of how to win a match against a particular opponent. Your tactics are the tools (racket skills, positioning, and shot selections) that you employ to execute your overall plan.

The simplest strategy against a player with a weak backhand would be to hit every serve or return of serve to that suspect backhand to begin every single point of the match. It sounds simple enough, but do you have the tools (RACKET SKILL, MOVEMENT, CONDITIONING, and DISCIPLINE) to pull it off?

Let’s say that you are playing someone that doesn't move well. What might you choose as your strategy? Once again a simple tactical concept is to play corner to corner (well inside the lines) until the degradation of their balance causes them to make an error.

What if your opponent was a juggernaut from the backcourt (hitting it off the bounce) but can't volley (hitting it out of the air) very well? Would the strategy of pulling them into the front court be a reasonable plan? Do you have the tactical tools  (short low slices and drop shots) to make that a viable option?

Every strategical concept that you come up with has a specific set of tools that allow, or in their absence, disallow the implementation and successful execution of your plan. The somewhat sophisticated concept of employing TACTICS to implement your STRATEGY is, when push comes to shove,  directly linked to the racket skills and movement capability that is your current reality! 

Continue to work on and add to your fundamental racket skills! Do your best to improve your foot speed and aerobic conditioning!

STRATEGY and TACTICS are very powerful concepts to understand but are limited by the TOOLS in your toolbox.