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If you were the pitcher in a baseball game and had the power to choose whether the opposing batter, assuming they were right-handed, must bat left handed, would you make them do so? My bet is yes!

As a tennis player you have that option available to you every time you serve a point.

It’s surprising to me that anyone is ever given the option to hit a forehand return at the 3.0-to 3.5 level.

Granted, there are players, few are far between I’d venture to speculate, who’s backhands are the stronger wing, but you must make them prove that to you in the early stages of a match.

The occasional player who plays the crosscourt backhand return solidly from the add court must be forced to deal with an active, aggressive, and annoying net player or made to return up the line against the Australian, currently referred to as the I formation, in an effort to fracture their confidence.

The point I’m trying to make is that you are in charge when you are the server, so make sure your serve is honed to a fine edge as far as your placement skills are concerned.

Let’s just see how many homeruns Barry Bonds could hit from the opposite side of the plate!

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Howie Burnett is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and tennis director at the Island Country Club on Marco Island. Burnett welcomes questions on strokes, tactics or etiquette. To reach him, call the tennis shop at 394-4464 or e-mail him at islandclubtennis@hotmail.com.