You hit the same forehand as usual, but this time it sails beyond the baseline. From the other end, your next shot barely reaches the service line. Wind changes the flight of the ball, and a normal calm-weather game plan may need adjusting.
The aim is not to play a perfect-looking match. It is to recognise what the conditions are doing and choose shots you can repeat. Here is a practical approach for an ordinary windy day, rather than dangerous weather.
Read the conditions from both ends
Use the warm-up to notice whether the wind is mainly behind you, against you or across the court. Watch the ball as well as the surroundings: a sheltered baseline can feel different from the middle of the court. Reassess after changing ends instead of assuming the same targets will work everywhere.
With the wind behind you
A following wind makes depth harder to control. Give yourself room inside the baseline and reduce the urge to hit flat at full speed. If topspin is already part of your game, use it to help the ball descend. You may also need a lower flight than on the opposite end, while keeping enough net clearance for your own level.
Practical example: if two normal rally balls have carried long, choose a shorter landing target before changing your entire swing. Make one adjustment you can judge on the next few shots.
Against the wind
Into a headwind, a ball that normally lands deep may fall short. More height over the net and a more penetrating shot can help you maintain depth. Avoid assuming that hitting harder is the only answer; watch where your ball actually lands and whether you have time to set up.
A controlled drop shot is another option to practise when the wind is in your face, but only from a suitable ball. It is not a rescue shot for every difficult rally.
In a crosswind
A sideways breeze can push an apparently safe shot towards the sideline. Leave a bigger buffer on that side. Aiming away from the lines is often more useful than trying to compensate with an unfamiliar last-second wrist movement. Keep adjusting your feet as the ball approaches: its path can change after you have started moving.
Make serving manageable
A high toss spends more time exposed to the wind. If you can lower it slightly without disrupting your familiar rhythm, that may help. Do not rebuild your service action halfway through a match. If the toss drifts badly, let it drop rather than chasing it with an awkward swing.
Use a small experiment, not a wholesale rebuild
Our suggested practice is to rally from each end with a partner and a broad target. Start at a pace where both of you can keep the ball going. Choose just one change at a time: landing target, net clearance or pace. After several rallies, switch ends and compare what happens.
Ask yourself: which end needs more depth? Which side needs more margin? Which serve can I repeat? Those answers make a useful match plan. They are more actionable than deciding that every error is “because of the wind”.
Keep perspective
Your opponent is adapting too. Expect some scruffy contacts and use the next point to make a practical adjustment. If gusts, loose objects or court conditions make play unsafe, stop and follow the club’s guidance.
Sources: Tennis Ireland: Playing in the Wind and KNLTB: Oeps! Het waait! The practice exercise above is an editorial suggestion.
Playing with a partner? Our doubles tactics guide explains how to agree on targets and move as a team.
