Try the following against the backhand side of your two-handed opponents:

• Hit low, especially slice, groundstrokes. When two-handers reach too low, they either have to bend at the waist, which puts them off balance, or bend at the knees, which puts their legs in the way of their swing. The sliced approach shot is a particularly good weapon.

• Hit groundstrokes and serves out wide to the backhand side. Two-handers can't stretch for wide balls as easily as one-handers, because they can't use the width of their torso for extra extension. When you can force a two-hander to let go and hit with one hand, she will often hit a weak ball. If one of you is a righty and the other a lefty, your wide slice serve will go to her backhand, often forcing a weak reply.

• Try to jam your opponent by hitting into the body. This is especially effective if you use sidespin to curve serves or groundstrokes from comfortably out on the opponent's backhand side to uncomfortably close on the same side. The opponent will think he's getting an easy ball, then suddenly find himself jammed. It's hard to hit balls coming right into your body with two hands.

• If your opponent volleys with two hands, which is rare among better players, try each of the ideas above when she's at the net. Balls low, wide, and at the body are all especially tough to hit well with a two-handed volley.

• A good, short drop shot will be tough on any opponent who hasn't learned how to use one hand in this kind of situation. The balance problems two-handers encounter on low balls in general become much more severe when, on a dead run, they're trying to save a drop shot an instant before its second bounce.

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