Chess is one of the most timeless games known to man because of the amount of strategy it requires. The game is a constant battle of wits and adjustments.

When watching tennis, it would appear the sport is only based on the power of a serve and the quickness of the feet. But in reality, tennis uses a tremendous amount of strategy, just like chess.

When playing chess, it helps to set up your attack early to keep the other player on the defensive.

When playing tennis, the same rule applies. Rather than moving pieces into a formation, tennis players use their serve as a first strike. Sophomore captain Alex Sanborn said there are many different types of serves he uses to keep the opposition off-balance. One of those serves is the body serve, where he hits the ball directly at the other player’s body.

“Generally, a really safe serve is just a body serve,” Sanborn said.

“That’s just really hard (for the opponent) … to hit a good return. From a body serve you can usually take advantage of the point quickly. … It automatically makes them start on the defensive.”

In a chess match, players want to pick up on their enemy’s tendencies and adapt to them.

In a tennis match, learning and adapting to one’s opponent is just as important. Junior Philip Kafka said figuring out weaknesses and exploiting them throughout a match is one of the most important aspects of the game.

“You always need to adjust based on how fast your opponent is, how fast they’re returning the ball, and how hard they hit, how heavy they hit spin-wise,” Kafka said.

Utilizing all of the chess pieces can dramatically help one’s chances to force a checkmate.

Utilizing all of the aspects of tennis can also help a player’s chances to win a game on the court. Sanborn said he has been working to improve certain facets of his game he didn’t use in high school.

“What I’ve been working on a lot is trying to attack more, using my speed to get into the net,” Sanborn said. “I’ve always been more of a defensive player, so that’s what I mostly think about now.”

Lastly, anticipation of the opponent’s next move is one of the most important aspects of chess strategy.

Anticipation can be beneficial in tennis as well, especially in doubles matches. Kafka said communication between doubles partners about where the serve is going helps them anticipate where the return will go.

“Tennis is all about explosiveness and quick reactions,” Kafka said. “So, if you have a hand up based on where you think the ball is going to go, you can anticipate where the ball is going to be (returned).”

Northwestern will try to utilize these strategies when it plays Butler on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Combe Tennis Center.

Reach Franklin Kao at [email protected].