š¾ Paddle Control & Point Domination: Golden Rules for Offense
Once you have established stable positioning, your focus shifts to execution and dominating the point. This section covers the Golden Rules for paddle mechanics, applying pressure at the net, and setting up the point with effective serves and returns.
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13. Keep Your Paddle Up and Out in Front of You
This is critical for reaction time and stability: a. Use your paddle in the proper position to protect yourself if your last shot was weak or attackable. b. After each shot, ensure you get back to your ready position, which means having your paddle up and out in front of your body, with your body leaning slightly forward on the balls of your feet.
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14. Dink Dinks and Volley Volleys
Use the proper mechanics for the job: a. Use dinking mechanicsāa smooth pendulum swing from the shoulder with a bent elbow and firm wristāfor balls that bounce. b. Use volley mechanicsāa straight and level punch from the elbowāfor balls in the air.
15. Keep a Firm Wrist
Keep a firm wrist on dinks, volleys, and groundstrokes. a. A firm wrist gives you consistencyāitās a constant you can rely on. b. A flicky wrist adds variablesāitās harder to time and tougher to control.
16. When at the Net, Take the Ball Out of the Air
When you can take the ball out of the air, you also hit the ball sooner, taking reaction time away from your opponent, making it easier to compromise them. Volley whenever possible.
17. The First Attackable Ball is a Setup Shot
When you have a high or easy ball, remember not to overswing. This first easy shot is a setup shot to compromise your opponent so you can easily put the next ball away without having to swing too hard.
18. Once Your Opponent is Compromised, Stay on Them
When one of your opponents is in trouble (off-balance or out of position), continue hitting the ball to them, not letting them back into the rally. Always keep your opponent compromised.
19. When Your Opponent is Back, Keep Them Back
General rule: if one of your opponents is further back than the other, hit to that person to keep them back and away from the net, preventing them from catching up to the NVZ line.
20. Serve Deep
The two primary objectives of the serve are to ensure your opponent: a. Hits their return from behind the baseline. b. Is prompted to hit the return while moving backward or laterally. By achieving these aims, you increase the likelihood of forcing them to hit a short return, thereby gaining an advantageous position for the subsequent shot (the 3rd shot).
21. Return of Serve
The primary objectives of the return of serve are twofold: a. To hit the ball deep, forcing your opponent to hit their 3rd shot from behind the baseline. b. To hit it with enough pace and height over the net to allow you to advance to the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) Line. This strategic approach applies tremendous pressure on your opponents, maximizing your chance of winning the rally by dominating the NVZ.
