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How to take advantage of the Short Ball
The goal in most baseline rallies is to force your opponent out of position and into hitting a weak short reply that you can attack. How many times have you seen players run forward to get a ball that lands close to the net, only to hit it into the net or blast it 5 feet past the baseline. Or a ball lands 2 feet past the service line, right in the middle of the court, and the player does not step up inside the baseline to take the offensive. Once you get the short ball, you have to know how to take advantage of it.
Positioning and height of the ball are key.
Positioning Anytime you hit an attacking shot in a rally, you have to move up at least to the baseline and even inside the baseline to be in a position to take advantage of a short ball. It you don’t move in, you may not get to the shot early enough to set up properly.
Height The second key is the height of the ball when you reach it. If the ball is about the level of the net, the best option would be to hit a big forehand or backhand into the open court. If the ball is at or just slightly below the level of the net, you should hit an approach shot, with the intent of setting up an opportunity to win the point on the next shot.
From the middle third of the court you can hit the approach shot either down the line or crosscourt and still move into position to cut off the opponent’s passing shot attempt. But when you are in the forehand third or the backhand third of the court, it’s better to hit the approach down the line.
Refer to the diagram to see your position clearly.
By Johnnie Brown
JB, as we know him at ITA brings years of coaching experience.
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