Short ball: Move inside the baseline

The decision

Decision: The opponent lands short. Where do you place the approach?

You are inside the baseline. The defender is toward your right, deep in court.

• Controlled approach — Move through court — GOOD READ: Inside the baseline, this placed shot gives you a large in-bounds target. The ball lands 1.9 m inside the sideline. The defender travels 4.9 m across court and returns shorter in this example.
• Sharp sideline — Wide placement — TOUGH CHOICE: Inside the baseline, this tight target leaves little room for error. The ball lands 0.4 m inside the sideline. The defender travels 4.6 m forward and returns deep in this example.

What to take into the next point

An approach can build pressure without aiming at a line.

What a good read looks like

The read this lesson trains: Place an attacking shot from inside the baseline. Short balls that earn a step inside the baseline and a controlled attack or approach. In the interactive lesson you play the rally, make the call, and then read why it worked or did not. The coaching grades the decision, not just the point outcome — a good read can still lose the rally, and the lesson says why.

Part of the Short ball attack pattern

Every lesson that trains this pattern is collected on the Short ball attack pattern page.

Related lessons in this pattern

• Attack the short backhand reply — ORIGINAL LESSON · lesson 38 of 50
• Attack a floating short ball — SIMULATION-BUILT LESSON · lesson 44 of 50

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