Attack the short backhand reply

The decision

Decision: A short backhand sits up. How do you approach with room?

You are inside the baseline. The defender is near the middle, deep in court.

• Controlled approach — Move through the ball — GOOD READ: Inside the baseline, this placed shot gives you a large in-bounds target. The ball lands 1.8 m inside the sideline. The defender travels 3.3 m forward and returns deep in this example.
• Sharp angle — 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 cannot reach it at this pace, so no return is shown.

What to take into the next point

A large attacking target can still move your opponent.

What a good read looks like

The read this lesson trains: Place an attack from a short backhand ball. 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

• Short ball: Move inside the baseline — ORIGINAL LESSON · lesson 8 of 50
• Attack a floating short ball — SIMULATION-BUILT LESSON · lesson 44 of 50

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