Pressure the open forehand corner

The decision

Decision: The defender is off-center. Where is the open half?

You are behind the baseline. The defender is toward your left, deep in court.

• Use open court — Move the defender — GOOD READ: Your shot targets the opponent’s right, away from where the defender started. The ball lands 0.9 m inside the sideline. The defender travels 4.9 m across court and returns deep in this example.
• Back toward defender — Covered side — FAIR OPTION: Your shot gives the defender a target they can reach without a long sideways run. The ball lands 1.6 m inside the sideline. The defender travels 0.8 m very little and returns deep in this example.

What to take into the next point

Attack the side that is genuinely open.

What a good read looks like

The read this lesson trains: Aim away from the displaced defender. Decisions where the defender’s visible position decides which side of the court is open, and whether changing direction is worth it. 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 Direction change and open court pattern

Every lesson that trains this pattern is collected on the Direction change and open court pattern page.

Related lessons in this pattern

• Pulled wide. What do you play? — SIMULATION-BUILT LESSON · lesson 1 of 50
• Return away from the server — ORIGINAL LESSON · lesson 15 of 50
• Crosscourt passing shot under pressure — ORIGINAL LESSON · lesson 21 of 50

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