Moving around the Court, helpful hints to the New Player (Post 3)

I was going to put a number of items in this post, but when I got to seven, I realized that it was going to make for a very long post.  Short, sweet, and frequent is my intended style for now.

 So let me scale this back to two important points, one which is not obvious to early beginners, and the second is pretty universally ignored.

 

We have to two topics:

•  Follow all service returns to the net - extra tip: get as close to the kitchen line as you can.  Don't be afraid to run. 
  
• If you serve the ball, never step into the court until you see what the return of service looks like.  

Allow me to add some commentary.

Since the serving side must let the ball bounce, we can use that rule to control the kitchen line.  Like a goalie in hockey, the closer to your opponents, the less angles they have, the less time they have, and any errant shots can be better punished from the kitchen line.  The pundits suggest that getting to the kitchen line (KL) first is worth about 5% advantage with evenly matched teams.  That is probably accurate for very good players, but it's a larger advantage when the play is not of the highest quality. The third shot drops are not perfect, drives are not too punishing (usually!).  If you are up at the KL you might be able to end the point quickly with an angled slap, or you can keep the serving side at the baseline and seek to develop the point from there.

Of course this is a bit more nuanced and like a lot of stuff that will be passed to you as "correct," it works most of the time.  If your opponents are good, you may find drop shots more difficult to return as they are closer to your feet.  So you have to adapt to whom you are playing.  I'll write a post on adaption one of these days.  But basically, getting to the KL is much better than not, so do it please!

Let me add a bit of what will happen if you don't make the effort to move up.  The serving side likes service returners who stay back.  That allows them to hit an easier shot deep to the baseline.  They're not worried about keeping the ball low over the net or even care much about the shot's angle.  If they get it deep, they can get to the net.  Then if you don't hit a great shot they can keep you back, angle the ball off, or put it between you and your partner as the center is now wide open.

Enough about that, just run forward and make everyone happier.

 

Second point is rarely seen in my short experience.  Even some of the more experienced players hit their serve and step into the court.  Well that's fine if the service return is short.  But a good opponent will try to keep you close to the baseline and you will frequently find yourself stepping backwards before the third shot.  It's difficult to hit a quality shot when your weight and momentum are on your back foot.  There is no reason for a service returner not to hit a higher shot which will bounce higher and if it's deep will become awkward to return.  (There are some good reasons to return the ball high actually, as it provides more time to get to the KL, and makes a service return into the net less frequent.)

My suggestion is to be a step behind the baseline after the serve is hit.  Watch the return carefully, listen to it, then decide where you are going to move - up hopefully, sideways and on a rare occasion backwards.  Your partner is doing the same thing as well, so the team will smoothly develop the third shot and start working your way to the KL.  Always seek to move forward, don't get caught having to move backwards.

I hope this helps!