Scoring Easy Points (Post 6)

 PB can be a lot of work.  Dashing here, there, back to the baseline for one of Sammy's lobs, and then back to the net.  Work, lots of work.

But there is a way to score a few more points with little effort.  Oh, you have to pay attention and make some decisions, hopefully correct decisions, but it can be done.

The path to restful points lies in not hitting as many balls.  "What?" I hear you say.  "Yes," I answer.  What you want to do is get into a ready position, wide stance, knees a bit bent, and when the time is correct, then just duck and let the ball pass over your head and on beyond the baseline.

This is a skill, like all the others, but primarily a mental skill, than physical.  Oh, the ducking can be hard on the knees and back, but better that than straining a shoulder on a hard, high ball.

Yes, we want to get good at letting balls go.  Now, how to hone this ability?  I would suggest this exercise, which I have done, and that is to watch a good game.  Stand by the net if you can and keep track of the number of balls that would go out, but were hit.  It's easy to see which balls are long and I think you'll be surprised how many there are.  It sure looks different if you are on the court.

Useful data are: 1) how many would go out, 2) how many did, 3) who hits them out, and 4) who will hit any ball, in or out, on which they can get a paddle.  

You want to store all that information.  Your goals are to recognize, nay, expect which balls are going long.  Who is more likely to hit those balls, and when you run across the player who will not let a ball go by, you can play more loosely and hit the ball harder at them.

This mostly will happen when you are at the KL and the opps at the baseline.  Be prepared!

So we did our homework, we know who tends to do what, and we wait to see them wind up to hit a hard one.  We get in our crouch and prepare to duck.  Extra points if you don't bother to watch the ball go out.  Just announce the new score and wait for the next chance.