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They are about to smash. Where do you stand to give yourself a chance?
Deep, on the diagonal, watching the racket. Most smashes go cross-court to the glass; play what comes off it.
Your lob is short and the opponent is setting up a flat smash. As the defender, where do you position to have the best chance?
Deep, on the diagonal, watching the racket. Most smashes go cross-court to the glass; play what comes off it.
Why
A flat smash from a comfortable position is most often hit cross-court, deep, to reach the back glass and bounce out of court or die. The defender's best chance is to be deep on that diagonal, weight low, watching the smasher's racket, ready to play the ball as it comes off the glass. The smash to the side glass, the víbora or the angled one, is the other possibility, and it is read from the shoulders: a smasher whose shoulders are turned to the side wall is going for the angle. Defending smashes is not about reaching the ball; it is about being where it is going before it is hit.
What this means at your level
Beginner
When they wind up to smash, get back near the glass and get low. The ball will come off the wall: play it from there.
Intermediate
Watch their shoulders and racket, not the ball. The direction is set before contact.
Advanced
If the smash is going to bounce out of the court over the glass, there is nothing to defend; if it is going to hit the glass and come back, it is often a playable lob. Decide which as the ball leaves the racket.
Common questions
Your lob is short and the opponent is setting up a flat smash. As the defender, where do you position to have the best chance?
Deep on the diagonal, watching the racket, ready for the glass. Deep, on the diagonal, watching the racket. Most smashes go cross-court to the glass; play what comes off it. A flat smash from a comfortable position is most often hit cross-court, deep, to reach the back glass and bounce out of court or die. The defender's best chance is to be deep on that diagonal, weight low, watching the smasher's racket, ready to play the ball as it comes off the glass. The smash to the side glass, the víbora or the angled one, is the other possibility, and it is read from the shoulders: a smasher whose shoulders are turned to the side wall is going for the angle. Defending smashes is not about reaching the ball; it is about being where it is going before it is hit.
Why not forward, to take it before it bounces?
A flat smash is not volleyed. Get deep, let it hit the glass, and play what comes out.
What should a beginner do here?
When they wind up to smash, get back near the glass and get low. The ball will come off the wall: play it from there.
How does this change for an advanced player?
If the smash is going to bounce out of the court over the glass, there is nothing to defend; if it is going to hit the glass and come back, it is often a playable lob. Decide which as the ball leaves the racket.
Puzzles like this one
The ball is at your feet at the net. What now?
A ball below the net cannot be attacked. Block it deep and wait for one above the tape.
beginnerThe ball is coming off the back glass. When do you hit it?
Move back with the ball, let it pass you, hit it in front of your body.
intermediateYour partner got pulled wide. Where do you stand?
The pair moves like one body. When your partner is pulled wide, you take the middle.