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Your smash bounces, hits their glass and comes back over the net. Whose point?
Bounced in, hit their glass, came back over the net untouched: your point. They may chase it, even over the net, until it lands.
You smash, the ball bounces on their floor, hits their back glass, and rebounds all the way over the net to your side without bouncing again. What happens?
Bounced in, hit their glass, came back over the net untouched: your point. They may chase it, even over the net, until it lands.
Why
A ball that bounces in the opponents' court, hits their back glass, and comes back over the net without them touching it has not been returned: it is the smasher's point. It is not the "por tres" or "por cuatro", those leave the court over the three-metre side wall or the four-metre back glass, but it is just as much a winner. The opponents may play the ball before it lands on your side, and because it bounced on their floor first they may even reach over the net to do it; once it lands untouched, the point is over. It usually happens on hard, flat smashes that hit the glass high.
What this means at your level
Beginner
If your smash comes back over the net without them touching it, the point is yours. Do not hit it again.
Intermediate
The smash that rebounds over the net needs to hit the glass high and hard. It is a shot for short lobs close to the net.
Advanced
Opponents can chase this ball and hit it back into your court before it crosses: including from outside the court on courts with openings. Watch for the play rather than celebrating early.
Common questions
You smash, the ball bounces on their floor, hits their back glass, and rebounds all the way over the net to your side without bouncing again. What happens?
Your point. It bounced in and they never returned it. Bounced in, hit their glass, came back over the net untouched: your point. They may chase it, even over the net, until it lands. A ball that bounces in the opponents' court, hits their back glass, and comes back over the net without them touching it has not been returned: it is the smasher's point. It is not the "por tres" or "por cuatro", those leave the court over the three-metre side wall or the four-metre back glass, but it is just as much a winner. The opponents may play the ball before it lands on your side, and because it bounced on their floor first they may even reach over the net to do it; once it lands untouched, the point is over. It usually happens on hard, flat smashes that hit the glass high.
Why not their point: the ball came back to your side?
The ball coming back over the net after bouncing in their court is not a return. It is your winner.
What should a beginner do here?
If your smash comes back over the net without them touching it, the point is yours. Do not hit it again.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Opponents can chase this ball and hit it back into your court before it crosses: including from outside the court on courts with openings. Watch for the play rather than celebrating early.
Puzzles like this one
They lobbed you deep. Smash it or play the bandeja?
Deep ball, high hands: bandeja. The shot exists to keep you at the net, not to win the point.
beginnerBoth of them are at the net. What is the highest-percentage ball?
Only the lob moves a net pair backwards. Everything else invites them forward.
intermediateWhat do you do with the return of serve?
The return lob is how the receiving pair steals the net. Aim over the player who is still moving.