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Off the glass, both at the net, when does the drive beat the lob?
Drive off the glass when they are crowding the net or caught in no man's land. Otherwise the lob.
You have a comfortable ball off the back glass at waist height. When should you drive rather than lob?
Drive off the glass when they are crowding the net or caught in no man's land. Otherwise the lob.
Why
The lob is the default from the back, but it has a counter: net players who know you only lob stand deeper and take every one as a bandeja. The drive off the glass is what keeps them at a normal depth. It is the right shot when the net players are very close to the net, a firm ball at the feet or body is then hard to volley down, or when one of them has been caught between the service line and the net, where any low ball is a half-volley from a bad place. From a normal net position, the drive is a volley for them; save it for the moments the geometry offers.
What this means at your level
Beginner
If the net players are almost touching the net, hit a firm low ball at their feet instead of a lob. Otherwise, lob.
Intermediate
Drive low over the net with a little slice so it dies. A drive that sits up is a volley they finish.
Advanced
The drive off the glass at the body of the player who has just moved is the wrong-footing version. Watch for the step and hit behind it.
Common questions
You have a comfortable ball off the back glass at waist height. When should you drive rather than lob?
When they crowd the net, or one is in no man's land. Drive off the glass when they are crowding the net or caught in no man's land. Otherwise the lob. The lob is the default from the back, but it has a counter: net players who know you only lob stand deeper and take every one as a bandeja. The drive off the glass is what keeps them at a normal depth. It is the right shot when the net players are very close to the net, a firm ball at the feet or body is then hard to volley down, or when one of them has been caught between the service line and the net, where any low ball is a half-volley from a bad place. From a normal net position, the drive is a volley for them; save it for the moments the geometry offers.
Why not whenever the ball is at waist height?
Waist height off the glass is a good lob height too. The opponents' position decides, not the ball's.
What should a beginner do here?
If the net players are almost touching the net, hit a firm low ball at their feet instead of a lob. Otherwise, lob.
How does this change for an advanced player?
The drive off the glass at the body of the player who has just moved is the wrong-footing version. Watch for the step and hit behind it.
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.
intermediateShort, high and yours. Bandeja or smash?
Deep ball, bandeja. Short ball with your weight going forward, smash.