On several points you attempted to change direction on your first volley after coming to the net
following the serve. The return was still low and you were still establishing your position,
which made the direction change unnecessarily risky and sometimes resulted in losing the point on the first volley. These volleys were played below net height,
so focus on depth (of the volley) to keep the net position after the serve. If you play an easy volley they will be able to
lob your partner comfortably. The serve creates an advantage, the first volley should consolidate it.
Tip
Return the first volley in the direction it comes from and focus on depth to establish your attacking position. Do not try to finish the point on the first volley.
Seen at
2:14
8:47
19:32
When you and your partner had net control and were building pressure, you repeatedly tried
to switch direction from one corner to the opposite in a single shot — skipping the middle
entirely. This opened large diagonal passing lanes and broke your compact net formation.
Your opponents were able to counter with passing shots or fast lobs because the sudden angle
change left gaps between you and your partner. The pressure you had built over several
shots was lost each time.
Tip
Change direction progressively — move opponents step by step using the middle as a transition zone. Repeating to the same player is often more effective than constant switching. Only change direction when you're balanced, compact, and the ball quality allows it.
Seen at
5:03
11:22
17:48
24:11
When pushed into the back corners under pressure, you consistently defaulted to a crosscourt
defense even when the attacking team was well positioned at the net waiting on the diagonal.
This opened wide angles for them to exploit and pulled both you and your partner out of
position. A straight block or lob in these situations would have kept the ball in front of
you, limited their response options, and given your pair more time to recover structure.
Tip
When defending under heavy pressure near the glass, play straight. It's much easier to defend a ball which comes straight from the glass instead of in an angle or even double glass. Let the opponents make the direction change and take the risk that comes with it.
Seen at
13:05
21:39
22:11
23:12
The right-side opponent consistently produced short, defensive replies when receiving
repeated pressure to his backhand — especially off the glass. Despite this, you spread
your attacks evenly between both opponents and frequently switched to the left-side player
who was handling pressure much more comfortably. By the time you returned to the weaker
side, the right-side player had recovered his rhythm. Sustained targeting of that backhand
would have generated more short balls and forced his partner to over-cover the middle,
opening gaps between them.
Tip
When you identify a weakness early in the match, discuss it with your partner, confirm it by repeating the same pattern 3–4 times. Once confirmed, keep targeting it — do not relieve the pressure through unnecessary variation. Switch targets only when the weakness stabilises or the other defender offers a clearer opening.
Seen at
7:28
15:54
27:03
Action Points for Your Next Session
- On your first volley after the serve, focus exclusively on depth and maintaining direction.
Drill serve-and-volley sequences where the first volley must go back to the same side — no direction change allowed.
- When attacking at the net, practise progressive displacement: cross, middle, repeat — never skip
directly from one corner to the other. Run a constraint set where jumping corners costs you the point.
- In defensive situations near the glass, default to playing straight. Drill straight blocks and
straight lobs under pressure until the habit replaces the crosscourt reflex.
- With your partner, agree to identify opponent weaknesses within the first 3–4 games and commit to
targeting these consistently. Discuss between points and resist the urge to spread pressure evenly.
Tip
Focus on one of these action points during a match — do not try to apply them all at once.
