Corner positioning and tactical consistency

What this lesson covers

Defending in the corner requires understanding the ball trajectory off the glass. Standing in a specific spot relative to the ball path reveals whether it will hit the side wall first or the back wall. If the ball travels to the left of the foot, it hits the side wall first, signaling a turn. If it hits to the right, it strikes the back wall, requiring a different movement.

Consistency improves by playing shots down the middle, which reduces the risk of hitting the net or going out of bounds. This tactic also creates confusion between opponents. Prioritizing the lob when defending from the back of the court provides time to recover and transition to the net position. During the warm-up, focus exclusively on volleys and overheads rather than groundstrokes. Implementing a split step, or staying on the toes, ensures faster reaction times to incoming balls. Finally, mixing shot speeds prevents opponents from anticipating aggressive smashes and forces them to defend against softer, more controlled placements.