Defensive angles: using the side glass

What this lesson covers

Opening angles from the back of the court starts with positioning relative to the side glass. When a bandeja forces the ball toward the body, the player turns to place their back against the side glass. This creates the necessary space to strike the ball behind the body line. Striking the ball early, while it is still behind the player, naturally generates the angle needed to move the opponents.

Waiting for the ball to pass the body makes it impossible to create an angle. On the backhand side, the player closes the space in the corner and faces the side glass before the ball arrives. The same logic applies to the forehand, where the player uses the side glass to frame the shot. This technique relies on letting the ball come into the body rather than reaching for it. It suits players who struggle to find space after a deep bandeja.