Read and Choose
Four on one court? Only one ball may be hit hard at a time.
Air or Step Back
A drops from the baseline, and B takes it out of the air or steps back and hits it at the top of the bounce.
How to play
- A starts at the baseline, B at the kitchen line. A plays drops: some low and good, some high and easy to attack.
- B always tries first to take the ball out of the air, reaching in with a roll volley (a volley with a short brushing upward swing).
- Can't reach it in the air? Step back, open the outside foot, let it bounce and hit it at the top of the bounce with a compact topspin swing.
- No half-volleys (hitting the ball just after it bounces, down at your feet). If B gets caught with one, the point goes to A.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: A mixes good and weak drops on purpose, changes the depth, and makes the drops deeper and with more spin, so B has less time.
Too hard: A calls each drop as it goes: "good" or "weak".
Good looks like: B decides early, air or step back, and never ends up stuck with a half-volley.
Read the Paddle
A shows the paddle high, middle or low before each shot, and B gets ready for what is coming.
How to play
- A stands at the kitchen line, B in the middle of the court (between baseline and kitchen line).
- Before each shot, A clearly shows the paddle: high, middle or low. A mixes forehand and backhand.
- Paddle high: B lowers the paddle and gets ready to reset.
- Paddle low: B gets into an attacking stance, ready to step forward.
- Paddle middle: B split-steps and decides after A has hit.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: A hides the paddle and mixes freely, so B has to read it. B may only counter when B read the paddle right.
Too hard: A also calls the position out loud before hitting: "high", "middle" or "low".
Good looks like: B always takes a step in the right direction before the ball arrives.
Wide or Middle
A plays a fixed style, and B picks where to dink to match it: half wide against an aggressive A, mostly wide against a passive A.
How to play
- A and B dink cross-court (diagonal) at the kitchen line. B places the dinks. A plays a fixed style for each round.
- Round 1, A plays aggressive: takes every ball out of the air. B dinks about half wide, half to the middle, mixed, not strictly in turn.
- Round 2, A plays passive: lets every ball bounce, steady. B dinks mostly wide, now and then to the middle or down the line.
- Before each round B says the split out loud: "half and half" or "mostly wide". No points.
- Pulled wide: B takes a drop step (a step back that makes room) and gets back toward the middle.
- B attacks only a pop-up, and only when balanced. Never speed up off-balance.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: Play for points: a pop-up B puts away scores. Harder still: A switches style at random each rally, and B reads it and changes the split live.
Too hard: Stay longer in one round with the same style, until B's split feels automatic.
Good looks like: A pop-up comes, and B puts it away from a balanced stance.
That's 30 minutes.Good rally, everyone.