watching-opponent-for-clues
Resznotes asked 7 months ago
Hi, Dan and Tom
If an opponent is going to hit the ball down the line, what is the most important clue to look for so that I can get in position? For example, if my opponent and I have exchanged a few cross court shots on the backhand side, or if I serve to my opponent’s backhand side, what should I look for, above all else, for a hint that a down- the-line shot is coming?
Thanks,
Resznotes
Tom Academy Coach answered 7 months ago
Hey Resznotes, I would say the 2 main things to watch out for when trying to spot a switch are the body position of the opponent and the wrist/bat angle. It’s not always easy to spot these things but if you can you will give yourself a lot more time to react and move into position to play a good shot. The wrist and bat angle often changes and adjusts when players want to switch and this is a key are to focus on to see changes of direction. If you are comfortable with your own shots as well it then becomes easier to focus more on what is happening on the other side of the table and what the opponent is doing as you need less focus to play your own shots. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions on this topic 🙂
