Footwork when approaching from out wide?

[EddieBrock]

Is there any kind of special footwork you use after hitting an approach shot from out wide? For example, let's say you're in a cross court rally and you get an approach shot that's around no man's land, but pulls you out pretty wide so you have to cover a lot of court to be able to cover the passing shot. Even if you approach down the line you have to move forward and in to have a prayer at covering the cross court.

Whenever I get into this situation I always feels a bit panicked/rushed trying to get back to hit my 1st volley. Is there any kind of specific footwork you should use?

 

[ptuanminh]

If you are pulled out wide, aren't you in defensive position already? What kind of approach u expect here?

 

[Injured Again]

There are a couple of different footwork patterns for each of the forehand and backhand side depending on how much you have to move and how much time you have. But I think you're asking more about how to best cover that first volley, and because you say you feel rushed, maybe you can try to hit an approach shot which gives you a bit more time in addition to working on footwork.

As an example, I try to win points by getting a mid-court forehand, from which I can pretty much hit forcing shots that gain me a strong advantage. However, if I get a short and wide forehand which is too low to try to hit for a winner, but also too short to hit and retreat to the baseline, I'll often loop up a heavy topspin shot deep down the line and come to net. The looping trajectory gives me the extra time to get well position, and the higher bounce makes it tougher for my opponent to hit the ball as effectively as if it were waist height.

On the backhand where I can't loop it or hit it as well as I can on my forehand, I'll sometimes just try to hit a deep floating slice into their weaker wing and just charge the net like a madman hoping for something good to happen. At my age (late 50's) and level (4.5), an age group peer is as likely to lob as to try and drive it. That works for me since I'm already kind of deep in the court. On that same shot, I'll also hit it short and low to their other wing, just to keep them less sure of what I might try to do. This has the extra benefit that they may step forward anticipating a short shot and if I float it deep, they have to hit with their weaker stroke while moving backwards.

Hopefully that gives you a different way of thinking about how to cover that first volley, in that sometimes the approach shot you choose to hit is done to allow you to get in better position for the first volley, instead of just hitting the same approach shot all the time and hoping that faster or better footwork will solve the problem.

 

[movdqa]

You're coming off a defensive shot so the options aren't necessarily great unless you can keep the other player off balance - that is don't always hit those DTL. If your opponent can get to the approach in plenty of time, then he can give you problems with just a deep, crosscourt lob. I think that everyone hates scrambling to get to the net and then watching it go over your head. You may go after it but you're at best back to neutral.

 

[Dragy]

Echo the "you are in defensive position" thought. If you really are not - like at the service line, sitter ball, plenty of time - you have wide open angles, so put the ball to where he's not, DTL or sharp CC, or make a dropshot. Not your typical conservative approach shot position.

 

[Dragy]

On BH side, I'd say go CC deep slice and recover to baseline, unless he's stuck deep in the BH corner giving you a chance to put away DTL.

 

[dominikk1985]

Don't approach from outside the side lines. Either try to hit a winner or hit a higher and spinnier shot and retreat to baseline. You can continue to the net but only if your shot is so forcing that the opponent can only float it back.

If you approach from outside the sidelines and the opponent can hit a controlled passing shot you are toast because the whole field is open no matter if you approach dtl or CC.

 

[blablavla]

Don't approach from outside the side lines. Either try to hit a winner or hit a higher and spinnier shot and retreat to baseline. You can continue to the net but only if your shot is so forcing that the opponent can only float it back.

If you approach from outside the sidelines and the opponent can hit a controlled passing shot you are toast because the whole field is open no matter if you approach dtl or CC.

as others pointed out, it sounds like a very defensive position, so rushing to the net isn't the most obvious choice.
one alternative shot I can think of, but it is low %%
if you have to hit with your FH, you can try to drop shot, especially if it goes to the opponent BH. In this case, it doesn't need to be perfect drop shot, and would still be difficult to run around for the opponent.
if you just manage to approach on "straight" line, covering the angles for your opponent, it might be sufficient.

 

[fuzz nation]

Is there any kind of special footwork you use after hitting an approach shot from out wide? For example, let's say you're in a cross court rally and you get an approach shot that's around no man's land, but pulls you out pretty wide so you have to cover a lot of court to be able to cover the passing shot. Even if you approach down the line you have to move forward and in to have a prayer at covering the cross court.

Whenever I get into this situation I always feels a bit panicked/rushed trying to get back to hit my 1st volley. Is there any kind of specific footwork you should use?

I love going to the net, but you've described one of those situations where it's pretty tough to put an opponent in a box with an approach shot. One of the golden rules with approaching behind an opponent's short ball to our end is to place that approach shot deep. Even if it's not off in a corner, that at least pushes your opponent back behind the far baseline and makes him/her hit from farther away. An opponent also has less open angle to hit into when stuck back behind the baseline.

But approaching straight ahead (d-t-l) from let's say over in the alley on one side or the other can be nearly as bad as approaching cross-court where we leave ourselves open for a down-the-line pass. And in that case, if we're scrambling to cover down-the-line after approaching cross-court, a smart opponent might just hit behind us. In this case, approaching down-the-line from just outside the sideline still leaves a LOT of open court for a cross-court reply.

I'd say it's probably only worth it to try approaching from way out wide if you think you can force an opponent to hit the panic button and try to conjure a miracle winner by flailing at the ball. Manufacturing that pressure by attacking the net can be enough to force some opponents to freak out.

If your opponent plays with some composure, I'd say consider shrinking the field. If you're pretty competent with your reaction volleys, I think that one option for an approach shot is a semi short slice hit straight ahead - not quite a drop shot. This ball will pull an opponent forward and pinch him against a sideline while you're already closing on the net.

This is more feasible if you can approach with a low skidding slice that will force an opponent to sometimes lunge and shovel that short ball up where you can harvest it. I use this style of approach a lot in doubles as I jump on the net (but in doubles, it's usually a short cross-court slice). If you can't hit a low skidder, don't expect this to work. If your approach sits up semi-short as you move in, that will probably be an invitation for the other guy to step up an bean you.

Some of the best defenders have a knack for answering a nasty cross-court shot with at least as much cross-court angle back at their opponents. If you do this, it draws your opponent into the same precarious setting as yours. And if your opponent tries to go down-the-line from outside the sideline, he has to hit back toward the court and toward you - not away from you - to land that low-percentage shot. So if you don't want to roll the dice and go to the net from out wide, answer an angle with even more angle.

 

[blablavla]

Some of the best defenders have a knack for answering a nasty cross-court shot with at least as much cross-court angle back at their opponents. If you do this, it draws your opponent into the same precarious setting as yours. And if your opponent tries to go down-the-line from outside the sideline, he has to hit back toward the court and toward you - not away from you - to land that low-percentage shot. So if you don't want to roll the dice and go to the net from out wide, answer an angle with even more angle.

yet, try to avoid a sitter, cause an even more acute angle will require spin to land in, which in turn transforms many of these into sitters, where your opponent can order a coffee, read a newspaper, scratch and then decide whether to go for a DTL winner or CC winner.

 

[EddieBrock]

If you are pulled out wide, aren't you in defensive position already? What kind of approach u expect here?

I'm pulled out wide, but I'm hitting a short ball. Sometimes a high one and sometimes low.

 

[EddieBrock]

There are a couple of different footwork patterns for each of the forehand and backhand side depending on how much you have to move and how much time you have. But I think you're asking more about how to best cover that first volley, and because you say you feel rushed, maybe you can try to hit an approach shot which gives you a bit more time in addition to working on footwork.

As an example, I try to win points by getting a mid-court forehand, from which I can pretty much hit forcing shots that gain me a strong advantage. However, if I get a short and wide forehand which is too low to try to hit for a winner, but also too short to hit and retreat to the baseline, I'll often loop up a heavy topspin shot deep down the line and come to net. The looping trajectory gives me the extra time to get well position, and the higher bounce makes it tougher for my opponent to hit the ball as effectively as if it were waist height.

On the backhand where I can't loop it or hit it as well as I can on my forehand, I'll sometimes just try to hit a deep floating slice into their weaker wing and just charge the net like a madman hoping for something good to happen. At my age (late 50's) and level (4.5), an age group peer is as likely to lob as to try and drive it. That works for me since I'm already kind of deep in the court. On that same shot, I'll also hit it short and low to their other wing, just to keep them less sure of what I might try to do. This has the extra benefit that they may step forward anticipating a short shot and if I float it deep, they have to hit with their weaker stroke while moving backwards.

Hopefully that gives you a different way of thinking about how to cover that first volley, in that sometimes the approach shot you choose to hit is done to allow you to get in better position for the first volley, instead of just hitting the same approach shot all the time and hoping that faster or better footwork will solve the problem.

That looping forehand off a low ball is a good idea. After you hit it how do you move up and more towards the middle of the court to get ready for that 1st volley? I don't know if it's from not timing my split step properly or what but that 1st volley always feel rushed and awkward even though I can usually volley pretty well.

I like the idea of mixing in a drop shot and using slice on the backhand side.

 

[ptuanminh]

I'm pulled out wide, but I'm hitting a short ball. Sometimes a high one and sometimes low.

I dont get it. You are pulled out wide before you hit shortball or after? Either way, if you are outside of the court, you are in defensive position and most likely lose the point.

 

[movdqa]

If I think that I can make it, then I go for it but that's usually sharp cross-court. If I have any doubt, I hit something high and slow, preferably to the backhand corner deep and get back into position.

 

[J011yroger]

Yes, there is a specific footwork pattern.

It's embarrassing that nobody here knows it but has such a desire to hear themselves talk that they change the topic.

J

 

[ptuanminh]

Yes, there is a specific footwork pattern.

It's embarrassing that nobody here knows it but has such a desire to hear themselves talk that they change the topic.

J

Please elaborate.

 

[EddieBrock]

I dont get it. You are pulled out wide before you hit shortball or after? Either way, if you are outside of the court, you are in defensive position and most likely lose the point.

You're pulled out wide and inside the court with either a low or high ball. At that point it's awkward to try and backpeddle to the baseline. You're in a position to hit the ball pretty offensively or at least with angles, but you're starting from so far off the court and having to move up and in that if the opponent gets his racket on the ball it's tough to time the volley.

Sometimes I'll hit a good approach that gets me a volley I should be able to be offensive with, but even if it's just floating there my feet and body feel awkward from trying to move back into the court that I'll mess it up

 

[EddieBrock]

Yes, there is a specific footwork pattern.

It's embarrassing that nobody here knows it but has such a desire to hear themselves talk that they change the topic.

J

What's the pattern?

 

[Injured Again]

That looping forehand off a low ball is a good idea. After you hit it how do you move up and more towards the middle of the court to get ready for that 1st volley? I don't know if it's from not timing my split step properly or what but that 1st volley always feel rushed and awkward even though I can usually volley pretty well.

I like the idea of mixing in a drop shot and using slice on the backhand side.

Two things. One is that you can almost always tell what kind of shot your opponent is going to try to hit based on his swing preparation. That, and seeing how hard they have to move to get to the shot, or how rushed they may be to make the shot, should give you a good idea of where they're likely able to hit that shot. Cover that, and give them the spectacular, make-one-but-miss-nine opening.

Second, if you're not used to coming up to net, the problem may just be a lack of experience in judging the ball. By this, I mean that if you spend a lot of time on the baseline, you're going to be very good at determining how much time you have to make a shot by seeing how fast it comes off your opponent's racquet. Typically during a baseline rally, you don't move a whole lot forwards or backwards, and you also have the longer time it takes the ball to travel the entire length of the court to adjust your contact timing.

When you're moving forward, the point where you see your opponent's shot come of his racquet and the point where you make contact on your first volley are not the same. When you see the ball leave your opponent's racquet and you see where you are on the court, you may instinctively calculate the amount of time you have based on the separation at that moment. But if your volley is a few feet closer than that, you're going to be rushed. I don't know that there's a way to overcome this other than just repeated practice. But once you master this, you'll be able to do other things like run up and take a high floater out of the air with a groundstroke type of swing.

Mixing in a drop shot on a backhand slice approach is a good idea. I struggled with it for years and didn't understand why. Then, someone told me that it was obvious when I was going to drop shot because my takeback was much shorter. D'uh! I had to learn to dropshot with a long takeback like my regular underspin - problem solved!

 

[J011yroger]

Please elaborate.

What's the pattern?

Hit off the outside foot, land on the inside foot, cross in front then close straight or diagonally depending on if your approach is cross court or DTL.

That you should only approach DTL is another thing all you internet morons love to say.

J

 

[Dragy]

Hit off the outside foot, land on the inside foot, cross in front then close straight or diagonally depending on if your approach is cross court or DTL.

That you should only approach DTL is another thing all you internet morons love to say.

J

Oh my gosh SECRET SAUCE REVEALED!!

 

[fuzz nation]

Somebody needs a hug

 

[movdqa]

Anyone have video of this at the pro level? This is one of those sequences that I don't recall seeing. At the pro level, I've seen sharp crosscourts, hard DTL for a winner, and hitting low around the post.

 

[EddieBrock]

Hit off the outside foot, land on the inside foot, cross in front then close straight or diagonally depending on if your approach is cross court or DTL.

That you should only approach DTL is another thing all you internet morons love to say.

J

Crossing in front is something I've been trying more when I get pushed out wide.

The reason I've been approaching DTL is that this shot usually comes up after I've hit a good XC shot that gets my opponent to hit a weak reply back to me. So if I go XC I'd be hitting right back to him. On the backhand side I will often still float a slice approach, but on the forehand DTL topspin or flatter shot seems like the better bet.