![]() ![]() The player on the ball side will be closer to the net, the partner a step deeper. ![]() If they hit a winner to the other third more power to them. Move in tandem cover the two thirds of the court where the ball is.Good players will see your tendencies so you have to mix it up. Playing a lefty and righty, hit to both side screens. If playing two righties the safe shots are to hit softly to the ad court side screen and down the middle to the deuce court player’s backhand.Let good drives go by you and come off the screen to buy time. On a short ball where your options are limited, either lob the ball or drive the ball through the opponents at the net, looking for gaps between or around them.On a lob over their heads or a drive past them you both take the net, but be ready for a drive coming back.This will often set up your partner with a short ball he can drive. Push them back with the lob, then hit to their feet and come forward (blitz).Drive from the inside the baseline (only if you have the advantage), lob from behind the baseline (unless they’re out of position).Play overheads off the screens if you can’t hit an effective drive or lob off the court.If you know your partner is blitzing, keep it away from the net man or your partner is dead. He should be ready to blitz if he sees you are going to drive, but should step back if he sees you are putting up a lob. Your partner should be just inside the baseline to cover a short volley off the returner’s drive.Attack the net man when you have the advantage, otherwise keep it away from him.You and/or your partner can blitz on that return as they have to hit it up. The best return is to the server’s feet.Drive it if you can do it effectively, otherwise lob it and get into the point.The net partner should try to pick off the returner’s drive down the middle.Having only one serve takes time to get used to. Get to the courts early, get a basket of balls and practice the serve.Always serve and volley – unless they’re killing the returns then both stay back and get into the point.Don’t let the returner get into a rhythm. Put it in a place where they can’t drive it for a winner.While these are specifically tips for newer players, many are reminders from which we can all benefit. In preparation for conducting a clinic for new and inexperienced players, Paul wrote down this list of points, which he has graciously shared with us, as his guide. Paul gives free instruction to new players at the Y to get them going in the right direction. Paul views paddle as a combination of tennis and chess a view shared by many players who have found that strategy and careful shot making are indispensable to a successful game. He's been ranked in paddle as high as 4th in the 55s. He has been playing for 10 years, bringing with him the racquet experience of teaching tennis after playing in college. ![]() If you have suggestions for posts you’d like to see me do or information you’d like to see provided, please feel free to contact me and let me know.Paul Wallack plays platform tennis out of the Huntington Y on Long Island.
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