In this sub zone (in yellow color in the diagram ) we will only analyze decisions when your positions are X1 or X2.
The best places for the ball’s placement are indicaed in green.
First and most important from these positions, you should never direct the ball within the range of your opponent.
Recommendations
For this subzone the player can use all the recommendations written for sub zone A1 and A2.
Depending on your skills,
- For beginners and intermediate level players the best direction is cross court or a drop shot ball, close to the net.
- An advanced player can direct the ball down the line, cross court or drop shot.
- When the ball comes from cross court it is easier for the player to return the ball cross court. But the player has to place the ball on the other half of the court the same distance or less from the net. For example, if the opponent’s ball direction has crossed the sideline in your half 6 m (20 feet) from the net, your ball’s direction has to cross the sideline closer than 6 m (20 feet) from the net. It is necessary in order for player “X” to have enough time to get to the next position, to take the advantage in this rally or to implement a wining shot. When does player “X” has the initiative in the rally? When after every stroke the player’s distances to his next positions are less than the opponent’s distances.
- When the ball comes from cross court and the player wants to direct the ball down the line, the head of the racket has to direct more inside of the court than to the place where he wants to play. There is a physics rule, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection and if the player wants the ball to be closer to the sideline and does not implement this rule, the ball will be out. Depending on the separate cases the player assesses the situation and decides how much more inside to direct the head of the racket. For the player it is the most difficult when the ball has a spin because the spin picks up the angle’s declination.
- If the player is at position X1 the position of the opponent is Yc 1.35 m aside from the center.
- From the position A1 player A can play down the line if:
- the player can attack;
- the opponent moves to the net;
- the opponent is close to the corner of the court (position Y1 on the diagrams below).
