NEWS

So often the player on the deuce side is the setup player, while the ad side player is the aggressive one. However, there is nothing more uncomfortable than playing against a team that has offense coming from both sides with no safe spot to hit to on the baseline. Here are four options to help you bring offense from the deuce court.

Make sure you can drive your backhand in the middle  

It doesn't have to be a big drive, but you have to have the capability of driving to keep pressure on your opponents. 

It will force your opponents to hit a perfect reset shot every time.

They will have to get closer to the net when they hit a bad overhead. This will make your lobs way more efficient. 

Lob down the line, then lock and load  

Any time you hit a deep lob down the line you can shift five boards towards the middle. You will favor your forehand and “hide” your backhand. I would not recommend locking and loading when lobbing crosscourt because you would expose your corner.

Follow a deep lob down the line by a blitz  

Most players lob down the line hoping their opponents will change direction on the overhead, which usually creates openings on their side of the court. This strategy is 100% correct. However, very good players may not fall for this strategy and will hit a reset overhead back to the lobber. Adding the lob/blitz play to your repertoire is essential but it has its pros and cons.

Pros:

If opponents don’t spot you, you have a great chance of winning the point outright with a volley.

If opponents do spot you, they will have to hit a hard down overhead far from the net, which is risky.

If they make a hard overhead, your partner will have an opportunity to drive the ball with the opponents out of position.

Con:

If opponents do spot you and hit a good overhead, your team will have to lob and start the point over again.

Follow a deep crosscourt lob with a wide forehand drive  

A lot of the time when you hit a deep crosscourt lob, your opponent will hit the ball into the black hole hoping they can get to your side screen. The black hole is an imaginary spot on the deuce side, right behind the wide corner of the service box. If you are ready for that shot, standing in the green next to the doubles alley, and can time it well, you now have the chance to rip a forehand crosscourt at a downward angle while your opponent is off the net.

Florentina Hanisch is the Head of Women's Paddle at the Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey. She is currently ranked number two (as of Feb. 2024) with Ana Marija Zubori. Hanisch has won three Women’s National Championships, is the current Husband/Wife National Champion (four in a row), and a three-time Mixed National Champion. For more platform tennis and tennis tips, follow @flortennis on Instagram.