Attacking with Forehand Cross Court

nchisha16268

drills, Madison

Overview:

Want to control the game and keep your opponent running? The forehand cross-court shot is one of the most effective ways to move your opponent and create offensive opportunities. In this lesson, we’ll break down the technique, footwork, and strategy—plus a fun drill to practice!

Tactic:

Playing the ball crosscourt and down the line to move the opponent.
A cross-court forehand is a shot hit diagonally from one side of the court to the other.

Why use it?
- Longer diagonal court = more margin for error.
- Forces the opponent to cover more distance.
- Opens up the court for winners (down-the-line or inside-out shots later).

Activity:

Using the red court area players stand at home
base (recovery) with one player pushing the ball cross-court then down the line while the other player always pushes back to the same corner. Players continuously exchange the ball along the ground. The rally is over if the ball goes out of the playing area or bounces off the ground. Players with the longest rally win.

Players in pairs cooperatively share a ball using a crosscourt forehand groundstroke. Players
count the number of rallies in 2 minutes.

Fundaamental Teaching Points:

1. Ensure players are in a set up sideways position when receiving and sending the ball.
2. Ensure players impact the ball with strings facing the target.
3. Ensure players recover to home base