Target Forehands

Exploit your opponent’s weakness...

Author

Shea Underwood
October 16, 2025

Week 60

Welcome back to the Road to Pro Newsletter! Just by opening this issue, you are now automatically eligible for this week’s paddle giveaway. Last week’s winner was Anna from New York!

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week:

  • Two tips for applying more pressure at the net

  • How to break the habit of moving prematurely

If you’re reading this, you now have a chance to win this week’s paddle giveaway!

Now, let's get to it!

Big shoutout to Selkirk for sponsoring this newsletter and making all the paddle giveaways I do possible!

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You can get it on Selkirk’s website here and use my code INF-SHEA for a gift card toward a future purchase.

Hit Down

Control at the kitchen can shift so quickly. One moment you’re on offense, the next you’re getting attacked. This week, I’m going to share two really important tips with you that will help you become more dominant at the net.

I see plenty of players try to win more points simply by adding more power. But power doesn’t always translate to better play or more rallies won. When you’re at the net, the key is to keep the ball low so that you force your opponent to hit up on the ball. When you aim for your opponent’s feet, or just keep the ball low over the net, it’s a lot more difficult for them to return those shots. They’ll most likely be forced to hit up on the ball, trying to reset it, and the more you can put them in this position, the more likely you are to get a shot you can easily put away.

Another tip you should keep in mind when you’re at the net is to target forehands when hitting speedups. Many players rely heavily on their backhands during hands battles. That’s because your backhand is steadier and more controlled at the net, and it easily defends the majority of your body, meaning most players’ natural instinct is to counter your attack with their backhand. So, if you aim for their forehand, you could easily be forcing them into a chicken wing (see image below) by taking advantage of their instinctual backhand. And when players are caught in a chicken wing, it most often leads to a weak or missed shot from them.

Elbow out, awkward position, getting jammed with the ball

Next time you’re out on the courts, try to focus on these two things and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Avoid Flinching

Since I just told you where to aim your speedups to take advantage of other players’ weaknesses at the net, here’s a drill to help you avoid being exploited the same way.

As I said, most players instinctively block or counter a speedup with their backhand because it covers most of their body and offers more control. The problem is you never truly know where the ball is going. That’s why if you always default to your backhand, you’re going to get surprised by a speedup to your forehand (just like I explained above). To avoid getting caught in this position yourself, try this:

Stand across from your drilling partner at the kitchen line and start dinking. Every now and then, your partner should fake a speedup. Meaning they should swing as if they are speeding up at you, but instead miss the ball entirely. You’ll immediately notice that you move your paddle instinctively even though they never hit the ball. Most likely, you’ll flinch to your backhand. Ask your partner to keep pointing it out to you so you become hyperaware of this premature movement. Keep repeating this until you don’t flinch when your partner fakes a speedup.

This drill is ultimately about awareness. It’ll train your body and mind to respond only when the ball is truly coming towards you, instead of guessing and moving too early.

Always remember: opponents are unpredictable. Instead of trying to outguess them, trust your eyes and your reflexes. Premature movement can cost you a lot of points.

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