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You are hitting a bandeja. Cross-court or down the line?
Bandeja cross-court and deep by default. It buys margin, and it keeps you covered while you recover.
You have been pushed back and you are about to hit a comfortable bandeja. Where should it go?
Bandeja cross-court and deep by default. It buys margin, and it keeps you covered while you recover.
Why
The bandeja is a holding shot, so everything about it should reduce risk. Cross-court is the longest distance you can hit, which gives you the most room for error on a shot played while moving backwards. It also keeps the ball away from the middle, and it means your recovery run to the net is on the same diagonal as the ball, so you are never crossing your own shot. Down the line is the change-up you play once they start leaning cross.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Just get it deep. Direction matters far less than making sure the ball lands in the last quarter of their court.
Intermediate
Aim at the far side glass about a metre above the ground. If it lands deep and skids off the glass low, they can do nothing with it.
Advanced
Go down the line when their cross-side player has drifted to cover, or to change the diagonal and set up your partner’s intercept. It is a pattern shot, not a default.
Common questions
You have been pushed back and you are about to hit a comfortable bandeja. Where should it go?
Cross-court, deep into their far corner. Bandeja cross-court and deep by default. It buys margin, and it keeps you covered while you recover. The bandeja is a holding shot, so everything about it should reduce risk. Cross-court is the longest distance you can hit, which gives you the most room for error on a shot played while moving backwards. It also keeps the ball away from the middle, and it means your recovery run to the net is on the same diagonal as the ball, so you are never crossing your own shot. Down the line is the change-up you play once they start leaning cross.
Why not straight down the middle?
Safe from the net, but it gives both of them a comfortable ball in front, and it hands back the middle you were trying to protect.
What should a beginner do here?
Just get it deep. Direction matters far less than making sure the ball lands in the last quarter of their court.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Go down the line when their cross-side player has drifted to cover, or to change the diagonal and set up your partner’s intercept. It is a pattern shot, not a default.
Puzzles like this one
They lobbed you deep. Smash it or play the bandeja?
Deep ball, high hands: bandeja. The shot exists to keep you at the net, not to win the point.
beginnerBoth of them are at the net. What is the highest-percentage ball?
Only the lob moves a net pair backwards. Everything else invites them forward.
intermediateWhat do you do with the return of serve?
The return lob is how the receiving pair steals the net. Aim over the player who is still moving.