Lob or Not

Here’s the scenario. You’re under attack from your opponent at the net. You reach his shot in time to have a choice of whether to lob or go for a passing shot. Which do you chose? For most recreational players the decision should follow a simple rule of thumb: lob if you’re behind the baseline, and go for the passer if you’re in front of it. Why? If you’re standing in back of the baseline and attempt a passing shot your opponent will have time to pick off all but your best shots. It’s best in that case to try and push him back with a lob. On the other hand, if you’re in front of the baseline the odds of your passing shot succeeding are improved, and even if you don’t hit an outright winner you stand a strong chance of forcing a weak reply that you can deal with on your next shot. So the next time you’re under fire from a net-rushing opponent use this basic guideline—lob if you’re behind the baseline, pass if you’re in front of it—to make your shot selection in this situation virtually foolproof.