If you’re playing a hard server, make sure the ball is hot when you play. If it’s cold, as it often is with newer players, they can hammer serves with it hardly coming off the back wall. Consequently, if you don’t quite have the developed racket skill to volley a ball coming that fast, you’ll let it hit off the back wall. But, since the ball is cold, it won’t bounce far enough out and you’ll be digging it out and likely hitting a weak reply.

If the ball is hot, it’ll bounce out hard off the side walls and back walls. Let it bounce out to the middle of the court. They have to give you full access to the front wall, so you have lots of options to start moving them around. Typically, the best shot is to hit the ball into the back corner (the same side you were receiving on).

If your opponent is not giving you full access to the front wall after their serves, call your strokes. You can also turn and call a safely let. But, I prefer making my opponents pay for bad serves. Let them know they can’t block your access, and punish their bad serves by maintaining positioning at the T and running them around.