Dink and speed-up read

Setup

1. Pairs crosscourt at the kitchen line. Everyone wears protective eyewear for this drill.
2. Agree the speed-up target before starting: the body below the shoulders, the paddle-side hip or the feet. Never the face.

How it runs

1. Dink crosscourt, keeping the ball low over the net.
2. On every ball, ask: can I meet it above net height, in front of me and balanced? If yes, speed it up. If not, dink again.
3. The defender blocks or counters the speed-up and the point is played out.
4. Practice scoring to 11, every rally counts. A speed-up from a ball met below net height is called 'Early' and the point goes to the other player, even if the attack won it.
5. Change diagonals after each game.

Coaching points

• The read starts early: watch the height of the opponent's dink as it crosses the net.
• Speed up with a short, compact swing from in front of the body; a big backswing gives the defender time.
• Aim low: the paddle-side hip and the feet are the hardest places to defend.
• After any speed-up, get the paddle back up straight away, because the ball often comes back faster.
• Defender: paddle in front at chest height and soft hands to block the ball back into the kitchen.

Common mistakes

• Speeding up from below the net, sending the ball into the net or high in the air.
• Giving the attack away with a big backswing.
• Aiming at the head. Stop the drill and reset the target rule straight away if it happens.