Return
Deep return
A return with enough height and depth to let you advance and reach the kitchen in balance.
Technique
Split step before the bounce and prepare compactly.
Contact in front with a controlled upward trajectory.
Take your first forward steps after completing the shot.
Common errors
Running before hitting the ball.
Accelerating a low ball without a margin.
Staying at the baseline to watch your return.
Tactics
Return crosscourt to give yourself more court length.
Use height when the serve pulls you out of position.
Avoid giving the third-shot player a short return.
Progression
Return from a fixed position.
Return followed by three forward steps.
Return serves with varying direction.
Drills
Take it onto court
Return and cross
Connect depth with forward movement
Return deep, cross a transition marker and recover your position before the next ball.
Serve traffic lights
Adapt your margin
The feeder alternates short, deep and body serves. Decide on height before returning.
Educational reference · Rubric v1
What each score means
This rubric explains what to look for in a shot; reading it is not an individual assessment. Its descriptors do not certify your level and are not PPP Performance Assessment results, which retain each assessment’s source and results separately.
Technique
Cannot yet prepare early, contact in front and advance in balance; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can prepare early, contact in front and advance in balance occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can prepare early, contact in front and advance in balance at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to prepare early, contact in front and advance in balance under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently prepare early, contact in front and advance in balance in real, competitive play.
Consistency
Cannot yet repeat deep returns without offering an easy third shot; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can repeat deep returns without offering an easy third shot occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can repeat deep returns without offering an easy third shot at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to repeat deep returns without offering an easy third shot under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently repeat deep returns without offering an easy third shot in real, competitive play.
Control
Cannot yet adjust height and speed to the difficulty of the serve; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can adjust height and speed to the difficulty of the serve occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can adjust height and speed to the difficulty of the serve at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to adjust height and speed to the difficulty of the serve under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently adjust height and speed to the difficulty of the serve in real, competitive play.
Placement
Cannot yet send the return deep and into tactically useful space; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can send the return deep and into tactically useful space occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can send the return deep and into tactically useful space at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to send the return deep and into tactically useful space under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently send the return deep and into tactically useful space in real, competitive play.
Decision-making
Cannot yet choose trajectory and margin before moving towards the kitchen; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can choose trajectory and margin before moving towards the kitchen occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can choose trajectory and margin before moving towards the kitchen at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to choose trajectory and margin before moving towards the kitchen under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently choose trajectory and margin before moving towards the kitchen in real, competitive play.
Player Development
Connect this shot to your development
Connect what you learn to your match play: choose a situation, try the practice suggestions and review what you notice afterwards.