Tip 16 — Exploit the retreating hip to expose the center

When opponents hit a deep third shot, they almost always back up to establish position at the kitchen line. Watch their outside hip as they retreat. If that hip opens up away from the court center, their momentum is carrying them backward and away from the line they need to defend.

Direct your next dink or soft drop directly into that vacant corridor they just vacated. Because their weight is moving backward, they cannot cleanly plant to redirect the ball with pace. They are forced to reach and lift, which invariably pops the ball up.

Stop hitting to the player who is already set and waiting. Decode their recovery pattern, target the hip that is moving out of position, and let their own momentum create your next attack angle.

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