Use the cross step for backhand dinks

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Tip of the day

The cross step is a vital footwork technique used specifically on the backhand side when the ball moves wide quickly.

Instead of stretching or lunging for a far ball, turning and crossing your leg allows for a more stable base.

By crossing your right leg over, you can get under the ball more effectively and maintain better balance.

This movement allows you to hit a neutral dink back to the middle, which buys you time to recover.

The cross step is a more efficient way to cover ground than traditional shuffling when the pace of the dink is high.

Using this technique prevents you from being pushed too far off the court and out of the point.

A stable body position during the cross step leads to more consistent dinks and fewer unforced errors.

This footwork adjustment is especially helpful for handling aggressive, knifing dinks that stay low and move fast.

Settle back into your neutral position immediately after the shot to prepare for the next part of the rally.

Practicing this specific step will improve your defensive range and make you much harder to beat in dink battles.

Key Points:

Use the cross step on the backhand side to reach wide balls without overstretching.
Cross your right leg over to create a stable hitting platform and get under the ball.
Hit a neutral dink to the middle after a cross step to give yourself time to reset.
Replace inefficient lunging with this turned-body approach for better balance.
Focus on recovering your position quickly after executing the cross step dink.

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Happy pickling,

Paul