KS3 · Physical education · Year 9
Approach the net as a partnership
Net and wall games: overcome opponents in tennis challenges
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/10
Your learning goal
I can attack the net as a doubles pairing to deny time and space.
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Approach the net as a partnership: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
What you’ll learn
I can attack the net as a doubles pairing to deny time and space.
Key learning points
- Move: performing a split step just as your opponent hits the ball enables quick movement towards the ball for a return.
- Move: quickly advancing to the net is crucial for cutting off your opponent’s options on the court.
- Think: know that if your partner is at the net, you must join them to avoid leaving big gaps diagonally on the court.
- Feel: commitment and focus is required to fulfil the role of feeder, coach and performer.
- Connect: clear communication and decisive action is required to both be at net or both on the baseline during points.
Words to know
- split step
- a small hop performed just before an opponent strikes the ball, allowing a player to be balanced and ready to move in any direction
- approach shot
- a groundstroke hit with the intention of landing deep in the opponent's court, allowing the player to move forward to the net to volley
- decisive
- making a decision quickly
Common mistakes
Pupils don't align their court positioning and often find themselves with one player forward and one back.
If one player is at the net and one is back on the baseline, it leaves big diagonal gaps through the court so it is essential for both be at net or both be on the baseline as much as possible.
For parents, carers and teachers
- Some individuals will take longer than others to pick up the basics of racket control so if they need more time and control, consider allowing some to tap the ball up to themselves before hitting it back.