The Lob Artist

Master lob artistry by developing height control, consistency, and tactical timing. Practice high-bouncing lobs that force opponents to retreat 15+ feet. Learn when to lob: when opponents are at net aggressively, when rallies are fast-paced, when you need to slow down. Develop both defensive and offensive lobs. Vary lob depth (some short, some deep) so opponents can't anticipate. Coordinate with your partner—when you lob, they should be ready to take the overhead or reset. Study Galán's lob placement and consistency. Important: don't lob predictably every point or risk becoming one-dimensional. Mix lobs with drives to keep opponents honest.

Attack lob artists before they establish the lob rhythm. Stay at baseline initially to limit lob effectiveness. When they do lob, execute your overhead decisively; indecision lets them reset. Serve and volley to shorten rallies before they lob. Use slice returns that keep you in court to take away their lob window. Develop a reliable smash and overhead—they're essential against lob specialists. Attack on the first bounce after your service; they might not have time to set up a lob. Keep attacking rather than lobbing back; get them at net where your aggression trumps their lobs.