Cross to Cover When Your Partner Is Pulled Wide
The Situation
Your partner gets pulled out wide to chase a ball and opponents immediately exploit the space they left.
What To Do
When your partner is dragged wide, shift across to cover the court they have vacated rather than holding your own half, slide toward their side so the pair still spans the court with the same ~3–4m connection, then recover together once they are back.
Why It Works
If your partner is hauled out wide and you stay put, you leave a huge hole in the centre and the opposite side. Shifting across keeps the pair's coverage continuous, you are not defending halves, you are defending the whole court as a connected unit, sliding to keep the 3–4 metre gap pointed at the danger. This rotation (one wide, the other covering across) is what stops opponents from punishing a stretched partner, and you reset to neutral together once the scramble ends.
Court Positioning
Partner pulled wide to chase a ball. Player slides across toward the middle to cover the vacated space, maintaining the ~3–4m connection diagonally. Recovery arrows show both returning to neutral side-by-side once the ball is neutralised.
Court View
Bird's-eye view: attacking net position
Skill Level
Never Both Players on the Same Side of the Court
During a rally you realize you and your partner are both on the same side of the court.
Never Stop in the Transition Zone
You are moving forward after a return and feel comfortable stopping between the service line and the net.
Split Step Before Every Opponent Shot
You are at the net or moving around the court and find yourself late to react to balls.