The Back Wall Boast
Boast | Trickle Boast | Reverse Boast | Back-Wall Boast | Volley Boast | Volley Reverse Boast
The Back Wall Boast is an impressive looking shot that is played off the back wall of the court with enough power and angle to reach the front wall.
Despite looking impressive, it is actually not a great shot at all; you should avoid playing it except as an emergency shot. Assuming you aren’t Thierry Lincou and can’t hit the nick with this shot.
If you have to play the back wall boast shot, try to get it to land awkwardly tight to the side wall (or in the nick a la Lincou if you can!), as this can prove to be a very difficult shot to return combined with the unique spin that also comes with this Boast. However the majority of Back Wall Boasts will bounce up in the central areas of the court, allowing your opponent time and space to do whatever they want with the ball, which frequently enables them to win the point immediately or at least pile on immense pressure.
However, there will be times when you need to play it or the rally will be over so it is worth knowing how to play.
Three things to remember when playing a back wall boast:
- Get side-on – The back wall boast is easier to play if you are side-on (facing the side wall) as you can get a more powerful swing. This is often necessary to get the ball to travel such a great distance, so if you have enough time do try to avoid facing the back wall completely.
- Lift the ball or hit it hard – The ball needs sufficient energy to hit one wall immediately and then still have enough legs to make it across the whole court, which will require either a lot of power or height or possibly both.
- Hit it low on the back wall – When you hit the ball into the back wall, make sure you don’t hit it too close to the out line. Make sure the ball has an upward trajectory with medium to high power but make sure it hits the back wall significantly lower than the out line. If you hit it at too sharp an angle the ball will catch the ceiling.
→ Check out our other related Defensive Shots:
Boast | Straight Lob | Cross-Court Lob
→ Recommended posts for those looking at Defensive Shots:
Aiming for a tight Back Wall Boast, Two Wall Boasts, Defending the Ball, Opening the racket face in the back corners, Using the wrong leg when the ball gets behind you, Changing your grip for different shots, Following up short shots from the back