The Backhand Approach -  Carioca Style

by Monty Basnyat

The great volleyers of the game like Edberg, Rafter, McEnroe, and even Henman play an aggressive attacking style of tennis. They look for every opportunity to move forward, blanket the net, and angle away clean winners. 

But, in today's lightening fast power game, how do these players get to the net so fast? Even more so, how do they get in so fast with complete control of their bodies and racquets? 

So graceful are they, sometimes it seems as if they're gliding on ice. Nowhere is this more apparent then when they execute the approach. Watch closely - they take two steps and they're inside the service box, ready to volley away their opponent's passing attempt. 

Wow! How do these great pros do it? The answer is simple but emulating them will be a bit more difficult and require concentration and practice. 

Carioca or Cross Step

To get to the net quickly, the pros often do what is called a Carioca or a Cross Step when executing the approach. When approaching on the backhand side (right handed player), the standard approach shot has you positioning right foot in front of your left, slicing the ball upon contact, then moving forward to the net.

On the service return, by crossing my rear foot behind my lead foot and stepping passed it, I can save a step or two and get to the net that much quicker

The Carioca Step, however, takes the opposite approach - depending on the type of approach, the back foot will either step ahead of the front foot (groundstroke) or it will slide back behind the front foot (service return). 

Why the Carioca 

The purpose of the Crossover Step is to get you to the net faster. It does so by reducing the number of steps taken after contact is made - two or even one step less can mean the difference between an easy waist high volley or one that is down at your shoestrings.

The ideal position after hitting the approach shot is inside the service box. If you are playing advance tennis, that is where you want to time your split step. From there you can cut off angles on the pass and catch the volley before the ball dips severely below the net. 

What is advanced tennis? There are a lot of aspects but if your opponent has the ability to hit a low passing shot off both wings and not throw up a lob the instant you come to the net, you're playing one form of advance tennis.

Do the pros use the crossover step approach shot all the time? Absolutely not. They use it when they have time to line up their footwork. If they don’t have time, they keep things simple and do what it takes to get the approach over the net and rush in.

Attacking the Serve

On the return of serve approach, the back foot steps behind the front foot as the player starts swinging the racquet towards the contact point. 

In the animation at the top of the page, note how Pete incorporates a full shoulder turn and begins transferring his weight forward as the racquet swings to make contact. At the same time the back foot slides behind his front foot.

Besides shaving a step or two, the Carioca footwork forces the player to make a larger shoulder turn which tends to prevent the attacker from lunging too far out in front for the contact – a common tendency for most net rushers when attacking a second serve. In addition, the larger shoulder turn also makes it easier to chip the ball down the line from the add court, the optimum approach shot from that position. Attacking down the line is usually the best strategy because, being the shortest distance to the net, it not only reduces the number of steps the net rusher needs to get to the net but it also robs the opponent of valuable time needed to make a successful passing shot. 

Try short, low approaches that land on the service line. The idea behind the short, shallow attack is to force the passer to hit the ball at or below the ankle level. These balls are especially difficult for players using semi western or more extreme forehands grips to handle. The same play can also be used against a two handed backhander. Try chipping low, down the line to the backhand while receiving serve on the deuce side.

Attacking the Short Groundstroke

While executing the carioca step on a short ground stroke - the left or rear foot becomes the lead foot, stepping across and ahead of the right foot. The contact point doesn't change nor does the shoulder turn, or the stroke. Just change the stance, slice the ball at contact, and follow the ball to the net. Remember to make sure the back foot steps ahead of the right foot (right-hander) before contact is made.

When to Approach

When do the best net players approach the net? Usually on the first short ball. But it does not matter whether you use the standard footwork on the approach or the Carioca Step if your not in position to take advantage of a short ball. Net rushers like Rafter try to position themselves at or inside the baseline - always looking to move forward..

Very rarely will you see a seasoned player hitting an approach shot from behind the baseline. They always make it a point to approach when they are positioned on the mid court, about 4 steps inside the baseline, so they have enough time to get into the proper volleying position.           

The Club Player

For the club player, the Carioca step may seem awkward at first but it is not as difficult to learn as it appears. To incorporate it into your  game, however, will take a bit of determination and a lot of practice 

Practice with a ball machine or have your hitting partner feed you short balls or serve you second serves. Line up the footwork and try it. After you get a feel for it continue forward to the net and add a volley.

A the initial stage, it is imperative for your practice partner to hit lazy second serves or feed you soft balls you can manage. And remember don’t try to incorporate this footwork into your game without a lot of repetitions on the practice court because your more likely to trip and fall than execute a successful approach.

Remember, the idea behind the Carioca step and the down the line attacking strategy is to get you to the net quicker and in better position to handle the passing attempt. Put in the practice and discipline and I guarantee you will be gliding to the net just like Edberg, Rafter, and Sampras.

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Monty Basnyat's article by emailing us here at TennisONE.   

Last Updated 2/1/02. To contact us, please email to: webmaster@tennisone.com

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