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Víbora
offensiveadvancedalso called Víbora
Spanish for 'viper' — an aggressive overhead with heavy side-spin that skids low after bouncing, often forcing a weak return or an outright winner.
🎯 When to use it
- \u2713Opponents float a short, lazy lob you can attack but not flat-smash.
- \u2713You want to keep the point alive at the net while extracting a defensive ball.
- \u2713On a fast court (glass-heavy) where a flat smash would just rebound out.
\u26a0\ufe0f Common mistakes
- \u2717Overhitting and losing direction — the víbora is about spin, not power.
- \u2717Hitting it like a flat smash — defeats the purpose. If you wanted flat, hit a smash.
- \u2717Aiming down the middle — gives opponents two players who can play it.
🏆 Technique — step by step
- 1Same setup as the bandeja, but contact higher and more in front of the body.
- 2Brush across the outside of the ball, almost like a tennis kick serve — wrist snaps from outside-to-inside.
- 3Aim cross-court: typically right-hander to opponents' right side wall.
- 4Side spin makes the ball skid sideways out of the back glass — extremely awkward to handle.
💡 Pro tip
The víbora's signature sound is a 'whoosh' from the brush contact. If your shot sounds like a thud, you're hitting flat.
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