Finish Points: Ball Down First, Angle Overheads, Attack Straight, Compact Contact
Summary
Ava Ignatowich’s putaway clinic starts with hands-battle strategy: stop trying to out-power chests and get the ball down to the feet first — whoever forces the upward reply usually wins the exchange.
Angle overheads instead of smashing middle; point the front shoulder at the target. At the kitchen, attack the player directly in front (shorter distance, less reaction time) rather than cross-court. Skip the huge wind-up — contact out front with leg/hip rotation for power — and under match pressure, deliberately watch the ball through contact so easy putaways stop disappearing.
Key takeaways
- Hands battle: first to get it down usually wins
- Front shoulder points the angled overhead
- Attack the person in front, not diagonal cross-court
- Compact swing + eyes on the ball under pressure
Action items
- One hands-battle game: only count winners that land at the feet
- On every overhead, call the angle side before you swing
- Film one match point and check whether you watched the ball through contact