Gancho
Gancho is Spanish for “hook”. The shot is an attacking overhead taken in front of the body with a wrist snap, sending the ball sharply downward and across court. It bridges the gap between the patient bandeja and the all-out flat smash - faster than a bandeja, but kept in by spin rather than relying on the back wall to save it.
What is a gancho?
The gancho is an attacking overhead struck out in front of the head with a pronounced wrist snap. The contact point is more forward than on a bandeja and the racket-face stays closed, giving the ball heavy topspin or side-spin that pulls it down sharply into the opponents’ court. The motion is short and explosive rather than long and slicing.
When do you use it?
Play a gancho when an opponent’s lob is short enough to attack but you do not have time to set up a full flat smash. The gancho lets you stay forward, take the ball on the rise, and put pressure on the receivers without surrendering net position.
It is also a useful change-up against opponents who have grown comfortable reading your bandeja and vibora.
How to play it
Set up sideways with the non-dominant shoulder pointing at the ball. Keep the racket-arm elbow high and the wrist loose. Contact the ball out in front of the head with the racket-face closed and snap the wrist down through the ball. The follow-through is short, finishing across the body rather than over the shoulder. Aim short and angled, not deep.
Coach tip: If the lob is too high or behind you, drop the gancho idea and play a bandeja instead. The gancho only works when you can take the ball comfortably in front of the body.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is treating the gancho as a full smash. The wrist snap, not the arm swing, is what creates the angle and bite. Players who try to add power with the shoulder usually end up hitting the ball flat and long.
The other common error is letting the ball drift behind the head, which kills the forward contact point the shot depends on.
