off the bounce

[looseswing]

I always thought that balls of the bounce were meant to be taken at shoulder height, but now I have read some stuff that implies that they should be hit in the normal strike zone. Which one should I follow if I have the option to do both?

[tnig469]

do u mean high bouncing topspin?....cuz that is the only way it would be at ur shoulder unless u were extremely short.....NORMALLY u should take it a the normal strike zone...hence the name....but if it high bouncing topspin...try to take it on the rise...

[LowProfile]

The best place to hit the ball is in your normal strike zone. High bouncing balls will kick up and force you to hit them at shoulder height or above. Taking the shot on the rise will allow you to make contact in your normal strike zone before the ball bounces above it. This is the advantage of taking the ball off the rise.

Of course, if you prefer to hit the ball shoulder high than in your normal strike zone (which should be about waist to midchest height if you use a semi-western grip, a little higher for western and lower for eastern users), then by all means do so.

[looseswing]

I did mean the high bouncing topspin balls that kick up.
My coach told me to take these balls at shoulder height off the bounce so that I could flatten them out. This is hard but i have been practicing it. So you guys say that I should take it in my normal strike zone

[LowProfile]

Well of course it is easier to hit them at shoulder height than at your ideal strike zone because it doesn't require perfect timing. You get a little more time to react if you take the ball at shoulder height because you give it a little more time to kick up higher. You will expend less energy hitting the shot at your normal strike zone, but it requires extreme focus and great timing to do so (watch Agassi).