forehand question: side spin

[pushing_wins]

should there be any side spin at all on a neutal forehand ?

my forehand often has slice (golf reference) spin on it. my racquet contacts the ball slightly out to in. i am pulling the racquet across my body, because of body rotation. i think it is an indication of not hitting through the ball.

[tnig469]

neutal forehand?.......u mean netural or normal?....and due to physics...there will always be a SLIGHT amount of side spin...no matter how straight you hit the ball

[Andres]

There's always a little sidespin. You can't hit a PURE TOPSPIN forehand.
Inside out forehands OFTEN has a considerable ammount of sidespin ;)

[looseswing]

should there be any side spin at all on a neutal forehand ?

my forehand often has slice spin on it.

Side spin and slice are two different things. I assume that you are talking about the regular topspin drive, and the answer is just like a previous poster mentioned there will always be some sidespin on the forehand, but there should not be slice. Slice and sidespin are two different things.

[MTChong]

I can put a good amount of sidespin when I want to; it trips up lots of people I play because it'll bounce into them.

[papa]

Side spin and slice are two different things. I assume that you are talking about the regular topspin drive, and the answer is just like a previous poster mentioned there will always be some sidespin on the forehand, but there should not be slice. Slice and sidespin are two different things.

OK, tell us more - I'm talking about this sidespin and slice "concept". There is a difference but I'm wondering if you know what it is - you probably do but an explanation might be interesting.

[MTChong]

OK, tell us more - I'm talking about this sidespin and slice "concept". There is a difference but I'm wondering if you know what it is - you probably do but an explanation might be interesting.

I'm not certain, but I'm getting the impression that looseswing relates slice with an underspin shot with a left or right spin while sidespin would be with a topspin drive.

[pushing_wins]

what i mentioned slice spin, i was talking about the direction of the spin on the ball

it is the same spin as a slice in golf (as opposed to draw spin)

[golden chicken]

should there be any side spin at all on a neutal forehand ?

my forehand often has slice (golf reference) spin on it. my racquet contacts the ball slightly out to in. i am pulling the racquet across my body, because of body rotation. i think it is an indication of not hitting through the ball.

in other words, the ball you hit spins like a top, rather than rolling away (topspin) or rolling towards you (underspin or "slice" to a tennis player)

that's okay, but you could hit with more topspin for better depth control if you start your swing from below the ball and finish above. to get the ball to spin like a top, you really are just rotating your shoulders and not creating topspin by swinging low to high.

[pushing_wins]

in other words, the ball you hit spins like a top, rather than rolling away (topspin) or rolling towards you (underspin or "slice" to a tennis player)

that's okay, but you could hit with more topspin for better depth control if you start your swing from below the ball and finish above. to get the ball to spin like a top, you really are just rotating your shoulders and not creating topspin by swinging low to high.


when i swing low to high, i get a moon ball

when i rotate my shoulder, i get that side spin

[tnig469]

when i swing low to high, i get a moon ball

when i rotate my shoulder, i get that side spin

i think u should refer to tennis words....cuz a golf terms might not work to good.....and if u dont follow through into the ball...of course when u swing from low to high u get a moon ball....and i dont understand this side spin?... what r u tryin 2 get at? lol

[golden chicken]

when i swing low to high, i get a moon ball

when i rotate my shoulder, i get that side spin

you have to do both!

[papa]

I'm not certain, but I'm getting the impression that looseswing relates slice with an underspin shot with a left or right spin while sidespin would be with a topspin drive.

Well, things are getting a little confusing here which is what I thought was going on.

Pure topspin the ball rotates from six to twelve whereas pure underspin it would rotate in the reverse. Pure sidespin the ball rotates nine to three or three to nine depending on whether your right handed or not - this does not mean for example that a right handed (or left handed) person cannot make the ball spin in either direction, they can.

Having said all that, its pretty hard to hit a ball with pure topspin, sidespin or underspin - every shot generally has a combination of spins like a little topspin and sidespin - there would be hundreds of combinations.

However, any shot with "sidespin" would not be considered as a "topspin" drive. If you were headed "west" in a car, you certainly wouldn't say your going "north".

I also don't like using golf terms in discussing tennis. Although many of the same principles/terms apply, just as many or more, don't and it can get rather confusing.

[pushing_wins]

the problem for me boils down to this

when i hit close stance, i dont have a problem hitting topspin

when my stance starts to open, i impart more and more side spin.

any suggestions?

[papa]

the problem for me boils down to this

when i hit close stance, i dont have a problem hitting topspin

when my stance starts to open, i impart more and more side spin.

any suggestions?

Well, because in a closed stance, your probably hitting the ball further back into the strike zone (maybe even on the back foot) and if you do the same thing with an open stance you impart more sidespin. Try to strike the ball a little further in front and make sure your shifting your weight forward - using open stance. You get much more rotation into the ball with an open stance so try to hit the ball more with your legs.

[BigbangerNYC]

should there be any side spin at all on a neutal forehand ?

my forehand often has slice (golf reference) spin on it. my racquet contacts the ball slightly out to in. i am pulling the racquet across my body, because of body rotation. i think it is an indication of not hitting through the ball.

You have diagnosed the problem yourself. Plus, sounds like your horizontal striking zone/ contact point is too close to your body, that's why you get "jammed" and pull the stick across your body during and after contact. Best way to cure all these interrelated causes and effects is to make sure you meet the ball well in front of your body (at least 1/2 foot) in front of your lead foot. Try it, it might work.

[pushing_wins]

You have diagnosed the problem yourself. Plus, sounds like your horizontal striking zone/ contact point is too close to your body, that's why you get "jammed" and pull the stick across your body during and after contact. Best way to cure all these interrelated causes and effects is to make sure you meet the ball well in front of your body (at least 1/2 foot) in front of your lead foot. Try it, it might work.

thanks, i will give that a try.

but i hit with a grip between eastern and semi western

would that change your advice about 1/2 foot in front?

[LuckyR]

the problem for me boils down to this

when i hit close stance, i dont have a problem hitting topspin

when my stance starts to open, i impart more and more side spin.

any suggestions?


When you say "sidespin" do you mean like insideout (L to R for a right hander forehand) or outside in (R to L, like hitting a crosscourt)?

[pushing_wins]

When you say "sidespin" do you mean like insideout (L to R for a right hander forehand) or outside in (R to L, like hitting a crosscourt)?

outside in spin

[limitup]

the problem for me boils down to this

when i hit close stance, i dont have a problem hitting topspin

when my stance starts to open, i impart more and more side spin.

any suggestions?

Sure, it's simple. Hit through the ball and tone down the windshield wiper motion. At the very least make sure you hit through the ball i.e. the face of the racquet should be moving mostly FORWARD at contact, not sideways.

[BigbangerNYC]

thanks, i will give that a try.

but i hit with a grip between eastern and semi western

would that change your advice about 1/2 foot in front?

No matter what grip you use, the more in front of your body the contact zone is, the more you hit the ball on the rise, and the less chance you will hit long. In addtion, since most rally shots are crosscourt, it's much easier to hit the ball in that direction with lots of pace if you contact point is early --rather than late.

[LuckyR]

outside in spin


I guess I don't see that as a problem. Two reasons: if you are hitting crosscourt, the outside in sidespin will tail the ball away from the other guy and so you don't have to shoot for a low percentage line shot and on DTL shot (especially passing shots) you can actually hit the ball out, and it will curve back in and hit the line, great for getting around folks at the net.

[pushing_wins]

I guess I don't see that as a problem. Two reasons: if you are hitting crosscourt, the outside in sidespin will tail the ball away from the other guy and so you don't have to shoot for a low percentage line shot and on DTL shot (especially passing shots) you can actually hit the ball out, and it will curve back in and hit the line, great for getting around folks at the net.

i think the spin you are refering to is inside out

mine is the opposite

slice spin in golf

the ball travels left to right

[Mountainman]

I guess I don't see that as a problem. Two reasons: if you are hitting crosscourt, the outside in sidespin will tail the ball away from the other guy and so you don't have to shoot for a low percentage line shot and on DTL shot (especially passing shots) you can actually hit the ball out, and it will curve back in and hit the line, great for getting around folks at the net.

This is what we call a hook in golf terms. It's very nice to manipulate the in a certain way to the player's advantage. Agassi has a sidespin dropshot. He uses it very well. When Federer decides to hit a passing shot from the baseline corner on his forehand side, he would hook the ball down the line.

[LuckyR]

i think the spin you are refering to is inside out

mine is the opposite

slice spin in golf

the ball travels left to right


Ok NOW I get it. Yes, I agree with you that with Western grips you are liable to get that inside out spin. It is the reason that as an Eastern grip forehand person myself, that I developed a SW for certain shots... like an inside out forehand, devastating, for the same reason an outside in sidespin works for crosscourts. However on regular forehands from the deuce side of the court it will tend to drive your DTL shots out and your crosscourts toward instead of away from your opponent. Not a good thing.

I would try hitting the ball not quite as far out in front of your body to allow you to get the tip of the stringbed around the outside of the ball to eliminate that unwanted inside out spin.

[Tezuka Kunimitsu]

I have so much side spin my ball actually bounces up and to the right. Instead of the ball rotating 6 to 12 it rotates 4 to 10 and it is just nasty. My inside out forehand has sometimes the same or more. I guess i my contact wired I am racquet head is never perpendicular to the court, but I do hit the ball out in fornt. Now what is wired my backhand has more of a correct topspin spin like 6 to 12...

~Joe

[pushing_wins]

I have so much side spin my ball actually bounces up and to the right. Instead of the ball rotating 6 to 12 it rotates 4 to 10 and it is just nasty. My inside out forehand has sometimes the same or more. I guess i my contact wired I am racquet head is never perpendicular to the court, but I do hit the ball out in fornt. Now what is wired my backhand has more of a correct topspin spin like 6 to 12...

~Joe

joe

your down the line on the run forehand is always wide?

[Tezuka Kunimitsu]

joe

your down the line on the run forehand is always wide?

the ball does not curve in the air it does after the bounce, is the bad? it only does it when I hit straight...

[papa]

the ball does not curve in the air it does after the bounce, is the bad? it only does it when I hit straight...

Maybe but I have my doubts. If its going to bounce and then go somewhat right or left, it will also curve during the flight of the ball. However, if its slight, you won't probably notice it much.

[Tezuka Kunimitsu]

I probably do not notice it, on hte dead run I am only able to watch the ball after bounce or close to bounce since I am trying to stop.

~Joe