forehand down the line

[gregsterposition]

hi,
im a left hander about 3.5, and particularly in games if im rallying with the forehand (mainly crosscourt) and i want to change the direction (maybe go for a winner) down the line - quite often i will hit it long.

anyone know why this might be? or how i can fix it?

thanks

[Geezer Guy]

Well, first off, when you go DTL you need to hit with a bit more topspin. You're hitting over a higher net into a shorter court, so you need the topspin to bring the ball down quickly.

Second of all, when a lefty hits DTL they hit into a righty's forehand, and the righty forehand has any easy shot cross-court. He'll either hit an outright winner, or he'll force the lefty to hit a running backhand (which will often result in an error).

The lefty's best shot is to pound their forehand crosscourt to their opponents backhand.

[Voltron]

Well, first off, when you go DTL you need to hit with a bit more topspin. You're hitting over a higher net into a shorter court, so you need the topspin to bring the ball down quickly.

Second of all, when a lefty hits DTL they hit into a righty's forehand, and the righty forehand has any easy shot cross-court. He'll either hit an outright winner, or he'll force the lefty to hit a running backhand (which will often result in an error).

The lefty's best shot is to pound their forehand crosscourt to their opponents backhand.

Exactly right, lots of TS try to hit a more loopy ball. When hitting down the line, finish with your raquet higher over your shoulder. I agree 100% with Geezer Guy.

[habib]

Exactly right, lots of TS try to hit a more loopy ball. When hitting down the line, finish with your raquet higher over your shoulder. I agree 100% with Geezer Guy.

Well, hitting with more spin to bring the ball down quickly is not the same as hitting a loopy ball. In fact, the whole point of a DTL shot, IMO, is not to hit a loopy ball, as that gives your opponent more time to retrieve it. Still hit a flatish shot (as in not loopy), just put more topspin on it than you would on a cross-court shot, since not only do you need to aim higher, thereby lengthening the flight of the ball, but you also have a shorter court, so the amount of space you have to land the ball in is decreased by two factors.

[gregsterposition]

ok cool thanks, sounds pretty logical - il giv it a go as soon as the weather clears up :confused:

what about footwork or your stance?

[varuscelli]

Second of all, when a lefty hits DTL they hit into a righty's forehand, and the righty forehand has any easy shot cross-court. He'll either hit an outright winner, or he'll force the lefty to hit a running backhand (which will often result in an error).

Solid advice in general, but I also think that you're not giving the OP the benefit of the doubt.

Say, for instance, he's already got the opponent far enough out of position with the crosscourt shots and wants to try and finish off the point down the line. I think that's the kind of specific shot he's really asking about as opposed to the general "pound it to the opponent's backhand" approach.

(OP had already stated the 'for instance' of having been working the crosscourt shots prior to wanting to try down the line, unless I'm misreading.)

[habib]

ok cool thanks, sounds pretty logical - il giv it a go as soon as the weather clears up :confused:

what about footwork or your stance?

I would say an open stance, in general. I mean, the shot isn't much, if at all, different than hitting a ball straight forward, right? So, aside from handling the incoming ball and redirecting it well, the same principles would apply. The only thing I would mention, and it applies only if you're good enough to pull it off, and judging by the subject of this thread - you're not (no offense :-)), is perhaps brushing slightly on the outside of the ball, so that it has a little bit of side spin to ensure that it doesn't sail wide.

[Geezer Guy]

Solid advice in general, but I also think that you're not giving the OP the benefit of the doubt.

Say, for instance, he's already got the opponent far enough out of position with the crosscourt shots and wants to try and finish off the point down the line. I think that's the kind of specific shot he's really asking about as opposed to the general "pound it to the opponent's backhand" approach.

(OP had already stated the 'for instance' of having been working the crosscourt shots prior to wanting to try down the line, unless I'm misreading.)

Yeah - good point.

[gregsterposition]

Solid advice in general, but I also think that you're not giving the OP the benefit of the doubt.

Say, for instance, he's already got the opponent far enough out of position with the crosscourt shots and wants to try and finish off the point down the line. I think that's the kind of specific shot he's really asking about as opposed to the general "pound it to the opponent's backhand" approach.

(OP had already stated the 'for instance' of having been working the crosscourt shots prior to wanting to try down the line, unless I'm misreading.)


yea thats what i was getting at.

[gregsterposition]

I would say an open stance, in general. I mean, the shot isn't much, if at all, different than hitting a ball straight forward, right? So, aside from handling the incoming ball and redirecting it well, the same principles would apply. The only thing I would mention, and it applies only if you're good enough to pull it off, and judging by the subject of this thread - you're not (no offense :-)), is perhaps brushing slightly on the outside of the ball, so that it has a little bit of side spin to ensure that it doesn't sail wide.

yea i get you, yea i can do side spin or whatever its called - its jus i havent had lessons since i was about 10 or 11, so its kinda not all there a bit of mix n match what i know and what i dont if you know what i mean. i mainly learn by example then practise

(no offense taken btw)

[skuludo]

I don't think you will be able to hit a straight shot down the line off a cross court shot. If you manage to do it it will still be kind of slow for some reason. Better to think of it as a cross court shot that didn't make it cross court, but went down the line.

Your attempts at hitting the ball straight may have caused your technique to break down.

Here is what you can do on your own. Stand by the center line and throw the ball to the corner. Chase it down and try to hit a running forehand down the line.

[varuscelli]

I don't think you will be able to hit a straight shot down the line off a cross court shot. If you manage to do it it will still be kind of slow for some reason. Better to think of it as a cross court shot that didn't make it cross court, but went down the line.

Your attempts at hitting the ball straight may have caused your technique to break down.

Here is what you can do on your own. Stand by the center line and throw the ball to the corner. Chase it down and try to hit a running forehand down the line.

I have to say that the above response brings up a heck of a lot more questions than it answers. I want to think it was meant as humorous, but at the same time I'm scared it was serious. :confused:

[Pusher]

hi,
im a left hander about 3.5, and particularly in games if im rallying with the forehand (mainly crosscourt) and i want to change the direction (maybe go for a winner) down the line - quite often i will hit it long.

anyone know why this might be? or how i can fix it?

thanks

A common mistake.

Since DTL means going over the highest part of the net many players will try to lift the ball over the net. In doing so they lean backwards and the shot goes long. You have to hit the shot as you would a normal forehand with your weight moving forward. And of course there is also a tendency to move too close to the ball which causes alll sorts of problems.

Hope that helped.

[habib]

I don't think you will be able to hit a straight shot down the line off a cross court shot. If you manage to do it it will still be kind of slow for some reason.

What in the world? Of course you can hit a straight shot down the line off of a cross court ball.

[dewey2110]

You can always hit a forehand down the line...This is one of my favorite shots.
Try to take the ball when its high on your right, brush a little to create some topspin. The more your grip is toward extreme Western, the easier it is for you to make this shot (as well as inside out forehand). The more your grip's toward Eastern, the easier for you to hit forehand crosscourts. I think its hard to explain to you as well as for you to read all replies and find a good answer, just watch the pros' motion closely, see how they do it, and try it on the court. That's how I do it.