Topspin Forehand Help

[psutennis]

I use a SW forehand, and I have a very loopy swing. I can generate massive amounts of topspin that allow the ball to drop quickly. However, my topspin usually bounces close to the service line, but doesn't kick back at all. Even when I hit the ball deep, it rarely kicks back. How can I generate topspin that actually kicks back and stays deep?

 

[ralphtifftennis]

Read the replies on "how to hit a flat forehand". Actually they wanted to know how to hit flatter versus all spin.

When you say kickback you are referring to the ball spinning off upon landing, with heavy topspin? If you are hitting with that heavy topspin, it should be taking off after landing. Even if it were a lob.

You may have a loopy stroke but may not be swinging though the ball that fast. As such tends to create enormous amounts of spin and spin off. Try swinging through the ball with greater force. You may choose to take some of the loop out and hit a little more through the ball. Fast racquet speed, low to high trajectory = lots of topspin. Height over net = depth into court, with such.

 

[papa]

Well, you have to get your shots deeper if the majority are bouncing around or before the service line. Shots that land there are just absolutely perfect for the wrong person/people.

One of the problems probably is that your taking the ball too late and or hitting off your back foot - the ball flys long or comes up too short. You might want to play around with this and see if thats the problem.

I really don't think its because your hitting with too much top so I'd leave your swing alone and look at other problems first. If your hitting the ball right and shifting your weight properly you should be able to consistently get it within three feet of the baseline without too many problems with heavy top.

Incidently did you just have your racquets strung or is this an ongoing problem?

The other question is how do you know your not getting good kick to the back fence on these shots? Might be kinda hard to assess this from your hitting prospective.

 

[JCo872]

I use a SW forehand, and I have a very loopy swing. I can generate massive amounts of topspin that allow the ball to drop quickly. However, my topspin usually bounces close to the service line, but doesn't kick back at all. Even when I hit the ball deep, it rarely kicks back. How can I generate topspin that actually kicks back and stays deep?

Do you have any video of your forehand I could look at? It sounds like
you are swinging too much and not driving through the ball with your body. You want to feel like you are lifting up and driving forward with your hand arm and shoulder as a unit, not just your wrist or forearm.

Check out how Nalbandian lifts up on the ball with his shoulder, arm, and
hand as a unit:
http://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand/videos/nalbandian/index.cfm

Jeff

 

[psutennis]

When you say kickback you are referring to the ball spinning off upon landing, with heavy topspin? If you are hitting with that heavy topspin, it should be taking off after landing. Even if it were a lob.

When I say kickback, I mean the ball kicking backwards and high after the bounce. That is exactly the problem. The ball does NOT take off after landing.

 

[psutennis]

I had my strings at a really high tension 65+ which provided a good amount of kick, but I had to have a really good day, which is only 1 in 5. On the ok days, I simply could not hit and the ball went into the net. I am now playing with nylon, but cant get a kick. I can tell there is no kick b/c the ball dips as soon as it goes over the net and ends up short.

 

[ralphtifftennis]

What level are you and how long playing? If you are trying to impart so much spin, that the ball is landing inside the service line or not even making it to the net, then you need to forget about spin. You just need to concentrate on getting the ball deeper into your opponents court.

Do this. A) Point your shoulder, non hitting arm of course, at the on-coming ball. Use that arm to maintain good balance and do so until you swing at the ball. This corks your upper body and allows for a penetrating shot. Try and maintain good balance throughout. B) HIT THE BALL OUT IN FRONT OF YOUR BODY, one foot or.

This does not really change anything stroke wise but helps to promote good form and penetrating shots. Practice that a while.

Next, experiment with varying your swing pattern, low to high. The faster you swing through the ball the further it will go and/or more spin imparted. A flatter shot will need to be lower to the net in order to keep it in. Whereas heavy topspin will need to be higher over the net, in order to get depth.

 

[jtreed2000]

The ball will kick more the harder it's hit and the heavier the spin. If you're not hitting off your back foot and your strokes are sound or you don't want to change them you might add some lead to the hoop of your racquet. It will also add some pop to your serve. It sounds like your racquet may have too little power. String looser, try lead, or work on using your body/legs more.

 

[highsierra]

I think you misunderstood/misused the word "kick". Based on your second msg, I think you want the ball to go longer and lands depper, don't you? That's not what kick means. Kick means the ball jumps up and forward more than a normal bounce when the ball has a fast top spin.

Seems you're very compliment of your "massive top spin". When the ball lands short, a massive top spin is a perfect sitting duck. So divert more your energy from brushing up to driving the ball forward. There's only a certain amount of energy you can impart on the ball so you should strike a good balance between spin and drive. If you don't have Nadal's left arm, don't imitate his shots, as I know many young guys today do. Roddick's server, Nadal's spin, Fed's BH are what the kids and beginners mimic these days and they forget the basics.

 

[Freedom]

No such thing as too much topspin. Just need to hit it deeper.

 

[jackson vile]

There are a few different styles.

Blake ie hits a relatively flat ball that stays lower and is fast, to get this ball your opponet will have to keep a lower stance and hitting motion, not effective against someone that is accustomed to stop spinning but effect against 2hbh and if the opponet is out of position as this ball moves so fast and will fall too fast.

Nadal ie hits a ball that jumps right up and sits up, this is only effective if it reaches around shoulder height of opponet and is ver effective on the back hand side especially on 1 hbh and some times fore hand side and will tire the opponet out that is if you don't get tired first

(can't think of player) ie this ball is relatively slow but then when it hits the ground it jumps forward messing up timing of opponet as it speeds up, effective on all shots as long as it is used stratigicly and not constantly as the opponet will quickly adapt and kill.

Roger and ect ie this Player hits with high amount of spin for control but also flatens out the shot, so it is fast penetrating, but there is less errors than a Blakes style. Balls tend to carry more forward inertia and at times can become so heavy ie ball may speed up further or not slow down upon hitting the ground, this can also be acomplished with very very fast hard it flater shots but have a higher error rate. If you are out of position you can not return it, and at times if you are not perfect you will not make a choice return and it will end up being a defensive return that is scored on right away.





I can't say Nadal's or Roger's spin choice is better rather it will end up being the one that you have the most success with, I use a combo of both but am trying to flaten shots out more for when I am trying to score or force an error and more jump when I am working on the point or I am out of position.

My wife's brother was in a clay court country for 2 years and he plays Nadal's style, ball sits up high.

Most people would think you could just put it away and win no problem, but the ball has a vertical momentum that hits diferently than a ball that drops and bounces that high.

Only way to beat him is to get him out of position so he hits a defensive shot that you can either drop, hard angle, or some times flat shot.

If the ball bounces up like that with his choice shot even though it is not moving fast you can not kill the ball and it is hard to handle as the ball want to keep rising/has too much vertical inertia for that.

Any questions

 

[psutennis]

I am 16 yrs old and play high school tennis, I have only been playing since I was 14. Sometimes I can get the ball deep, but it still never kicks (jumps forward)

 

[jackson vile]

I am 16 yrs old and play high school tennis, I have only been playing since I was 14. Sometimes I can get the ball deep, but it still never kicks (jumps forward)

You are not hitting right, you bring the racket up, let it drop pulling the butt of the racket forward at the ball, feel the racket head swing round in a whiping motion, and spin it at the end. You hand should be loose all the way through contact as if you are not even trying to give it any juice.

Most people hit wrong and push the ball and don't even know it, all of your power should have came from the drop of the racket, if you have a tired wrist elbow ect then you are hitting wrong and are trying to make up for poor form at contact/right before contract with the ball.

You need a really relaxed stroke, arm, ect and you need to set up earlier.

Look at some pros hitting, this will take time

 

[Slazenger]

I use a SW forehand, and I have a very loopy swing. I can generate massive amounts of topspin that allow the ball to drop quickly. However, my topspin usually bounces close to the service line, but doesn't kick back at all. Even when I hit the ball deep, it rarely kicks back. How can I generate topspin that actually kicks back and stays deep?

Going on what you say and without having seen your forehand, the only assumption I can make is that you aren't imparting enough spin on the ball.

A ball that is struck with a heavy low to high motion (easiest to do with a western grip) loses the least speed after the bounce than any other type of spin (or flat) ball. This ball will also 'kick' or jump up after the bounce due to the steep angle of the ball with the ground before the bounce.

So if you were to receive a flat shot and a heavy topspin shot at the same speed, the heavy topspin would have more speed after the bounce than the flat ball.

This is the effectiveness of heavy topspin IMO. Not only does the ball clear the net and then drop in, but it kicks forwards and upwards faster than any other type of spin.

I don't hit with quite that much spin, but I've played against people who do and when they rip that topspin, it is very explosive off the ground and if you aren't in position to take it on the rise, can put you in trouble quickly.

The downside is to hit like this consistently takes A LOT of energy.