Pro Net Clearance?

[always_crosscourt]

The ball looks very fast on TV, and it looks like the ball is crossing the net very low.

What you don't realise is that the pro's hit so much spin and pace that the ball is crossing the net some 20ft over the net, and the spin is pulling the shot down so aggressively that the shot can go at 200mph and still get dragged down well inside the baseline.

[Old Chemist]

Originally Posted by Mahboob Khan

Well, "the clearance over the net" is dictated by the hitting situations whether the player is away from the baseline or inside it, whether the player is in a defensive rally situation or offensive rally situation or whether the player is attempting a winner.

It will be absurd on my part to give you the actual measurement (because we can't contol it to exact inches) but it works like this:

Defensive rally situation: More net clearance
Offensive rally situation: Less net clearance
Winners: Less net clearance
Away from the Baseline: More net clearance
Inside the Baseline: Less net clearance
First flat serve: Less net clearance
2nd kick serve: More net clearance
Cross Court: Less net clearance
Down the Line: More net clearance
Slice approach shots: Less net clearance
Volleys: Less net clearance

I hope the above works.

+1

see this video for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6p5Z...eature=related

[Relinquis]

not all topspin groundstrokes are high clearance loopy shots. For a lot of pros they use heavy topspin and low/moderate net clearance to have the ball kick forward, or create an angle across court. or to ensure that the ball doesn't bounce out behind the baseline when hit with pace.

topspin =/= high clearance in all cases.

[SystemicAnomaly]

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

... What you don't realise is that the pro's hit so much spin and pace that the ball is crossing the net some 20ft over the net, and the spin is pulling the shot down so aggressively that the shot can go at 200mph and still get dragged down well inside the baseline.

Prone to hyperbole much? I don't believe that we are discussing lobs in this thread. OTOH, Nadal can hit a rally ball more than 6 feet over the net with enough topspin to easily keep it in the court.

[2ndServe]

well I'll be at indian wells this week and this is top level guys, not challenger or future levels. When I went last time the top guys usually were about ~2 feet over the night when they weren't in trouble or trying to get back into the point.

[SuzukiSS]

Some good posts but still no exact data? I still say pros today hit the ball much lower and I think shorter in the court with much more spin and pace! Watched Wilander play Mc in a senior event and he really did hit the ball high and very deep. Agassi hit with more net clearance when he was younger also.

[rkelley]

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

The ball looks very fast on TV, and it looks like the ball is crossing the net very low.

What you don't realise is that the pro's hit so much spin and pace that the ball is crossing the net some 20ft over the net, and the spin is pulling the shot down so aggressively that the shot can go at 200mph and still get dragged down well inside the baseline.

Tennis on Jupiter is brutal . . .

[dominikk1985]

even nadal is not averaging 6 feet of net clearance. he is sometimes doing that but I have seen a stat about his net clearance in a djoker match being a little above 90cm (3 feet) on average.

he probably flattened it out a little because novak handles spin quite well but even against fed I don't think he averages more than 4 feet.

[TennisCJC]

In 2011, I watch Djoko beat Nadal on clay and both averaged around 30" clearance for the match. That's 2.5 feet of clearance on average including balls where they go for winners. Basic rally balls are likely higher with attempted winners or approach shots lower.