Off-centre hits

[defrule]

Do pros ever purposely hit off-centre to get a different shot?

I've had some ridiculous drop volleys that happen with accidental mishits and the ball's pace is just killed.

If not, could one train himself to make use of off-centre hits?

[LeeD]

Drop volleys for sure.
Drop shots from the baseline, not as much, as you need the length of drive to clear the net.
Few hit short to test netplay.

[julian]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Drop volleys for sure.
Drop shots from the baseline, not as much, as you need the length of drive to clear the net.
Few hit short to test netplay.

What happened with a Harvard team serving with a contact in the most upper
part of the frame?

[UCSF2012]

If I could, I'd hit every tennis ball off the top of the frame. Makes a tennis ball bounce like a football, the oval kind. Not futbol.

[boramiNYC]

I wouldn't intentionally hit anything off center. try to hit center for everything. slight off center can happen but that's why the string bed is that big.

[LeeD]

While some servers have been known to hit the upper sweetspot on wide serves, I think generally, if we can hit center, we'd get the best return for our money.
A hitting zone 3" higher than normal seems very small for something that is deliberately practiced.
I know for sure, at my 9' strikepoint, an increase of 3" would mean almost nothing, as I need precision, not height, to get the first flat serves IN.