Hitting flat Vs spin

[loverf]

I am a 4.0 player and have been playing for a while about 10 years! always been a flat hitter, was quite haappy with it...but one thing with flat and hard shots, if the other player just blocks and places in the right place, you are in trouble! So, thinking of changing my game to put in some extra spin! Just wondering how difficult its going to be mixing flat and spin! How do you hit ? Please answer the survey.

[LeeD]

A 4.0 should be able to hit heavy topspin looper rally balls whenever he wants, and be able to flatten it out some for a faster moving forcing ball when needed.
Just like a serve, he should be able to hit either a flat fast serve that bounces around thigh high at the backboard and also spin a serve IN 98% of the time with a high bounce for his second serve.
And on the backhand side, a 4.0 also needs a sliced defensive/neutralizer stroke in addition to his topspin passing shot stroke.
The only shot you hit ONE way is a volley. That way is always with a little backspin for height and depth control.
Even you overheads need a flat fast one AND a sidespin slower safer one.

[Relinquis]

the ability to hit both with spin and flat is very useful in so many situations:

- mixing up spins/flat during long rallies in order to force errors by mixing heights of the ball low, waist high & at the shoulders (slice, flat and topspin)

- using spins to hit high % conservative shots during rallies, i.e. can hit a meter or so (depending on spin and court surface) away from the baseline but stay neutral in the rally. allows you to recover and start a new sequence of shots.

- hitting passing shots that dip rapidly below the net.

- drop shots can cause more trouble for your opponent when they have a bit of side-spin.

[TheCheese]

Always with spin. But I vary the trajectory. You can hit a flat trajectory with spin, or a loopy spin ball.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by LeeD

The only shot you hit ONE way is a volley. That way is always with a little backspin for height and depth control.

Or like me who wants to hit 'em one way, but end up mis-hitting in all kinds of unpredictable ways, and sometimes for winners... the dying quails of tennis. Lol

[TheCheese]

Originally Posted by slowfox

Or like me who wants to hit 'em one way, but end up mis-hitting in all kinds of unpredictable ways, and sometimes for winners... the dying quails of tennis. Lol

I thought you were supposed to hit topspin volleys...

[firepanda]

I'm a baseline slugger, but I do whack the ball flat and hard if high enough, just to mix things up.

[Jay_The_Nomad]

Topspin rally ball to move the ball around.

Flat one when the opportunity arises.

[mongting]

I need to work on flat. I only know how to hit spin.

[Coach Chad]

I would say about 75% of the time I hit with spin and 25% flat. It is good to mix up the pace.

[Head Pegger]

Give me a sec while I calculate my percentages

[Mick3391]

Originally Posted by loverf

I am a 4.0 player and have been playing for a while about 10 years! always been a flat hitter, was quite haappy with it...but one thing with flat and hard shots, if the other player just blocks and places in the right place, you are in trouble! So, thinking of changing my game to put in some extra spin! Just wondering how difficult its going to be mixing flat and spin! How do you hit ? Please answer the survey.

Wrong question, too mechanical. You hit to what presents itself, and every rally is different.

[TennisCJC]

I hit mostly topspin. The spin rate varies a lot. If hitting harder and lower, usually a less spin. If hitting higher over the net rally ball, more spin. But, almost all my FHs have at least a moderate bit of topspin and a majority of my 2 HBHs.

Sometimes slice the backhand for returns, approaches and when stretched. Less frequently slice the FH for returns and when stretched.

My advice is a 4.0 should use topspin for consistency and control. You don't have to use excessive spin. But, I feel much more confident hitting harder if I put topspin on the ball because it helps keep it in the court. It allows you to play aggressively with a safety margin.

[ATP100]

Originally Posted by loverf

I am a 4.0 player and have been playing for a while about 10 years! always been a flat hitter, was quite haappy with it...but one thing with flat and hard shots, if the other player just blocks and places in the right place, you are in trouble! So, thinking of changing my game to put in some extra spin! Just wondering how difficult its going to be mixing flat and spin! How do you hit ? Please answer the survey.

Might be foot work problem...

[Mahboob Khan]

If you can hit with more topspin you should also be able to hit with less topspin (flat). It's the question of the racket head going up more at contact, or going through contact.

[pkshooter]

I know I always have some kinda top on my ball, but my focus has always been on hitting through the ball. Top spin is just a side effect of my fom.

[Relinquis]

the majority of you guys seem to hit spin most of the time (according the poll)... do you play on hard courts?!

it seems your game woudl be more suited to clay...

[xsmasher]

actually I don't know how to hit flat

[mightyrick]

Ever since I started playing tennis, I have hit very flat and hard with little spin. Flat swing plane. Follow through across the body. Almost zero low-to-high. However, I reached a peak and am unable to beat several 4.0 players. Even though I am highly accurate and hit very hard, 4.0 opponents don't have an issue dealing with my pace.

For that reason, in the last month, I have been reworking my forehand to a topspin forehand. I have changed my grip from an Eastern grip to a Modified/Extreme Eastern. I am learning how to "break" my wrist and make it passive. I am trying to swing very fast and loose with a lot of low-to-high on every shot.

I find myself framing a lot of balls. I have lost matches to several 3.5s who I would have crushed with my flat forehand. But when I hit a heavy topspin shot correctly, none of my opponents have been able to handle it. So I'm sticking with it.

I'm hoping after after a few months of practice and matches, my forehand is effective enough to be able to compete with 4.0s again.

[Mahboob Khan]

Originally Posted by xsmasher

actually I don't know how to hit flat

By flat we mean less spin.

How to hit flat?

Just imagine that you are hitting 4 balls in a row. This will force you to hit through on a straight path and then take off.