Bent or straight arm forehand for hitting high balls?

[thomasferrett]

I'm one of those people who has more difficulty with high balls to my forehand vs my backhand (I'm a one-hander).

I use an extreme semi-western forehand grip and a semi-western backhand grip.

I think I use relatively straight arm forehand technique, and it feels difficult to swipe at high balls (I'm talking a couple feet above head height here).

How do you hit these balls with authority with a straight arm forehand, and do you think it is easier to do it with a bent arm forehand?

 

[Topspin Shot]

Three options, all of which I think you should try:

1. Take it on the rise.
2. Let it drop.
3. Stop making these threads.

 

[WildVolley]

There is no one right way to hit high balls.

I can hit them either with a straight arm or a bent arm. Controlling the racket face is crucial. When the ball is above the shoulder it is difficult to get a lot of topspin on it. I'm still able to get some topspin by hitting over the top of the ball with a slightly closed face. Because the ball is so high, it is possible to hit a flatter trajectory and still get plenty of net clearance.

 

[thomasferrett]

Three options, all of which I think you should try:

1. Take it on the rise.
2. Let it drop.
3. Stop making these threads.

Topspin Shot. Just get out of my threads. Please.

 

[President]

Definitely easier with a bent arm forehand I think, the straight arm makes it hard to really bring the ball down IMO (just from what I have observed, I don't hit with a straight arm). Nadal and Federer are both not especially great on high forehands for example, compared to someone like Djokovic or Nishikori, despite the former two having the best forehands ever.

 

[Power Player]

You can hit a helicopter spinning backhand with massive kick that goes over 6 feet off the bounce if you choose wisely.

 

[thomasferrett]

You can hit a helicopter spinning backhand with massive kick that goes over 6 feet off the bounce if you choose wisely.

This thread is about forehands. Or were you just trolling?

 

[Power Player]

The secret to a hissing forehand that shoots off the court and bounces over the opponents head is full body rotation, so you face the back fence on the follow through.

 

[Topspin Shot]

Topspin Shot. Just get out of my threads. Please.

You shouldn't even be on Talk Tennis.

 

[thomasferrett]

You shouldn't even be on Talk Tennis.

Why? Because I'm asking for technical advice on the tips and technique sub-forum?

You enter all my threads just to tell me to stop making threads. Just do us all a favor and don't enter them in the first place because you'll never contribute positively.

 

[Captain Ron]

A couple feet over your head? Sounds like an overhead to me; go conti and hit an overhead.

 

[thomasferrett]

Definitely easier with a bent arm forehand I think, the straight arm makes it hard to really bring the ball down IMO (just from what I have observed, I don't hit with a straight arm). Nadal and Federer are both not especially great on high forehands for example, compared to someone like Djokovic or Nishikori, despite the former two having the best forehands ever.

President, I have seen Nadal struggle a little with high forehands as well. Kind of. Either he leaps into it and smacks it almost downwards for a winner with inconceivable pace (greater than the pace that could be achieved with a bent arm forehand, I think), or he tries to do his usual buggy whip. I think the first approach is generally quite risky and requires great athleticism and perfect timing, and the second approach tends to result in a shorter, weaker ball than usual if he has to make contact high up, and you can see (and feel it if you play a straight arm forehand yourself), that it is awkward to swing upwards on an already high ball with a straight arm technique.

 

[thomasferrett]

A couple feet over your head? Sounds like an overhead to me; go conti and hit an overhead.

Couple feet over your head is that awkward territory where it's just about too low for an overhead, so you have to hit a very high contact point groundstroke - unless you want to back waaaaay up and give up lots of court positioning.

 

[Power Player]

You definitely can back far up to hit a high ball to the backhand, or even during return of serve.

In fact one user had an avatar that showed how far back Nadal stood on his return.

 

[Topspin Shot]

Why? Because I'm asking for technical advice on the tips and technique sub-forum?

You enter all my threads just to tell me to stop making threads. Just do us all a favor and don't enter them in the first place because you'll never contribute positively.

Stop pretending you're a new poster who wants to join in. Your act gets really old really quickly.