between the legs shot after chasing lob
- Thread starter jbleiman
- Start date
Actually - its not that hard of a shot with a little practice. The hardest part, ironically, is waiting for the ball, after you run it down, to drop low enough so you can hit the between and through your leg. The question is how much practice is the shot worth. I can think of about 5 times in 10 years that I would use a shot like this.
mikro112
Semi-Pro
It works. I usually hit that shot in practice every single time I have to chase a lob. Frequently, I also use it in real matches, if I don't have enough time to get to the lob properly. I'm not able to hit it real hard, like Federer against Djokovic, but my success rate for winning the points is 50/50. Also, a few weeks ago, I managed to hit the tweener as lob-winner. 
It's a fun shot, but it takes years to get the correct timing going.
It's a fun shot, but it takes years to get the correct timing going.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
First started using it when I was about 40. It didn't take me all that long at all to master it since I was doing the same type of shot in badminton in my 30s. However, the tennis version is somewhat more challenging than the badminton version (since the shuttle is not allowed to bounce for the latter).
For the tennis 'tweener, you turn around and chase it down so that the ball bounces right in front of you. You then accelerate a bit so that you are directly above the ball just as it is about to bounce a 2nd time. It is easiest to hit the ball when it is just a few inches (4"-6" or so) above the ground. Now at 58, I can still execute the shot but I'm having a more difficult time chasing down well-placed topspin lobs.
For the tennis 'tweener, you turn around and chase it down so that the ball bounces right in front of you. You then accelerate a bit so that you are directly above the ball just as it is about to bounce a 2nd time. It is easiest to hit the ball when it is just a few inches (4"-6" or so) above the ground. Now at 58, I can still execute the shot but I'm having a more difficult time chasing down well-placed topspin lobs.
xcourt4hand
New User
depends how fuzzy the balls are...
darthpwner
Banned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfPDIok62jg&feature=related Me at around 5:52. The tweener is a very easy trick shot to do. I can do it consistently during matches. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhYJFwblZPw#movie_player This shot is much harder to execute for me.
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
WTF, you don't wear a cup when playing tennis? JK, my follow-thru does not even come close to the family jewels (altho' I've seen a few pros with a more extreme, 'nad-endangering follow-thru). I've hit my shin once or twice, but that's about it.
Agreed. I've pulled it off a couple of times, but my success rate is very low. My % on the tweener, on the other hand, is very good (when I can get to it) - I win the point much more often than lose it when resorting to the 'tweener. There was once incident tho' when playing doubs. I called for & ran down a lob that went over my partner's head. My intent was to drop the ball back over the net in front of where my partner was. My 'tweener hit my partner square in the back 'cuz he failed to switch sides when I ran down the lob over his head.
:twisted::???:.
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adam13
Banned
Ether coz your racket head is too big or you have short legs
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Two ways to hit it.
1) two a quick, wide split step as you hit it.
2) hit it will in stride. This may require some
pronation.
I don't practice this shot anymore, so my success rate
is low. Plus I try to hit it too hard and it usually goes long.
I've only attempted it a few times in a tournament.
Once was when the guy was at the net and I attempted a
passing shot.
1) two a quick, wide split step as you hit it.
2) hit it will in stride. This may require some
pronation.
I don't practice this shot anymore, so my success rate
is low. Plus I try to hit it too hard and it usually goes long.
I've only attempted it a few times in a tournament.
Once was when the guy was at the net and I attempted a
passing shot.
JoelDali
Talk Tennis Guru
A little Chinese guy did a perfect Fed USO09 tween against me last Summer in league. Same exact passing trajectory as Fed's.
I was his only witness.
He raised his arms in glory and screamed. I stood at the net in shock.
It was pretty damn amazing. It goes to show that anyone can do magical things like Fed does but never get international recognition and glory ...
I attempt them all the time, but I only make about 20% of them back over the net. I pratice them on the backboard all the time. We always did in the junior days.
The hardest part is the split second pause and timing the bounce at the perfect height.
Very fun shot.
I was his only witness.
He raised his arms in glory and screamed. I stood at the net in shock.
It was pretty damn amazing. It goes to show that anyone can do magical things like Fed does but never get international recognition and glory ...
I attempt them all the time, but I only make about 20% of them back over the net. I pratice them on the backboard all the time. We always did in the junior days.
The hardest part is the split second pause and timing the bounce at the perfect height.
Very fun shot.
Tennisman912
Semi-Pro
It is obvious on these forums who knows what they are talking about to the others who have some idea about what is going on. For example, I know Nellie (and I don’t know him or her) can hit it because anyone who is competent with the shot knows it isn’t nearly as hard as many believe. I actually hit one every couple of weeks, sometimes weekly. As Nellie says, it really isn’t that hard of a shot IMHO.
Yes, the timing is crucial as is putting yourself in the proper position to hit it but beyond that, it isn’t too bad. It does require precise timing and it is much easier when running back full speed as opposed to having to slow down into the ball but any reasonably coordinated person can learn it without too much difficulty. The hardest scenario is a high shot that doesn’t penetrate the court and falls almost straight down as the timing is very precise. Of course in a real match (i.e. not screwing around) you wouldn’t be hitting this shot because you could get behind it or even hit an overhead maybe. It just looks hard. It is not dangerous unless you are uncoordinated and I have only ever nicked my leg once in 20 years of hitting this shot (after a long layoff).
The people who miss it and don’t understand why (and look bad doing it, which is easily fixed) who think the legs are in the way are just trying to hit the ball too far in front of them (toward the back fence) and running into leg problems. If you are hitting it in the right place, the legs are not in the way. Here is the short version of how to hit it. It is much easier to teach in person than just writing about it.
First, your contact point is actually right under your coccyx give or take a few inches (probably slightly closer to the net when you are running toward the fence). You can’t hit it in front of your legs or you won’t pull it off. Your contact point is 4-8 inches off the ground just before it hits the ground on the second bounce. Here is where your timing comes into play. Using a continental grip, you just snap your wrist through impact and extend between your legs. No need to contort or lift your legs at all. If you are doing this, you are trying to hit it too far forward (toward the back fence). The right contact point makes it much easier to hit consistently.
Here is a progression to teach yourself to hit it. Step 1: start facing the back fence (at about the service line) and drop a ball with your legs spread a bit and just hit it and extend between your legs. You are just finding the proper contact point and learning the timing of the shot. You aren’t moving so you can work on just hitting it in the right place. After you master this (i.e. can drop it and you can hit it over the net behind you essentially every time you are ready for step two. This is all you are doing except instead of stationary hitting you are hitting it and moving which is why the timing is so important. Step 2: begin facing the net and lob the ball over your head (just enough to carry your head). Turn around take a few steps as needed and hit it between your legs like you did in step one. This is the hardest step probably as now your timing and proper spacing on different balls over your head will take some time to get the hang of. After this gets easier for you, then start feeding yourself harder balls; some higher, some lower, some where you need to move quickly back to the ball and so on. When comfortable with this, move to step three. Step 3: have a buddy feed balls over your head when standing in a volley ready position a few feet from the net. This simulates a worst case scenario as you have to cover more ground than you usually do when in a more normal volley position.
Just practice this and in some time, it will become second nature. You can teach yourself this pretty quickly, especially if you have someone there to demonstrate and break it down what you are doing wrong. I only hit this shot when I have no other choice in a match because at the higher levels, you will rarely win the point on it (or am goofing around or to teach someone how to hit it). But it is surprisingly effective all the time at 4.0 and below (because most are so surprised to see it hit or have never seen it in person that they fluff the volley).
Best of luck and see you on the courts.
TM
Yes, the timing is crucial as is putting yourself in the proper position to hit it but beyond that, it isn’t too bad. It does require precise timing and it is much easier when running back full speed as opposed to having to slow down into the ball but any reasonably coordinated person can learn it without too much difficulty. The hardest scenario is a high shot that doesn’t penetrate the court and falls almost straight down as the timing is very precise. Of course in a real match (i.e. not screwing around) you wouldn’t be hitting this shot because you could get behind it or even hit an overhead maybe. It just looks hard. It is not dangerous unless you are uncoordinated and I have only ever nicked my leg once in 20 years of hitting this shot (after a long layoff).
The people who miss it and don’t understand why (and look bad doing it, which is easily fixed) who think the legs are in the way are just trying to hit the ball too far in front of them (toward the back fence) and running into leg problems. If you are hitting it in the right place, the legs are not in the way. Here is the short version of how to hit it. It is much easier to teach in person than just writing about it.
First, your contact point is actually right under your coccyx give or take a few inches (probably slightly closer to the net when you are running toward the fence). You can’t hit it in front of your legs or you won’t pull it off. Your contact point is 4-8 inches off the ground just before it hits the ground on the second bounce. Here is where your timing comes into play. Using a continental grip, you just snap your wrist through impact and extend between your legs. No need to contort or lift your legs at all. If you are doing this, you are trying to hit it too far forward (toward the back fence). The right contact point makes it much easier to hit consistently.
Here is a progression to teach yourself to hit it. Step 1: start facing the back fence (at about the service line) and drop a ball with your legs spread a bit and just hit it and extend between your legs. You are just finding the proper contact point and learning the timing of the shot. You aren’t moving so you can work on just hitting it in the right place. After you master this (i.e. can drop it and you can hit it over the net behind you essentially every time you are ready for step two. This is all you are doing except instead of stationary hitting you are hitting it and moving which is why the timing is so important. Step 2: begin facing the net and lob the ball over your head (just enough to carry your head). Turn around take a few steps as needed and hit it between your legs like you did in step one. This is the hardest step probably as now your timing and proper spacing on different balls over your head will take some time to get the hang of. After this gets easier for you, then start feeding yourself harder balls; some higher, some lower, some where you need to move quickly back to the ball and so on. When comfortable with this, move to step three. Step 3: have a buddy feed balls over your head when standing in a volley ready position a few feet from the net. This simulates a worst case scenario as you have to cover more ground than you usually do when in a more normal volley position.
Just practice this and in some time, it will become second nature. You can teach yourself this pretty quickly, especially if you have someone there to demonstrate and break it down what you are doing wrong. I only hit this shot when I have no other choice in a match because at the higher levels, you will rarely win the point on it (or am goofing around or to teach someone how to hit it). But it is surprisingly effective all the time at 4.0 and below (because most are so surprised to see it hit or have never seen it in person that they fluff the volley).
Best of luck and see you on the courts.
TM
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Patience, young padawan. Or is this something of a moral dilemma?
Kick Serve 14
Professional
Coming from a 2.0 player, this opinion is rather invalid...
63, with a sprained ankle and swelling medial collateral....
Did this last week, but I only give chase to backspin lobs, not topspin lobs.
EBackhand grip for me, short followthru, holding back the hand.
Would have been nice, but net person covered his alley, and drop shotted my pass attempt, making me look foolish being turned the wrong way and all....
Did this last week, but I only give chase to backspin lobs, not topspin lobs.
EBackhand grip for me, short followthru, holding back the hand.
Would have been nice, but net person covered his alley, and drop shotted my pass attempt, making me look foolish being turned the wrong way and all....
