Come on fellas! HIGH balls!!! once and for all§!

[Mattle]

Hey guys
We have had this subject many times and we haven't come to a conclusion, or I haven't. Because, Everytime someone ask: What are you going to do on high balls? they answer: "I use a western, me eastern, and i make spin".

To make a standard groundstroke you get below the ball and create a motion for your stroke, because you're standing in a certain "scenario". you know, low flat ball, top spin ball or what ever. Generally you get under the ball and make your motion?

What i'm asking: What could be the basics for a high ball both at the net and baseline? A solution would be hit a flat bomb, well nice, aint that consistent. SO: HOW can i make a stroke both at the net zone and baseline, a consistent stroke which has some pace and spin. I've heard people saying Western, but i got troubles with the motion and how to swing. Any suggestions?

 

[Marius_Hancu]

at net, easy:
western
swing more at the level of the ball
hit flat

 

[SageOfDeath]

If you get a high ball at the net and you can't put it away consistantly with a flat there must be something wrong with your motion. At the baseline you can take it early on so you won't even have to deal with a high ball.

And trust me there has been many conclusions perhaps you missed them? If you can control the ammount of spin you put on the ball then just experiment on how flat and how spinny you want the shot. My racquet doesn't drop as low on high balls if that helps any.

 

[Mattle]

easy:
western
swing more at the level of the ball
hit flat

Yup, i've missed something.. I think I made topspin ON the top of the ball,

 

[Mattle]

If you get a high ball at the net and you can't put it away consistantly with a flat there must be something wrong with your motion. At the baseline you can take it early on so you won't even have to deal with a high ball.

And trust me there has been many conclusions perhaps you missed them? If you can control the ammount of spin you put on the ball then just experiment on how flat and how spinny you want the shot. My racquet doesn't drop as low on high balls if that helps any.

Hehe savage.. you're right.. i'm not that patient, sorry about that.. I can see where you're going

 

[LostMyMojo]

Well, actually...flat balls aren't that inconsistent.

And anyway, on high balls, you're driving slightly downward or just through the ball. Normally, you're hitting up and through for topspin.

So the trajectory isn't a problem, and hitting flat on high balls isn't a problem at all.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Well, actually...flat balls aren't that inconsistent.

And anyway, on high balls, you're driving slightly downward or just through the ball. Normally, you're hitting up and through for topspin.

So the trajectory isn't a problem, and hitting flat on high balls isn't a problem at all.

Wow, LostMyMojo, two great posts! Nuf said!

 

[Slazenger]

Handling high balls at the net and high balls at the baseline are different so you're not going to get a standard stroke for both situations. And in each situation You have a number options open to you.

For a high ball at the net, you have the ability to hit downwards at a great degree on the ball.

In my case:

- A punch volley is my first choice for this situation and is what I will normally hit. I hit downwards hard and aggressively so that the ball bounces very high and fast. I want this to be a put away shot. I aim for the ball to bounce in my opponents service box.
- I might hit a simple volley. High ball at net isn't always a straight put-away situation. Especially if I'm making lots of errors.
- Sometimes I will swing with with my eastern forehand groundstroke (if I'm on a roll that day or if I'm trying to impress someone watching)

For a high ball at the baseline:
Sometimes it's easier to just moonball it back, depending on how high the ball is.
Don't feel bad about adding topspin to an already high ball. You are getting the ball back in play safely. Just remember to moonball to the BH side
- I usually will hit through and downward but at a much smaller degree than I would at the net.
Not all high balls are candidates for hitting flat bombs. With time you figure out which balls you are comfortable smacking down and which you place well to set up next couple of shots.
- Sometimes I will slice the ball back. Yes on the forehand side.

Best thing is to have someone feed you high bouncing balls. Drill high kicking topspin balls as well.

 

[panatta]

Hey guys
We have had this subject many times and we haven't come to a conclusion, or I haven't. Because, Everytime someone ask: What are you going to do on high balls? they answer: "I use a western, me eastern, and i make spin".

To make a standard groundstroke you get below the ball and create a motion for your stroke, because you're standing in a certain "scenario". you know, low flat ball, top spin ball or what ever. Generally you get under the ball and make your motion?

What i'm asking: What could be the basics for a high ball both at the net and baseline? A solution would be hit a flat bomb, well nice, aint that consistent. SO: HOW can i make a stroke both at the net zone and baseline, a consistent stroke which has some pace and spin. I've heard people saying Western, but i got troubles with the motion and how to swing. Any suggestions?

I posted a similar question a few days ago:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=79785

Maybe the suggestions I had can help

 

[Mattle]

Well, actually...flat balls aren't that inconsistent.

And anyway, on high balls, you're driving slightly downward or just through the ball. Normally, you're hitting up and through for topspin.

So the trajectory isn't a problem, and hitting flat on high balls isn't a problem at all.

I think my problem was, whenever i got a high ball i thought: YEa, smack it. Of course it would be not consistent..

 

[Fatmike]

For a high ball at the baseline:
Sometimes it's easier to just moonball it back, depending on how high the ball is.

I play against someone who is waiting for moon balls then smash them very hard so I can't do anything. So I let the high ball fall down near waist level before hitting it.

 

[JC]

Hey guys
We have had this subject many times and we haven't come to a conclusion, or I haven't. Because, Everytime someone ask: What are you going to do on high balls? they answer: "I use a western, me eastern, and i make spin".

To make a standard groundstroke you get below the ball and create a motion for your stroke, because you're standing in a certain "scenario". you know, low flat ball, top spin ball or what ever. Generally you get under the ball and make your motion?

What i'm asking: What could be the basics for a high ball both at the net and baseline? A solution would be hit a flat bomb, well nice, aint that consistent. SO: HOW can i make a stroke both at the net zone and baseline, a consistent stroke which has some pace and spin. I've heard people saying Western, but i got troubles with the motion and how to swing. Any suggestions?

Mattle,

I have played tennis a long time and now I am a parent with kids learning tennis. Here is what I do on high balls, it may be a bit different then what you like. First, if I sense a ball is going to by high in the strike zone and it is before the bounce, I will try to move into position so I can hit the ball at around shoulder level. Anything higher then that and my chance for error increases. I use one grip for all balls and on occasion will switch to a more Western grip if the ball is slow and I am trying to do something different and sometimes stupid with the ball. But consider me as a 1 grip player mainly. My preferred grip is SW. So, I will try to position myself to take as many high balls at shoulder level. For depth in the court, if I am at the baseline or thereof, I will hit flatter and longer through the ball. Or at least try to. On some occasions I will hit a little up on the ball with a square racquet face. Sometimes I use a motion very similar to that of "waving your hand to the crowd" a tennis magazine article covered this. It is in a way windshield wiperish (if there is such a term), however, its concentration is mainly to go through the ball. For balls inside the court (like a short ball) I will hit more down on the ball (or aiming more down into the court. Here I will use a more traditional windshield wiping stroke and brush the ball using a shorter backswing.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Mattle,

I have played tennis a long time and now I am a parent with kids learning tennis. Here is what I do on high balls, it may be a bit different then what you like. First, if I sense a ball is going to by high in the strike zone and it is before the bounce, I will try to move into position so I can hit the ball at around shoulder level. Anything higher then that and my chance for error increases. I use one grip for all balls and on occasion will switch to a more Western grip if the ball is slow and I am trying to do something different and sometimes stupid with the ball. But consider me as a 1 grip player mainly. My preferred grip is SW. So, I will try to position myself to take as many high balls at shoulder level. For depth in the court, if I am at the baseline or thereof, I will hit flatter and longer through the ball. Or at least try to. On some occasions I will hit a little up on the ball with a square racquet face. Sometimes I use a motion very similar to that of "waving your hand to the crowd" a tennis magazine article covered this. It is in a way windshield wiperish (if there is such a term), however, its concentration is mainly to go through the ball. For balls inside the court (like a short ball) I will hit more down on the ball (or aiming more down into the court. Here I will use a more traditional windshield wiping stroke and brush the ball using a shorter backswing.

Excellent perspective JC.

 

[joe sch]

What i'm asking: What could be the basics for a high ball both at the net and baseline? A solution would be hit a flat bomb, well nice, aint that consistent.

High balls at the net should be easy putaways, either angle them for winners or smash them.
Sound like big topspin is getting your strokes and contact point out of your comfort zone. You will need to improve your ability, timing, to hit balls on the rise so that you can still hit them in your comfort zone. Once you learn to time these topspinning balls, you will find that you will get more power from the bounce in your returns. The last resort is to hit the balls the way you are currently comfortable with, so you will need to move back farther and get them on the fall. This is not recommended.