favorite trick shots used in a match?

PINENUT

PINENUT

New User
1. the reverse lob [singles]...when i go back to retrieve a deep lob. and i reverse my forehand grip and hit a lob while running toward the back fence. when most people hit a deep lob, they rush the net for the easy put away...unless you can effectively lob them back.

2. overhead lob [doubles]...from the baseline, i setup for an overhead while both opponents were at the net. instead of teeing off, i hit up and pronate an overhead lob over the opponents to win the point.
 
Pinenut: That's a lot of lob :shock:

Personally I don't think I'm accomplished enough to hit an overhead lob, heck even the first lob you mentioned.

However, I have gotten the habit of hitting a slice forehand when pulled wide on the right side, a la Clijsters. It keeps the ball low and deep enough to keep my opponent back--nifty

clijsters.jpg

031709clijsters.jpg
 
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If I'm running to cover my forehand and somebody hits behind me, I'll try and hit a lefty forehand chop or lob to recover. It catches new players by surprise.
 
Is a drop shot a trick shot? If I've place a couple of approach shots into the corner, deep, and now my opponent is deep in the court anticipating another one, I go for the drop shot. If it works, I look pretty tricky.
 
If someone gives me a short one to put away, I sometimes drop shot it instead of using an approach shot. I love how they try to run for it.
 
reverse-slice serve. gives a nice twist to things :)

something I wanna learn: slice lob return. Instead of hitting it as a lob by hitting up with racket while running backwards, slice-lob it back at opponent. Would be really cool to learn :)
 
I try not to hit a trick shot if necessary (they rarely are). My motto is to only hit it very hard if needed. I try to hit the easiest shot of my repertoire that will get the job done. This is a tough one because what I consider a trick shot someone else may not.

But if put into a corner, I hit a fair number of tweeners, a fair number of volley lobs, sharp angles off both sides with both top and underspin depending on the situation and a lot of angle volleys/drop volleys. Sometimes an inside out drop shot or a fake overhead drop shot or a lob return, usually sliced but not always. I don't know how many of those I consider trick shots though.

good tennis

TM
 
Looking like I'm going to hit a really hard forehand down the line, but at the last second hitting a soft drop shot.

Works every time (that I get it in).
 
drop shots like those are pretty common, I do not see how they are trick shots :neutral:

drop shots have to be the easiest shots in the game imo
 
I now love using this twister slice fh on low balls. It's got a shockingly mean left hook when it lands (when I time it right) and usually messes up the fatties who have slow footwork. (I'm a fatty too, so I'm allowed to say that word as many times as I want on the internets.) It became my favorite stroke when I figured I could get a few cheap points when I'm having good shot selection.
 
After hitting big flat serves and big kickers, if my opponent is far back I sometimes go for the short changeup slice. Moves slow, lands shallow in the box, skids low.

Also, sometimes when I'm on the baseline and get a ball that kicks up high to my forehand, I can chip it at head height for a dropper.
 
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yellowoctopus said:
Pinenut: That's a lot of lob :shock:

Personally I don't think I'm accomplished enough to hit an overhead lob, heck even the first lob you mentioned.

However, I have gotten the habit of hitting a slice forehand when pulled wide on the right side, a la Clijsters. It keeps the ball low and deep enough to keep my opponent back--nifty

clijsters.jpg
Click to expand...

The squash shot is one, if not THE best defensive shot in modern tennis when playing singles.
 
Majority of pros use the sliced forehand on wide gets.
Both Isner and Querry during the SAP.
Fed, Nadal, DJ, Murray, Verdasco, Roddick, Sharapova, Krilenko, just about ALL the pros, mens and womens.
 
I thought a slice lob is the most basic lob at beginner levels. Slice for depth and height control.
 
The tweener is easily my favorite, but the fh squash shot is the one I use the most. The no look fh lob when running down a lob is another one that I use more often then the tweener. Nothing beats the feeling of hitting that tweener though.
 
LeeD said:
I thought a slice lob is the most basic lob at beginner levels. Slice for depth and height control.
Click to expand...

while you are running backwards? lol I mean instead of returning with a topspin lob while running backwards, return with a slices ;)

but it is much easier for me than a topspin lob if i am facing my opponent.
 
My favorite is this one-hand backhand slice i like to use. I actually slice very hard going from left to right and it puts massive sidespin on it. It usually breaks from the outside service box to the sideline and then bounces sideways and most people can't judge where it's going to land or the bounce it's gonna take so it's good if I need a cheap point to close out a game or a set or if I wanna draw them out wide then go down the line.
 
I'll hit a tweener if it's necessary or if I get the perfect ball. I've done the Federer reverse overhead, which is fun to do. The only other one I've done is the Sampras dunk, but the ball rarely pops up to do it.
 
Manus....
Why don't you hit sliced lobs. They're easy to hit, easy to control height and depth, and take less energy than hitting topspin lobs, with much more control. They are not usually outright winners.
I topspin lob 50% off my forehand side, and exclusively hit hard sliced lobs off the backhand side. Change of pace and change of spin.
 
I only hit slice lobs. I am saying that while running backwards, it is harder to slice lob than hitting a topspin lob since you are pushing it back up with the topspin lob. You misunderstand me, Lee :)

@all you guys that think slices are trick shots, those aren't. They just aren't common shots that everyone uses all the time (most people use topspin), but they aren't trick shots by any means.

@T, what is a "Federer reverse overhead"?
 
Of course I misunderstand you, Manus, your second sentence makes no sense to anyone who plays tennis.....:)
First of all, why would anyone ever want to run backwards?
"since you are pushing it back up with a topspin lob".... ???????? if you already decided on topspin lob, it would be difficult to also hit a slice lob..........:(:( wouldn't hit?
And why would you want to push up a topspin lob? I hit my topspin lobs offensively, so it's never a push.
Are we having a language problem here?
 
Manus Domini said:
I only hit slice lobs. I am saying that while running backwards, it is harder to slice lob than hitting a topspin lob since you are pushing it back up with the topspin lob. You misunderstand me, Lee :)

@all you guys that think slices are trick shots, those aren't. They just aren't common shots that everyone uses all the time (most people use topspin), but they aren't trick shots by any means.

@T, what is a "Federer reverse overhead"?
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta63Bd86VyU USO 2008 v Djokovic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X4tERFsOWg AO 2009 v Korelev

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ_qlAKdd6Q Basel 2002 v Roddick
 
LeeD said:
Of course I misunderstand you, Manus, your second sentence makes no sense to anyone who plays tennis.....:)
First of all, why would anyone ever want to run backwards?
"since you are pushing it back up with a topspin lob".... ???????? if you already decided on topspin lob, it would be difficult to also hit a slice lob..........:(:( wouldn't hit?
And why would you want to push up a topspin lob? I hit my topspin lobs offensively, so it's never a push.
Are we having a language problem here?
Click to expand...

let me clarify:

you are at net, your opponent lobs it over you. You run backwards to catch up with lob. Instead of lobbing back with topspin, I wanna learn to lob back with slice spin, both of which I would still be running backwards to hit upwards since back is to net :)
 
Thank you!!!
When I'm moving towards my baseline from net position, I never run backwards. I run sideways, I run facing the baseline, but never backwards.
And given that I can reach the ball before the second bounce, but cannot hit it with an overhead, I mostly lob with underspin, or slice, to control height and depth. Almost never lob with topspin in this case, even on my forehand, because a topspin lob would get to my opponent faster, leaving me less time to recover than an underspin lob.
This is a defensive lob, so you want to create time for you to recover and get into defensive position. You need TIME.
 
Ive mastered the two handed lob behind my head, its the only shot I use two hands for and it keeps me in a lot of points when I get lobbed at the net.
 
Isn't that the 2hbh OVERHEAD ????? :shock:
I know I didn't pass English 1A and 1B, but I hope my grammar skills are understandable to some degree.
 
LeeD said:
Isn't that the 2hbh OVERHEAD ????? :shock:
I know I didn't pass English 1A and 1B, but I hope my grammar skills are understandable to some degree.
Click to expand...

This would be when the ball is behind you and your only play is to hit a very high lob back.
 
Manus Domini said:
while you are running backwards? lol I mean instead of returning with a topspin lob while running backwards, return with a slices ;)

but it is much easier for me than a topspin lob if i am facing my opponent.
Click to expand...

I've never tried a defensive slice lob from near the baseline... just flat/high and topspin/deep.

I do use the slice lob in double quite a bit to hit over the net man, however :)
 
Slazenger07 said:
Ive mastered the two handed lob behind my head, its the only shot I use two hands for and it keeps me in a lot of points when I get lobbed at the net.
Click to expand...

I use this shot too rather than risking a tweener... it's a higher percentage shot for me.

You're just lobbed, ball is clearly behind you... running after it with back facing the net and chasing down the ball. Then, use two hands to lob the ball back while facing the baseline and rear fence.

It's not a pretty shot but it works.
 
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2hbh desperation lob? But you can just hit it lower and call it a groundie. Or hit it with underspin and call it a slice groundstroke taken in the air.....or a last ditch volley....
 
I like to do a perfect perpendicular backhand chop to the ball as it is infront of me. After it leaves my racquet and cruises less than 8" above the net, it looks like a normal paced ball. Then as soon as it hits the ground, it instantenously swerves sharply to the left and keeps very low (mid shin). Caught many with that shot- and it is even exagerated more on clay. The ball bounces in front of then and just spins away out of their reach. I love being a lefty.
 
Well, looking at it from the reciever's perspective, it would go wayyy off to their left :D . And on their backhand side too. Out of reach. God I want to play some tennis right now.
 
i like my underhand serve that like a drop shot. I can only do this inconsistently though so i only use it once if not more in a match.

then i come to the net and volley the return. or lob over them from the baseline if they made it fast enough.
 
serve between my legs that lands like a drop shot...... i'll post a vid when i have time.......

i don't even know if its legal.....
 
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