Forehand loop on very fast incoming balls

[toth]

Few months ago i played with straight back fh, than i tried with loop.
Usually has my fh much better pace and movement, but on very fast incoming balls (usually serves sometimes big fh) i am late with my swing and miss balls that i could play back with straight back fh.
On what schould i focus on very fast incoming balls
on straight back prep
or on lesser loop
or on earlier prep
or staying more behind the baseline
or something other?
(I usually play on clay, i am 3.5 player)

Thank you for your answer
Toth

 

[Gazelle]

Same problem here, eagerly awaiting some tips.

 

[Enga]

I think the faster the ball, the more you can brush up and still get good topspin and depth. I've seen pros do a sort of abbreviated motion where they seem to just be brushing up on the back of the ball, not as much prep.

 

[IowaGuy]

on very fast incoming balls (usually serves sometimes big fh) i am late with my swing and miss balls that i could play back with straight back fh.

Without video, not sure what your forehand looks like. I model my FH off Agassi (obviously his is much better than mine), and have watched many hours of his footage. He uses an abbreviated prep on FH service returns, compared to balls that he has time to set up for, as do most pros.

Watch some footage of pros dealing with fast serves, they generally don't have time for a full setup/coil on their FH, nor do they need it since the incoming ball has a lot of energy that they can just re-direct.

 

[Pete Player]

I tend to use more volley like take on fast balls, especially returning serves.

Even a slight upward move at contact will spin the ball nicely.


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[aehc84]

Same problem here, eagerly awaiting some tips.

Good contact out in front is the most important part of any fh. I would focus on that first and foremost. Once you can make good contact out in front you can think about racket up in the windup. Serve return is very difficult so even the best pros abbreviate their windup.


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[atp2015]

Few months ago i played with straight back fh, than i tried with loop.
Usually has my fh much better pace and movement, but on very fast incoming balls (usually serves sometimes big fh) i am late with my swing and miss balls that i could play back with straight back fh.
On what schould i focus on very fast incoming balls
on straight back prep
or on lesser loop
or on earlier prep
or staying more behind the baseline
or something other?
(I usually play on clay, i am 3.5 player)

Thank you for your answer
Toth

Do you split step and get into athletic base when the serve is struck? I know most 3.5s and 4.0 don't - it makes a massive difference.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Early unit turn...

DON'T wait for the ball to bounce -- unless it is a medium or slow ball bouncing short of the back service line. Assuming you are not playing the net, you should start your unit turn as (or before) the ball crosses the net. This early unit turn should be the start of your loop. However, it is ok to pause (or semi-pause) once you've set your racket for your unit turn. One huge problem that players have is waiting for the ball to bounce and then starting their unit turn or loop swing. If the ball is very fast or fairly deep (NML), this will often be too late for much of a loop. Or the loop timing will be tricky/critical.

Avoid huge loops. The kind of loops that you often see with WTA players (against slower balls) or ATP clay court players who often stand FAR behind the baseline. The latter tends to be a very defensive position. Moderate loops are generally better. Look to Federer or Agassi for compact loop swings on the FH side. Loop sizes can be contingent of the speed/depth of the incoming ball. Against a fast 1st serve, loops will often be shorter/minimal. On very deep balls in NML loops will also tend to be more compact. If the incoming ball appears that it will bounce very close to your feet, don't take a loop at all. Instead, drop the racket down and back a bit to execute a half-volley (assuming the ball is forward of your front foot; not behind you).

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Early, generous prep with compact loop from Kevin G:

 

[Nellie]

For a faster ball, prepare early and also to about the expected height of contact (I think of three positions - high prep at shoulders, medium prep at waist, or low prep at shins) and swing almost straight and through the ball).

However, if you have a loopy stroke (e.g., you take racquet back above your head), you are going to be late. It is better to practice a shorter preparation and add length for power/spin as you feel comfortable.

 

[bitcoinoperated]

This likely isn't really a prep style issue imo (esp on clay) you just need to start swinging earlier as the ball is hitting the court if the ball is coming faster unlike your usual timing on slower balls. People at the top of the game have all sorts of different sizes of takeback.

This video covers it well

 

[Dan R]

You can't take a big back swing on those. You don't have time. No or very little backswing, kind of like this

 

[TennisCJC]

for fast balls:

1. early prep
2. smaller take back and loop
3. less vertical lift but still some vertical lift for a little topspin
4. NO GRIP CHANGE

that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I hit all my topspin or flatish FHs with the same grip E/SW hybrid. The only times I change grips on the FH:

1. change to conti for volleys and 1/2 volleys
2. change to conti for slice FH used as a return of serve, to dig up really low balls and for defensive squash shots from the baseline.

I don't think you need to change your FH grip unless you are hitting a slice FH. just hit with less lift in the racket swing path.

 

[toth]

This video suggest:
one needs a consistent set position for consistent forehand strokes.

But – as you write it – for very fast balls there is no time for the usual loop and for the usual set up.

It is only a practise or what could help for this different loops and set up (now i have a lots of problem with it)?

 

[Pete Player]

Shortly put, learn to swing and produce power in front of your body. Huge rhs behind your body has no value.

Also if you can put the effort in, where it counts, your fatique will hit later in the game.

Good mental image would be: - Play in front of your body.

It is a rythm thing and you should find and feel exactly the same in your hand as you do with the long swing, if you have the racket dropping and flipping into the shot. That flip is only a short cut to a familiar spot in a much longer back swing.

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On pain meds - all contributed matter and anti-matter subject to disclaimer

 

[Nostradamus]

You can't take a big back swing on those. You don't have time. No or very little backswing, kind of like this

that is all nice but I dont' think this video really helps amateurs at all. he said short compact swing but doesn't explain how to make a compact swing. and that swing won't work against 100 mph serves. Shoulder turn is critical in not mishitting the return but Florian doesn't talk about that at all

 

[Pete Player]

Returning a serve, Florian did not say once, step in. And I think, that would be the biggest difference. Steppin' forward and restricting the loop back would be the thing.

 

[Bender]

There has already been some great advice in this thread, so I'll just add two more.

Re: straight v looped takeback, you get two choices, assuming the incoming ball is truly fast and difficult to take a full swing at:

• Straight takeback + over the shoulder / WW finish
• Looped takeback + reverse finish

But both takebacks should be shorter than a normal; for the looped takeback you're basically moving your hitting hand 45 degree up so that your elbow / upper arm is aligned to your shoulders, then dropping the hitting arm and commencing the reverse swing + followthrough.

 

[toth]

This video suggest:
one needs a consistent set position for consistent forehand strokes.

But – as you write it – for very fast balls there is no time for the usual loop and for the usual set up.

It is only a practise or what could help for this different loops and set up (now i have a lots of problem with it)?

What about different set ups?
This point is confusing for me.

 

[toth]

I tend to prepare high for this fast incoming balls too.
As i see, i will late with my swing, i am alredy late.