Have you ever seen this shot?

[donnyz89]

When I saw my coach do it, i couldnt believe it...

okay, its a backwards kick overhead. basically, he got lobbed. and as he is running towards the ball back facing the net, he whips his racquet across his face to hit like a slice overhead with some topspin, with the ball being between his racquet and his face, it generated a very paceful shot with a lot of spin and the player at net couldnt even react to it because it was so sudden.

anyone know what im talking about? i hope i made myself clear. but it was such a cool shot and seemed even more dificult than the tweener because your racquet starts away from your and whips toward your face because your back is facing the net.

and i've never seen it done by the pros either.

 

[Mountainman]

Why not between the legs?

 

[x Southpaw x]

I suppose that's a skyhook, just that your coach took it so late that the ball was at face-level. And yes you probably won't see it done by pros anymore since there are so few netrusher pros these days. Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras did the skyhook quite a few times, usually when the opponent counters their approach shot with a topspin lob. And they took it high, not at face-level =P

 

[donnyz89]

well, a lil higher. kinda like a kick serve or slice serve except your face is facing the baseline.

and tweeners are flatter and doesnt have the pace for a winner. i mean, the ball was like a kick serve, sinking into the other court.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

yep, i saw federer try that against nadal in the pacificlife open final. massive spin, just inches out, but if it was in, it'd be a down-the-line-overhead winner off a topspin lob.

taylor dent also pulled one off against robby ginepri in the final at the first US Open Series tourney (RCA?)

 

[Nuke]

The big question is -- can he do it again or was it just a lucky shot?

 

[Andres]

I saw Federer do that against Agassi the last time they met. The ball started to spin 6 feet away from the line, but it bounced only a couple of inches out. Agassi was actually pretty scared when the ball started to twist.

 

[dakels]

heh, I have done that just like southpaw stated, it was more a mistake. I meant to take it higher. Had a continental grip coming to net and the guy prematurely tried to lob me and I jumped to smash it down but the jump was totally unecessary since it was too low By bending my arm down and coming up through the ball it put alot of topspin on the shot which is normally not my shot.

Usually the teachers in my groups would mess around with stuff like that in between classes. I always practiced the "sky-hook' and 180 jump or back pedaling overheads because I am not that tall (5'8") and people always try to lob me. But, I have about a 30" jump so it helps me alot. I used to play volleyball fairly seriously too (Double B to low single A) and the spike motion/mechanics is pretty much the same for that sampras style jump overhead he does. We also practiced alot of goofy shots like between the legs and stuff, a true between the legs not cheating by raising a leg up like a dog peeing (I think my groin still hurts from that).

BTW I saw Roddick do a jump overhead in a recent casual match. Man you can tell he practiced that alot. He was as smooth as sampras with a nice scissor kick motion. It's all well and good but it doesnt help much for real match play. Learning how to go back and 180 overhead is helpful though (no jumping). That shot I actually used to use quite often in a game. Also learning to run back and spin an hit (groundstroke) is also helpful. BTW I think the last time I ever did a jumping 180 overhead was when I hit a guy in the face with it (doubles). I took 4-5 steps back jump spun 180 and slammed this ball into the poor guy at the net. I felt so bad I dont think I ever did it again Not that I was really that good at it anyways.

Anyways, I can also comfortably hit a shot behind the back and forehand through the legs but really... how useful is any of this? As you play more and more you will learn how to hit these "trick" shots but in the end it's just not needed for anything. If you ever get to see or play with a pro/semi pro and are goofing around, you will realize they know and can do just about all these trick shots. You almost never see it in a match because they arent helpful.

 

[donnyz89]

but cmon, its good entertainment. isnt that what sports is about? entertainment?

 

[safin_protege]

My coach taught me this shot. It is a good alternative to a risky between the legs shot. When your opponent hits a good lob, you can't hit an overhead, and you can't get back fast enough to hit a groundstroke, this is a good shot for when the ball is falling back to the court after its first bounce.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

but cmon, its good entertainment. isnt that what sports is about? entertainment?

so THAT explains the lack of fundamentals in the NBA. though i must admit, ESPN's City Slam thing was pretty cool. in the vert challenge, people were jumping and dunking over 60 inch bars! it's insane.

 

[efice32]

Federer did it against Hewitt at Indian Wells this year in an amazing point. It was the Mercedes-Benz play of the Week.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/mercedesbenz/archive.asp?AssetID=910

you have to click on the "Download Video" link because it's the only one that works.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

yea, that was an INCREDIBLE rally

 

[dakels]

Federer did it against Hewitt at Indian Wells this year in an amazing point. It was the Mercedes-Benz play of the Week.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/mercedesbenz/archive.asp?AssetID=910

you have to click on the "Download Video" link because it's the only one that works.

Oh thats totally different then what I was thinking. I know that shot well. It's hard to pull off with any accuracy. Usually mine are alot softer and higher over the tape then what federer did. I see this shot fairly often though in play whereas you almost never see a scissor kick overhead. It's not too hard to learn, a decent player can learn how to *fairly* effectively hit that shot in a little while. The key is to make sure you are slightly turned and strike on a downward angle on the ball with a continetal to eastern grip.

BTW that rally is awsome. It's easily in my top 10 best rallies. Look at the mix of shots, pushing of opponents, slam, slice, high topspin, low flat, etc.

Also reminds me how incredible Federer's backhand is. I havenn't watched federer much but damn... he has some great strokes. That's got to be the best backhand I ever seen. Not just in execution, but look at the extreme 6 to 12 spin he generates on the ball making it kick like a stallion. Spin like that just totally makes you totally rethink your preparation.

 

[donnyz89]

Federer did it against Hewitt at Indian Wells this year in an amazing point. It was the Mercedes-Benz play of the Week.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/mercedesbenz/archive.asp?AssetID=910

you have to click on the "Download Video" link because it's the only one that works.

yes thats the shot, except my coach was less turned as federer, he was completely backwards. but yea that is the shot. looks less amazing with federer doing it though.