How to handle low serves to T with DHBH?

dunlo

Rookie
Hi
I use double hand backhand.
I have general problem at returns.
But especially low ones.
I completely get confused at matches when the slow serves come since i am used to fast game.
At forehand side it is less problematic;still not effective;but backhand side is really bad.
What should i do?
 

Midlife crisis

Hall of Fame
dunlo said:
Hi
I use double hand backhand.
I have general problem at returns.
But especially low ones.
I completely get confused at matches when the slow serves come since i am used to fast game.
At forehand side it is less problematic;still not effective;but backhand side is really bad.
What should i do?

The moment you see a slow serve coming, move forward and catch it at the highest point of the bounce and pound on it.
 

cak

Professional
If the serves are slow and you don't trust your backhand you can run around and use a forehand.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
dunlo said:
Hi
I use double hand backhand.
I have general problem at returns.
But especially low ones.
I completely get confused at matches when the slow serves come since i am used to fast game.
At forehand side it is less problematic;still not effective;but backhand side is really bad.
What should i do?

Got to bend the knees and keep them bent as you hit. If you lift up to soon, it goes into the net. If you dont get in and lineup, you will tend to golf it long.
 

kevhen

Hall of Fame
Yeah I was struggling with slow second serves to my backhand this weekend in a USTA 4.0 match (hitting near the top of the net), so I moved over a step to my left and tried to take as many as I could with my forehand.
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
Yes, get low and impart heavy topspin into the ball, with the 2 hander, you should be able to hit it almost with full strength, doesn't matter how low the ball is, the key is heavy topspin.
 

dunlo

Rookie
OK thanks for replies;
But how should i return that serve?Long or short?I am good at net too..
If i move towards bh side he serves wideout so i must be at the middle!!!
I don't run around to take forehand too often.
 

golden chicken

Hall of Fame
if you're good at net, slice a low serve towards either sideline, halfway between the service line and the baseline and come in after it!
 

cak

Professional
I don't play much singles, but I was told the rule of thumb is if you want to come into net you go for the short angles and follow them in, if you want to hit from the baseline you hit deep, trying to keep them behind the baseline where it is harder for them to angle or drop shot. If this rule of thumb is true, then on a soft serve to the T on the deuce side if I wanted to come into net I'd try a run around forehand wide to their back hand (assuming you are playing a right hander) and come in for the angled return. Or try a backhand slice short and wide to their forehand. Anyone with singles knowledge know if this sounds right?
 
Just work on it-- have your coach give you various serves, probably kick or slice, deep in the box, and ensure your right foot is in line with the singles line ( on deuce court), and left foot on the ad court. At first, start taking the serves INSIDE the baseline-- don't worry if you get them in or not, just try and get them in the first window over the net (roughly three feet above the net). Afterward, move a few feet behind the baseline, again having the appropriate foot in line with the singles line, and aim into the second window (roughly 4-5 feet ABOVE the net). Swing more aggressively and aim for corners, or at least deep as possible.
 

TennisAsAlways

Professional
kevhen said:
Yeah I was struggling with slow second serves to my backhand this weekend in a USTA 4.0 match (hitting near the top of the net), so I moved over a step to my left and tried to take as many as I could with my forehand.
Since you brought up something that I'm curious about, I have a question for you Kevhen (or anyone else) about the 4.0-5.0 level? Is there a lot of double-faulting at those levels? Thanks.
 

Bungalo Bill

G.O.A.T.
TennisAsAlways said:
Since you brought up something that I'm curious about, I have a question for you Kevhen (or anyone else) about the 4.0-5.0 level? Is there a lot of double-faulting at those levels? Thanks.

There really shouldn't be and I really doubt it is huge problem. But you do have those guys that knowingly and unknowingly have a habit of it.

In fact, when I play doubles, I play with a guy that foot faults all the darn time. When he is called on it he gets upset.

I personally dont really care if he does, he has a bad knee and isn't as fleet of foot, so I ignore it. But some of the other guys call him on it.
 
4.0 SERVE/RETURN OF SERVE: You generally must be able to placeboth first and second serves; frequent power on first serve using spin; dependable return of serve; can return with depth in singles and mix returns in doubles.

4.5 and 5.0 are more difficult:\ Double faulting should not be common.
 

golden chicken

Hall of Fame
cak said:
I don't play much singles, but I was told the rule of thumb is if you want to come into net you go for the short angles and follow them in, if you want to hit from the baseline you hit deep, trying to keep them behind the baseline where it is harder for them to angle or drop shot. If this rule of thumb is true, then on a soft serve to the T on the deuce side if I wanted to come into net I'd try a run around forehand wide to their back hand (assuming you are playing a right hander) and come in for the angled return. Or try a backhand slice short and wide to their forehand. Anyone with singles knowledge know if this sounds right?

if you were to hit an inside-out forehand, you'd be moving in completely the wrong direction to come into net. all your weight would be moving to the left and you'd be hitting to the right.

you don't want to slice too short, or your opponent can open up the court with topspin for many angles and you reduce the time you have to react to your opponent's passing shot.
 

TennisAsAlways

Professional
Bungalo Bill said:
There really shouldn't be and I really doubt it is huge problem. But you do have those guys that knowingly and unknowingly have a habit of it.

In fact, when I play doubles, I play with a guy that foot faults all the darn time. When he is called on it he gets upset.

I personally dont really care if he does, he has a bad knee and isn't as fleet of foot, so I ignore it. But some of the other guys call him on it.
Yeah, that foot fault circumstance that you pointed out is reasonable. I wouldn't call him on it either.

As far as the double faults, I was wondering about the power servers. Do the aggressive people at the 4-5.0 levels DF often (referring to the 100+MPH first servers and 75-80+2nd servers)? Thanks. I just wanted to know if DFing were a bad thing in front of the crowd at those levels, like you know how sonmetimes the crowd goes, "aww, ohhh and OO" being surprised or disgusted whatever etc. (I'm sure that there isn't a huge crowd at those types of tourneys, like as much as there typically is for pro events. I just wanted to get general personal feedback.)
 

TennisAsAlways

Professional
Puredrivetennis said:
4.0 SERVE/RETURN OF SERVE: You generally must be able to placeboth first and second serves; frequent power on first serve using spin; dependable return of serve; can return with depth in singles and mix returns in doubles.

4.5 and 5.0 are more difficult:\ Double faulting should not be common.
TY
 

cak

Professional
golden chicken said:
if you were to hit an inside-out forehand, you'd be moving in completely the wrong direction to come into net. all your weight would be moving to the left and you'd be hitting to the right.

you don't want to slice too short, or your opponent can open up the court with topspin for many angles and you reduce the time you have to react to your opponent's passing shot.

This brings up the question I always have on any wide shot, whether it be a serve or return out wide. If the player is trying to return from out wide should I be guarding the down the line or alley shot, or should I be in the middle because they're likely to hit cross court? Is the easiest return when they are reaching cross court?
 

golden chicken

Hall of Fame
cak said:
This brings up the question I always have on any wide shot, whether it be a serve or return out wide. If the player is trying to return from out wide should I be guarding the down the line or alley shot, or should I be in the middle because they're likely to hit cross court? Is the easiest return when they are reaching cross court?

guard the line, react to the crosscourt--you have more time to get to it, and more court to hit if you're late.
 

dunlo

Rookie
Bungalo Bill said:
There really shouldn't be and I really doubt it is huge problem. But you do have those guys that knowingly and unknowingly have a habit of it.

In fact, when I play doubles, I play with a guy that foot faults all the darn time. When he is called on it he gets upset.

I personally dont really care if he does, he has a bad knee and isn't as fleet of foot, so I ignore it. But some of the other guys call him on it.

OK but what if a 'HEALTY' player is moving over baseline a step while serving in a singles match?
You know that he is coming in all the time since you know the guy;but you can't actually see him doing that from your baseline.
 

TennisAsAlways

Professional
^ Give people the benefit of the doubt without thinking to yourself that you let them slip by. If it were a match with linespeople and an umpire, then obviously take the call as is.
 

Marius_Hancu

Talk Tennis Guru
Bungalo Bill said:
Got to bend the knees and keep them bent as you hit. If you lift up to soon, it goes into the net. If you dont get in and lineup, you will tend to golf it long.

Yes.

Serena W is a master at these. Sometimes she takes the platform stance used in 1HBH, but facing the net, not laterrally, with the back knee close to the ground, and smacks the low incoming ball.
 

TENNIS_99

Semi-Pro
When in troubles, go deep. Chances are if you are given a slow serve your opponent is not coming to the net, place it deep and keep the point in neutral. Once you do it a few times, be aggressive will not be difficult since you have practiced how to approach the ball.
 
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