How to hit a forehand/backhand down the line?

[dmt]

I have been learning the game for about 8 months. I have a strong forehand and a good double handed backhand cross court, but i have a tough time trying to hit the ball down the line with either my forehand or my backhand. Any tips/suggestions on how to improve on this? thanks

 

[formula16]

make contact with the ball later

 

[dlesser13]

practice practice practice? Although when I go for the backhand down the line, I feel like I don't have as strong of a follow through over, the follow through feels more out in front then across my body.

 

[teachestennis]

I would first get a feel of being able to direct the ball with just your hand, just face your toes to the net about four to five feet from net and just drop a ball without moving your feet and push the ball over the net with your hand (no wrist, the wrist is laid back), first cross court, then down the line. The angle of your hand and then the strings are the only thing that controls the direction of the ball. I recommend you finish after pushing the ball with your hand over the net with your elbow about chin high with your left hand up on your shoulder, the back of your hand nearly touching your neck (like many pros finish, Cilic and Djokovic among them).

Then place the racket in your hands, then drop the ball with your toes still facing the net and simply push the ball over the net learning to use the angle of your strings (or hand) controlling where the ball goes. The key is to feel the ball with your hands and as soon as you "touch" the ball, simply bend your arm at the elbow up and across feeling the strings hit across the ball rather than break your wrist consciously.

Your forearm will rotate and learn to guide the angle of the strings, start with a slow backswing and practice learning to associate the butt of the racket at the finish with where the ball goes as that will control your shoulder turn also. If I want the ball to go down the line, I simply finish with the butt of my racket pointing down the line. This is best accomplished from an open stance as all pros, even when hitting from a neutral stance such as when moving forward on FH, finish with an open stance position.

Try it and I suspect you will learn that the direction of the ball is controlled by the angle of your racket and has very little to do with, if anything, with your feet. At contact on down the line shots, the racket is slightly behind the hand because I want the ball to go over there. This means the wrist is laid back, which you can set into the correct position by placing the racket butt against your belly button. Don't discount the hand ball drill. I have a few top level players who still warm up that way as does Dementieva still, before she starts hitting balls.

 

[dmt]

I would first get a feel of being able to direct the ball with just your hand, just face your toes to the net about four to five feet from net and just drop a ball without moving your feet and push the ball over the net with your hand (no wrist, the wrist is laid back), first cross court, then down the line. The angle of your hand and then the strings are the only thing that controls the direction of the ball. I recommend you finish after pushing the ball with your hand over the net with your elbow about chin high with your left hand up on your shoulder, the back of your hand nearly touching your neck (like many pros finish, Cilic and Djokovic among them).

Then place the racket in your hands, then drop the ball with your toes still facing the net and simply push the ball over the net learning to use the angle of your strings (or hand) controlling where the ball goes. The key is to feel the ball with your hands and as soon as you "touch" the ball, simply bend your arm at the elbow up and across feeling the strings hit across the ball rather than break your wrist consciously.

Your forearm will rotate and learn to guide the angle of the strings, start with a slow backswing and practice learning to associate the butt of the racket at the finish with where the ball goes as that will control your shoulder turn also. If I want the ball to go down the line, I simply finish with the butt of my racket pointing down the line. This is best accomplished from an open stance as all pros, even when hitting from a neutral stance such as when moving forward on FH, finish with an open stance position.

Try it and I suspect you will learn that the direction of the ball is controlled by the angle of your racket and has very little to do with, if anything, with your feet. At contact on down the line shots, the racket is slightly behind the hand because I want the ball to go over there. This means the wrist is laid back, which you can set into the correct position by placing the racket butt against your belly button. Don't discount the hand ball drill. I have a few top level players who still warm up that way as does Dementieva still, before she starts hitting balls.

thanks alot, i will try this.

 

[HunterST]

I would first get a feel of being able to direct the ball with just your hand, just face your toes to the net about four to five feet from net and just drop a ball without moving your feet and push the ball over the net with your hand (no wrist, the wrist is laid back), first cross court, then down the line. The angle of your hand and then the strings are the only thing that controls the direction of the ball. I recommend you finish after pushing the ball with your hand over the net with your elbow about chin high with your left hand up on your shoulder, the back of your hand nearly touching your neck (like many pros finish, Cilic and Djokovic among them).

Then place the racket in your hands, then drop the ball with your toes still facing the net and simply push the ball over the net learning to use the angle of your strings (or hand) controlling where the ball goes. The key is to feel the ball with your hands and as soon as you "touch" the ball, simply bend your arm at the elbow up and across feeling the strings hit across the ball rather than break your wrist consciously.

Your forearm will rotate and learn to guide the angle of the strings, start with a slow backswing and practice learning to associate the butt of the racket at the finish with where the ball goes as that will control your shoulder turn also. If I want the ball to go down the line, I simply finish with the butt of my racket pointing down the line. This is best accomplished from an open stance as all pros, even when hitting from a neutral stance such as when moving forward on FH, finish with an open stance position.

Try it and I suspect you will learn that the direction of the ball is controlled by the angle of your racket and has very little to do with, if anything, with your feet. At contact on down the line shots, the racket is slightly behind the hand because I want the ball to go over there. This means the wrist is laid back, which you can set into the correct position by placing the racket butt against your belly button. Don't discount the hand ball drill. I have a few top level players who still warm up that way as does Dementieva still, before she starts hitting balls.

Everything I've heard says that pros hit DTL by making contact later, as another poster said.

 

[dmt]

Thanks alot for the tips. I have only recently tried this by htting against the wall and i have to say i am starting to devolop a really good dtl backhand. I hit about 70-80 dtl backhands yesterday and most of them were very good. I used good pace and spin on them. I didnt try to hit the ball to hard because i want to learn how to control the ball first before adding more power but i was still hitting with pretty good pace.

I am not going to use this in any matches until i am confident with it but i think it can turn into a real weapon for me. I understand it now, taking the ball early and it will go cross court, and take the ball a little late and you can control it down the line. Thanks alot for all the tips!

 

[LeeD]

Instead of just hitting later, try turning your shoulders farther back and closing your stance...if you have time! Don't open up until after contact.