Need help hitting high forehands

[The Penultimate Player]

Hi All! I'm trying to improve my forehand, especially when I need to hit balls that are high for me-shoulder level and higher. My natural stroke is to use what I believe is a Continental grip and hit using a loopy high->low->high swing in a semi-closed stance. I am extremely comfortable teeing off on balls that are knee level to hip level. When I have to deal with a higher shot, I can't seem to time when to hit it and I usually hit the fence or hit it straight down. Recently, when faced with high shots I have switched to a semi-western grip, try to use a more open stance but I take the racquet straight back and forward. I have had a little more success this way but it really requires me to be playing well. If I'm playing well, I hit extremely flat, deep shots that barely clear the net and land very close to the baseline. If I'm not playing well...well you can guess what happens. So after my long description, what I'm looking for is a way to hit high forehands but have an acceptable margin for error. Any ideas or advice is appreciated!

 

[raiden031]

Hi All! I'm trying to improve my forehand, especially when I need to hit balls that are high for me-shoulder level and higher. My natural stroke is to use what I believe is a Continental grip and hit using a loopy high->low->high swing in a semi-closed stance. I am extremely comfortable teeing off on balls that are knee level to hip level. When I have to deal with a higher shot, I can't seem to time when to hit it and I usually hit the fence or hit it straight down. Recently, when faced with high shots I have switched to a semi-western grip, try to use a more open stance but I take the racquet straight back and forward. I have had a little more success this way but it really requires me to be playing well. If I'm playing well, I hit extremely flat, deep shots that barely clear the net and land very close to the baseline. If I'm not playing well...well you can guess what happens. So after my long description, what I'm looking for is a way to hit high forehands but have an acceptable margin for error. Any ideas or advice is appreciated!

I had the same problem for a while. What you should do is get a ball hopper and lots of balls and practice them on your own. Take the ball and throw it straight up really high so that when it bounces, it will bounce higher than your head. When it is about face level, do a forehand on it nice and easy. You will hit it bad alot in the beginning and after a while it'll start going where you want it to. Then start adding power to it as it gets more comfortable. I got to the point where I can use that shot in a match and actually win some points because its a nice shot for putting away your opponent's weak shots. As far as technique, I think its less of a low-to-high motion and more of a windshield wiper motion. Just practice it slow, thats the key.

 

[es-0]

you could also try hitting it on the rise

 

[boojay]

semi-western grip (or was it western? iunno), the answer to all your problems....well, the high ones anyway

 

[snoflewis]

i usually do 1 of 3 things
1. take it off the bounce
2. hit it w/ enough topspin so it goes down (not a lob)
3. or hit it flat in a downwards angle.

 

[looseswing]

I find that if I concentrate on keeping my right arm straighter and hitting it in front of me usually the ball goes pretty well.

 

[Big Fed]

When i cant take the ball on the rise and the ball bouces around sholder lvl i always jump and hit. Not sure if its the right thing to to but it works very well

 

[pNoyr3D]

@Big Fed - That's what I do too. Lol.. It work's farely well.

But recently I have been hitting it at the bounce and it's working tremendously.

 

[moxio]

When it goes that high I just give that sucker a whole lotta topspin.

 

[nalbandian_fan]

@ fed and pnoyer, same here and it works great. but i only started doing it after years of hitting with both feet on the ground. then even when im in midair, my balance is still as good as if im on the ground.