Some people underestimate topspin and think pro players hit flat

[StringSnapper]

How do you finish the shots? I noticed it helps when you drive the ball and want some extra spin that you focus in hitting through the ball but also swiping across with that windshield wiper finish where it goes up and over and then down and finishes bellow your shoulder, if you know what I mean.

With a really high ball over the net if I want less spin I focus on driving through tha ball completely, but if i want a flat trajectory with more spin I drive through but also swipe across lile a windshield wiper, fed does it alot of times when he wants to add spin to his flatter balls.

So the swingpath is through the ball, but this wiper move across adds extra spin.

Yep that sounds like it, windshield wiper adds the spin i guess. maybe its mor3le the shoulder rotating on the 1hbh? My latest youtube video shows it

 

[FiReFTW]

Yep that sounds like it, windshield wiper adds the spin i guess. maybe its mor3le the shoulder rotating on the 1hbh? My latest youtube video shows it

O rly? Which?

 

[AdrianC]

Played squash as a kid so the first time i played tennis (just messin about with a mate) the ball was either in the net or the back net. The only way i could get it in was to hit it like a pansy. From that day on i realized with tennis its spin that allows power even though it took another 25 years before i played again.

 

[StringSnapper]

O rly? Which?

I've changed my stroke a little since this video even (ive hit like 5 times since then lol) so it finishes even lower than this. But some of them kind of show it. I think also the bounce of the wall is lower, so i have to hit up more. But in a match its often much higher, so I hit across and through more?

1:39 looks like the feeling of what i mostly do now.
2:14
2:33
2:39
2:43 (slow-mo)

 

[user92626]

I've changed my stroke a little since this video even (ive hit like 5 times since then lol) so it finishes even lower than this. But some of them kind of show it. I think also the bounce of the wall is lower, so i have to hit up more. But in a match its often much higher, so I hit across and through more?

1:39 looks like the feeling of what i mostly do now.
2:14
2:33
2:39
2:43 (slow-mo)

If you could hit like this video in matches, you'd be much better than most people I play with. Only exception is a solid 4.5 would beat you though

Seriously, I don't see anything wrong with your shots. I see that the shots are really pacey and you could do multiple shots in a row.

We can't be looking for a perfect stroke or a pro-looking stroke. We're recreational players. Pro strokes need to be what they are, ie extremely precise, because they have to be for multitudes of other things. Not to mention, everything is quite low margin. It's different for rec players. Our FH or BH strokes don't need to top notch / perfect while our footwork or stamina is atrocious. And one can't happen without the other, anyway. So, a lot of time to play great rec tennis is to know what to balance.

 

[StringSnapper]

If you could hit like this video in matches, you'd be much better than most people I play with. Only exception is a solid 4.5 would beat you though

Seriously, I don't see anything wrong with your shots. I see that the shots are really pacey and you could do multiple shots in a row.

We can't be looking for a perfect stroke or a pro-looking stroke. We're recreational players. Pro strokes need to be what they are, ie extremely precise, because they have to be for multitudes of other things. Not to mention, everything is quite low margin. It's different for rec players. Our FH or BH strokes don't need to top notch / perfect while our footwork or stamina is atrocious. And one can't happen without the other, anyway. So, a lot of time to play great rec tennis is to know what to balance.

Thanks. Yeah i do alright in matches now ive been working on my fitness/focus. i usually prefer longer rallies. I think id be approaching 4.5 now if we used that system in Australia, my aus ranking is improving anyway. I beat another guy the same rank as me 6-1 6-0 in my last league match lol

I think the secret to "hitting free" (like people to in warmups or against the wall) in a match is that you have to get into position with your legs. Thats the number one. Side to side, front and back, but also down (knee bend) or up (jumping). If your well positioned, swing free and good things happen. Just swing free anyway, hit it out stupidly, get mad at yourself, then use that energy to funnel into moving more. You wont beat good players unless you do this anyway.

i think my strokes are particularly clicking now since abandoning my 2hbh quest and swapping to a more wawrinka bh style, but thats a very personal thing. My bh used to be attacked like crazy and just break down, but now it feels equal to or maybe even more solid than my fh. And this is after like 6 yrs of tennis tinkering, youtube videos, playing league in my 2nd year now, posting here /recording myself for about 2yrs also (and being 26 and relatively injury free)

 

[FiReFTW]

I've changed my stroke a little since this video even (ive hit like 5 times since then lol) so it finishes even lower than this. But some of them kind of show it. I think also the bounce of the wall is lower, so i have to hit up more. But in a match its often much higher, so I hit across and through more?

1:39 looks like the feeling of what i mostly do now.
2:14
2:33
2:39
2:43 (slow-mo)

If you really hit like 1:39 during match play then that is great! It looks very fluid and effortless and the technique and motion is very very solid and good.
The only thing I would try to add is the left arm extending more backwards because you are overrotating alot, which might give u good power but bad placement and ball spraying all over, hard to hit spots accurately like that, most OHB stay very firm balanced and somewhat sideways throughout the finish, some like Stan do rotate a bit further but mostly before contact and then stable, you seem to be rotating around fast throughout the whole swing and contact point.

If you fix that your backhand looks ATP pro level, thats really great!

 

[StringSnapper]

If you really hit like 1:39 during match play then that is great! It looks very fluid and effortless and the technique and motion is very very solid and good.
The only thing I would try to add is the left arm extending more backwards because you are overrotating alot, which might give u good power but bad placement and ball spraying all over, hard to hit spots accurately like that, most OHB stay very firm balanced and somewhat sideways throughout the finish, some like Stan do rotate a bit further but mostly before contact and then stable, you seem to be rotating around fast throughout the whole swing and contact point.

If you fix that your backhand looks ATP pro level, thats really great!

Thanks!
Not putting the off hand back is by design, trying to mimick wawrinkas bh. Ive been reworking my bh a lot lately. It isnt that accurate for dtl shots but i mostly hit it crosscourt now like stan does so it doesnt seem to matter much, i like the added power