Strategy on using one-handed Topspin BH

Roforot

Hall of Fame
I've been working on adding a topspin OHBH to my game. I have pretty good motion and am gaining confidence and most importantly no injury or strain! My hitting partner though pointed out that when I hit the topspin shot, it tends be a ball that sits in their strike zone (I'm lefty vs a right-handed player) whereas if I hit my slice deep, it's a ball that's a little below his strike zone. Obviously if my slice is short, it is easy for him to take control of the point.

I've been trying to topspin every BH (save for the ball over my shoulder) but I wonder if in a neutral rally I'm better off hitting a deep slice and looking for a ball I can run around and hit a FH? Save the topspin BH for when I need a passing shot or when I get a short ball and want to pressure? Or if this is something where I need to hit a more loopy BH? Or maybe a flatter BH? I use an easter BH grip.

I'm trying to think of how it is facing their BHs and a lot of times it does seem like I'm getting a ball fed off the ballmachine. Not a problem and very comfortable if I'm a foot behind the baseline and the ball is going where I expect.
 

10sbeast888

Hall of Fame
I've been working on adding a topspin OHBH to my game. I have pretty good motion and am gaining confidence and most importantly no injury or strain! My hitting partner though pointed out that when I hit the topspin shot, it tends be a ball that sits in their strike zone (I'm lefty vs a right-handed player) whereas if I hit my slice deep, it's a ball that's a little below his strike zone. Obviously if my slice is short, it is easy for him to take control of the point.

I've been trying to topspin every BH (save for the ball over my shoulder) but I wonder if in a neutral rally I'm better off hitting a deep slice and looking for a ball I can run around and hit a FH? Save the topspin BH for when I need a passing shot or when I get a short ball and want to pressure? Or if this is something where I need to hit a more loopy BH? Or maybe a flatter BH? I use an easter BH grip.

I'm trying to think of how it is facing their BHs and a lot of times it does seem like I'm getting a ball fed off the ballmachine. Not a problem and very comfortable if I'm a foot behind the baseline and the ball is going where I expect.

hard to say.

how hard can you rip it? this shot is so effortless I usually aim 6ft inside the lines. if you are not ripping it might as well loop it high, 6ft clear or the net and let the other guy worry about the high ball.

based on my 3000 hours of experience v. lefty its more about who can hit more fhs.. so if you get stuck in the bh corner which shot allows you to change direction with more confidence?

passing shots, sure, the topspin is much better no doubt.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
There is the type of shot and then there is the quality of shot. Maybe your partner is saying that your slice is better quality than your topspin BH. In that case, keep hitting your slice more if it bothers your opponents more. But if you learn to hit a high quality topspin BH that is a heavy ball, I’m sure it will bother them also.

I hit with two coaches who both played college tennis and then tried for a few years to make it on the fringes of the ATP Tour before they became coaches - they are both a bit over 30 now. One of them had a fantastic BH slice and I would much rather get in topspin BH rallies with him than slice rallies. The other guy hits a much heavier topspin BH with way more spin and it is easy to mistime when you are hitting against him - I find it easier to rally against his slice. So there isn’t just one way to play the game.

Many rec players hit a slow, loopy high trajectory ball as their topspin shot, but if you measure it the RPM is low. There are others who actually hit a lower trajectory, higher pace ball which also has more spin RPM and those balls will be much heavier to hit against. So if you up the RPM on your topspin shots, I bet it will become more of a threat - this will require much higher swing speed likely to become a weapon.
 

Dragy

Legend
“Sitting right in the strikezone” may be a consequence of lack of depth. The easiest way to do with OHBH is to lift it more, hit higher over the net to gain depth. Easiest as CC shot, but since you are lefty it may be not your top priority — deep down the middle works as well.

This suggestion is based on assumption that you swing at it freely and confidently, and get generous spin. If it’s so, simply aiming to hit it through higher “window” over the net will give you both depth and higher bounce.

But it’s quite possible that rallying with your BH vs his FH will still be disadvantageous for you. As guys said above, seek for patterns to get your FH in use. For example, when you change direction DTL hitting a bit short isn’t an issue, if you are precise enough to place it closer to the line. But having a DTL backhand high roller is also great, for recovery with enough time.
 
Top