Whic is harder to respond to?
- Thread starter Classic
- Start date
Hawaii 5.0
Rookie
Heavy Topspin since it's harder to read,flat shots have an easily read trajectory, but are harder to get to since they come so fast, but I use an eastern grip and take balls early and on the rise.Heavy topspin that's deep can be easy for some who stay far back or use western grips and grind alot of points by hitting heavy topspin back, but it's all relative.I mean I'm sure better players than I would have no comment since they are all easy.
AAAA
Hall of Fame
Depends on the opponent. I've developed both strokes and hit both during a match to help break-up my opponent's rhythm. If they can't attack my heavy topspin I give them that shot until I get a short ball then go for the flat winner. Flat shots are usually the lower percentage play because of lower net clearance and there's less topspin to drag the ball down into the court.
Flat shots are IMO a big waste of energy unless you can force a weak return or hit into the space for a winner. It's easy for a player with any skill to block back a poorly placed flat shot, plus they can use your pace against you as Gilbert did to Becker.
Attacking deep heavy topspin IMHO requires a fuller more technically competent stroke so fewer amatuers will be able to attack heavy deep topspin. However players with very good timing can hit a half-volley compact groundstroke with pace off heavy topspin.
Flat shots are IMO a big waste of energy unless you can force a weak return or hit into the space for a winner. It's easy for a player with any skill to block back a poorly placed flat shot, plus they can use your pace against you as Gilbert did to Becker.
Attacking deep heavy topspin IMHO requires a fuller more technically competent stroke so fewer amatuers will be able to attack heavy deep topspin. However players with very good timing can hit a half-volley compact groundstroke with pace off heavy topspin.
I don't really like either but maybe high topspin are easier for me since I am tall and don't like to bend for low hard balls as much, plus low deep hard balls don't give you much time to adjust so they are more like half volleys while you have a little more time to adjust to the topspin balls and they bounce more true as well but they can fly high if you don't meet them solidly so they can be tough too but are usually easier to run down.
Camilio Pascual
Hall of Fame
A heavy topspinning ball clearing the net by the same amount and getting the same depth as a flat ball would have to be going much faster than the flat ball with little spin. Maybe twice as fast or more? That would give it 4X the energy before it hit the court. At ~ 3000 rpm it would have 30 times the angular momentum of a flat ball with 100 rpm and 900X the amount of energy.
Yeah if it clears the net by the same height it would have a lot more pace behind it and be the tougher ball.
I think he means to compare the same fast speed and good depth with the variable being spin.
I think the other variable is whether the ball is hit at you or not. If it is then the flat ball is easier to block back, if not it's easier to run down the topspin ball.
I think he means to compare the same fast speed and good depth with the variable being spin.
I think the other variable is whether the ball is hit at you or not. If it is then the flat ball is easier to block back, if not it's easier to run down the topspin ball.
Well, if a ball is hit HARD and has the same net clearance as a HARD topsin shot the ball will land in the fence. Vice versa, the ball's in the net. Either way, I don't find hit harder to block back the ball on a hard hit shot. The topspin shot would make it easier to hit on the rise, but if you're just looking to get it in play and not think about diversity, it'ts the same.
It appears that Camilio has had some physics experience, but I agree with the above posts that heavy topspin is much harder to return than a flat ball. I had a coach one time who hit me this shallow topspin forehand. It bounced about 4 feet in front of the service line, and then SLAMMED into my racquet (which I was holding out in preparation to hit) where I was standing about 4 feet behind the service line. The ball literally moved my racquet back when it hit.
