Hitting your Groundstrokes with Topspin
Topspin is where the ball rotates forwards "bottom-over-top". It enables you to hit higher over the net and bring the ball down into the court. Sounds good, huh? Well, it can transform your tennis game, but it's a fairly advanced shot and you need to be able to hit reliably through the ball before you try it! The difficulty lies in the fact that you need really good timing. The trick is to use a fairly 'closed' grip (semi-western or western) and swing up from below your intended contact point, brushing the strings up the back of the ball to generate the required spin. The hand should be fairly relaxed, so that you can produce good racket-head speed.
For the inexperienced player it is easy to hit your topspin short. One of the most famous steeplechases in the world is the Grand National. It's a unique test of horse and rider which takes place every year at the Aintree racecourse in Liverpool. One of the most memorable fences is the Water Jump. When you're hitting your topspin groundstrokes, imagine the net and the two service boxes in your opponent's court have been transformed into the Water Jump! The fence itself is almost six feet high (imagine two nets, one on top of the other). You've got to clear this and you've also got to clear the water on the other side! Keep clearing the Water Jump and you'll gallop to victory!
The return of serve is the key to being succesful in any tennis match....especially if you are facing a big server. Anticipation, positioning and hand speed are keys to surviving and winning points on their serve.
The most important shot in tennis after the serve is the service return. The service return can be summarized as either a block or swing but is a most difficult shot to master, especially if you are facing a big server.
Too many people say you don't use your wrist on the backhand....of course you do...here's how, when and why.