Blocking Topspins

Tua Rajguru Unknown Asked 16 years ago

Sir, I am from India. I want to ask how can I master blocking topspins. My problem is that I can not judge the ball quickly, I mean that I can not judge whether the  ball is coming  to my forehand or backhand. My coach says that I should see my opponent hand, but whenever   I try to see my opponent hand to judge the ball I will miss the ball. So please tell  me a good advise through which I can improve my blocking skills.  

Jeff Plumb Answered 16 years ago

Hi Tushar,

Firstly you need to master the block when you know where the ball is coming. Take a look at our video on the Backhand Block and practice this lots. By mastering this it will give you added confidence.

Then you need to follow this simple piece of advice:

Watch the ball... watch the ball... watch the ball... 

Now the advice is simple but to put it into practice is much harder. This advice does not simply mean to look at the ball, it means watching it very closely and making it the sole focus of your game. If you start to watch the ball better you will be surprised at how much more time you seem to have and how much better you will be able to judge the direction of the ball. This skill does not just come straight away, it is something you need to practice. During your training time spend a lot of the time wher you full concentration is on watching the ball. Forget about trying to do anything else like changing your strokes or winning matches. Just Watch the Ball...