Dealing with Higher Ball

Strokes

Vijay Madge
Member Badge Vijay Madge Asked 12 years ago

I am 65 and these days I find that while I can lift up heavy spin chops with my forehand and backhand top spin drives, somehow I cannot finish the rally with a flat smash even if and especially if I receive a high return both at the net and near me at the border of my side which used to be my favourite shot in youth. Can you tell me what is going wrong? Should I step back and finish or should I always topspin even when the ball is fairly high? Or is it I am misreading the ball altogether? If I hit the top spin drive generally I am successful but I fail to understand what goes wrong when I use a flat racket.


Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago

Hi Vijay,

I would recommend you to use the topspin in these sorts of strokes.  Perhaps you are not quite getting the timing right on the flat ball.  You could try hitting the flat shot a little slower till you get the feel and the confidence with the shot.


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Thoughts on this question


Vijay Madge

Member Badge Vijay Madge Posted 12 years ago

Thanks Alois. After asking the question I happened to see your video relating to this topic and by following your suggestion there I find I can hit the 'kill' as we say. As I had suspected, I was not getting into the right position for the smash because a high return always lit up my eyes and I would get excited to execute the smash half volley as I used to do in youth successfully. Now I must learn to wait I suppose. And the top spin of course always works even on a floating ball. Thanks for the answer.


Alois Rosario

Member Badge Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 12 years ago

No problems Vijay.


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