Forehand Topspin wrist angle

Hi Pingskills, 

I have a question regarding the wrist in the forehand topspin. Not so much about using it, but more about the "natural position" of the wrist. You see, my current "wrist position" is a bit "sleeping downwards". To me, I think it's because I try to relax my arm and due to the relaxation, my wrist will "come down".

While I personally see this as a sign of being relaxed, my coaches has to me to lift up my wrist as a " Downwards" Will cause my forehand topspin to have sidespin and would easily hit the edge of the racket. Even sometimes people blocking my forehand topspin would complain as it has sidespin. 

My coaches say opening the wrist angle will allow better hitting area of the racket, more power and control. But I personally feel like I need to consciously lift the wrist and slightly tense my muscles to keep it up. 

What are your thoughts on this? 

Hi Eugene,

The position of the wrist in the forehand topspin is indeed crucial for effective stroke execution and it’s good to explore what works best for you. In general, a relaxed wrist is important as it contributes to the fluidity and snap of your stroke, which is essential for generating spin and speed. However, when it comes to the "natural" or relaxed position of the wrist, it can vary from player to player based on comfort and physical structure. Your coach's advice on slightly "lifting" or "opening" the wrist is geared towards optimising the contact point and angle on the racket when striking the ball. This position typically helps in striking the ball with more consistent topspin and reduces unintended sidespin which can indeed be caused by a more downward or overly relaxed wrist angle during contact. By opening up the wrist, you’re aligning the racket to hit the ball with more flat and centered contact, providing better stroke efficiency. Nevertheless, the tension you're feeling in your wrist when trying to maintain this suggested position shouldn't be intense. While it might require some conscious effort initially, the goal is to find a balance where your wrist is sufficiently firm to control the stroke, but not so tense that it becomes rigid or uncomfortable. It often takes a bit of practice and adjustment to transition into a new wrist position, but with time, it should start to feel more natural.