How Do I Return a Forehand Chop?

Bob Unknown Asked 16 years ago

I am having considerable trouble returning my opponents forehand back-spin chop. Three out of four times I'll return the ball straight into the net. If I do manage to get it back, it is usually done poorly, this allows my opponent to easily smash it to my out of reach corner. I have noticed that my forehand top-spin is the worst return against the forehand back-spin chop, it really just sinks them into the net. What do you recommend as an offensive retaliation to the forehand back-spin chop?

Alois Rosario Answered 16 years ago

Hi Bob,

To return the backspin ball you can do one of two things

1. Push the ball back.
This involves getting the angle of the bat right. If the ball is going into the net, you need to face the bat more towards the roof and push the bat forward. If the ball is going too high then you need to face the bat more towards the net and push forward.
Have a look on the Ping Skills website at the Lesson on the Forehand Push.

The keys here are brushing the abll on contact. The swing needs to start low (around knee high) and finish high (above your head). This will generate the lift to get the ball over the net. The other important factor is to generate enough racket head speed to lift the ball over the net. A slow swing will not generate enough lift. For more information look at Lesson on the Forehand Topspin against Backspin.

As an offensive retaliation the forehand topspin is usually the best.  However you can also be offensive with a well placed push.

Give these both a try and see how it goes.