Push and Drop

When attempting to return a backspin serve, I find pushing very difficult. Whenever I do it, either the ball goes high or into the net. Only about one out of four serves can I push well.

I have seen players returning serve, instead of performing a chopping action, simply hold their bat open up still and let the ball bounce back, similar to the dropshot against chop. Is this a good practice to return a backspin serve? Since I can return a serve much more consistently with this stroke.

Hi Aphrodite,

The short push return can be very effective.  To make this stroke you don't have to have a big stroke, just as you say hold your bat open and let the ball bounce back.  The key is to get the angle of your bat correct.

This is in fact a type of push as well.