Stopping Hard strokes

luis mendez Asked 13 years ago

Hi, i would like you can help me, i have been playing against a player who serves a very very no spin serve and short, and when i return it he makes a very hard stroke with his forehand, in the first time i tried to block it, but i just receive another stroke hardest, so i start to attack that stroke hard too, but the thing is that he realize that so he starts to do  the same but in his backhand, and in that side i am not able to attack his stroke back, im looking the way i can put some backspin to my strokes because he can make a hard stroke but he is not able to make a topspin, but when he sees a chop or a push he always push me back but his ball comes really really no spin and no strong, so it is when i return the ball just without spin and he takes advantage on it, i hope you can help me with this, thanks.

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Luis,

When he puts no spin on the serve you need to go more vertically with your push to get it short and with backspin.

If you can generate the backspin he will find it more difficult to attack. The other important thing is to try to keep the ball short, close to the net.  Again this will make it more difficult for him to attack.

Gaining the first attack is a crucial part of the game.