Real Tennis Players - Like You! - Asking For, and Offering, Advice on the Sport They Love
Player to Player is USTA.com’s regular feature in which everyday tennis players are given a forum to ask advice on the sport they love – and their fellow players will dish out advice. We’ll post a number of the best responses we receive to our question of the week. PLAYER TO PLAYER DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT YOUR QUESTIONS, so please send any queries you’d like answered, or responses to other players' questions, to Player@USTA.com.
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SEND YOUR TIPS TODAY This week's question from Jake: | "I am 5' 5, and I was wondering... I have a good forehand, great backhand and am all right at the net. My weakness is my serve and volley. I probably win 70 percent of my volleys and was wondering if I should go in to the net or not. I mean, my forehand is good, so should I just stay back and rally? Please let me know what the textbook play would call for." | | Please share your thoughts with Jake by e-mailing Player@USTA.com and include your name and hometown.
Got a question of your own? Send that along, too! | |
READ OTHER PLAYERS' ADVICE
Last week’s question from Fredrik:
(Please note: There's no need to send additional responses to this question)"How can I cope with slices on my backhand? I have a topspin forehand weapon, and many of my opponents are neutralizing my game by consistently hitting slice shots on my backhand – either low slices or high ones. My backhand (both topspin and slice) is OK but no real weapon, compared to my forehand. How should I return these slices? My normal playing style is "active baseliner," and I win matches by keeping a better pace than my opponents, pushing them to make faults, and sometimes coming to the net. All this comes to nothing when I am pushed back by these slices on my backhand."
PLAYER RESPONSES:
From Leslie S.:
I, too, have trouble with people who slice to my backhand to neutralize my game. I do best when I get a jump on it so that I can hit a deep topspin backhand to their backhand.
I have found that slices have trouble if I can get my shot to bounce up high on their backhand side. Once in a while, if they have me stretched, I am able to slice it back low down the line, and that catches them off guard. But it is a tough shot, and if you can hit a deep backhand topspin off their slice, that will neutralize THEIR shot, and they won't know what else to do to you.
Just make sure you DO NOT give them some dinky return to the T of the service line. That is a reward for them, and they can put it away. Hope that helps.
From Dennis B., Rocky Mount, NC:
It sounds as if your opponents will always look for your "OK backhand" to enhance their returns based on what you give them. There are two possible ways to change up your anticipated backhand:
One is to flatten out your backhand down the line and make them generate the pace while transitioning from your previous shot (provided it was played deep cross court). It could force a short ball or an error.
Second, with the time it takes to prep for a topspin backhand, you could run around it and hit an inside-out forehand approach, leaving them with an apparently open down the line, which would play right into your forehand volley to their open court. They'll never expect that from an "active baseliner."
From Dick B., Morrisville, VT:
You have a few choices.
First, you should go to the net when you hit any shot that puts your opponent at a disadvantage, therefore applying more pressure that will force your opponent to hit a different shot or at least a lot better shot to win the point.
Secondly, if you can get your racket under the returned slice, return the slice with a slice, keeping the return low, or you can lob if your opponent comes to the net. Just remember to lob to the weak side of your opponent. You need to get off the baseline and not allow your opponent to come to the net or have a lot of open court to hit into.
From Al D., Olney, MD:
I would advise you to look to run around your backhand and punish those high slices. For the low slices, I would learn how to return low slice with low slice.
From Lindy Lou, Bensalem, PA:
Here are a few things you could try:
1. Run around your backhand and hit your forehand, which you said was your weapon. Try to hit an inside-out forehand to the corner.
2. Can you drop shot off a slice to your backhand?
3. I think the preferred shot is to hit topspin back when a slice is hit to you. (You said you have both, so hit topspin back.)
In general, you want to play to your strengths. If someone is neutralizing you, you must find a way to turn it around. I didn't say this would be easy. A few strategy lessons with a pro may be all you need.
From David M., Mebane, NC:
My advice for Fredrik on how to deal with the slice backhands to him is to go to the net on these slices, which are normally slower than other shots, and put them away for a winner.
The other obvious answer would be to quit hitting to opponents’ backhands if they are slicing you and beat them with the pace you talk about battling forehands. I, too, use the slice backhand to slow down my more powerful opponents.
From Rajiv S., Australia:
Tennis is an overall performance game, and just having one part mastered is not going to get things done.
If you have your forehand as a weapon, you should also be consistent with the backhand, and from the slight description, I am assuming that you might be a 4/4.5 player. At that level, you should be able to handle the pressure from both sides of the court.
Get a partner/coach to hit you the backhand slices with all the variations, and drill yourself to get all the balls back. With the partner, find his weak position, and try to return the backhand slice to his weakness. Practice and more practice only will help.
Good luck.
From Kenny S., Highland Park, IL:
It sounds like the slices you are having trouble with are defensive slices by the other player. You should just keep your grinding on the baseline, and return the ball deep with a topspin or an underspin return. Don't try to hit a winner or change direction on the ball; keep your active baseline game going.
Sometimes you might want to take a short slice and come into the net. One good idea would be to run around your backhand and use your weapon – your forehand. Don't let defensive shots cause you errors; keep focused, get the ball over, and wait for your opportunity.
A little junk added to your game might be a good idea, also -- hitting some drop-shot slices or just a defensive slice, waiting for the right shot to take advantage of.
Good luck to you, and good luck to Bill Lang, Rick Sommer and the rest of the senior Midwest team, as they go to face the nation in Jackson, Miss., this week!
From Coach Poppie, Palm Bay, FL:
Fredrik, having a big gun is great. Some say that without a big weapon, you can’t win today. Only a sucker, as we called him when I was a kid, would let his opponent pull the same thing twice in any game. Try this “Have Feet, Will Travel” approach.
Take a look at where you are with respect to the flight of the ball and its bounce. Remember, no matter how hard the ball is hit, how high a ball bounces or how excited you may be, one thing is for sure – gravity remains constant.
On high bounces, be patient and move to where you need to be. The ball will come down to your power zone. For line drives, when the ball is still falling, move in and take it in your power zone. On deep, low slices, work on your half volleys, and keep them low.
If low and away shuts you down, guess what he figured out.
There are no secrets; not every ball is hit to end the point. Work to the ball, work with the ball, and work your way to victory. The size of the court, the size of the ball and gravity all remain constant, so with “Have Feet, Will Travel,” you will instinctively add positive results to your all-around game by practicing and playing on every part of the court.
An active baseline moves the ball left and right, deep and short, down the line and sharp angles from both sides, all from the baseline region, sideline to sideline. Is that you? How’s it working for you?
“Have Feet, Will Travel” – there are no enemies between you and the net.
From Phil, Briarcliff Manor, NY:
It sounds like you have an aggressive baseline game, like Agassi. Your desire to outpace your opponent with big forehands might mean you need to develop patience. You will have to play cat and mouse with your opponents' slice to your backhand. That is, hit shots that force them to hit to your weapon, such as returning down the line.
If you get a slow ball to your backhand, you can run around it and hit a big forehand, either inside out or down the line, depending where your opponent is hanging out at the time. If you run around the backhand and hit down the line, be ready to sprint to your forehand side and hit another big forehand, however. Recovery to the middle after that shot is crucial.
You can also take time away from your opponent who hits you a high slice by taking it on the rise and driving it cross court. For low slices, you can engage in a cross-court battle of sliced backhands and see who blinks first.
Any way you slice it, it'd be fun and challenging.
*Please note that any advice given out in this forum should in no way be confused with actual medical advice. Before starting any new exercise regimen or altering your existing one, we strongly urge you to consult with your regular physician.
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