Easy Steps For A Tennis Forehand Topspin

Putting topspin on a tennis ball is an effective technique to learn because it makes the return more difficult for your opponent. A ball with this type of spin has a forward rotation that causes it to dip down into the court. When the ball makes contact with the court, it kicks up and may not be at a comfortable height for your opponent. The key to topspin is to use the correct grip, develop solid stroke mechanics and prepare early.

Choose Your Grip

Renowned tennis coach Nick Bollettieri recommends using the Eastern forehand or the semi-Western grip to hit a topspin forehand. The Eastern grip, referred to as the shake-hands grip, places your palm flat behind the side of the racket's handle. To find this grip, hold your racket perpendicular to the ground and place your palm against the strings. If you slide your hand down the shaft to the handle and wrap your fingers around the handle, you will be holding the racket with an Eastern grip. Notice that the handle has eight sides and take note of which side your palm is holding. If you rotate your hand one side to your right, this is the semi-Western grip. Left-handed players rotate one side to the left.

Use a Loop Swing

Pivot onto your outside foot and rotate your hips and shoulders away from the net as you take your racket back to start a loop swing. Your outside foot is the one on the same side of your body as your hitting arm. Your non-hitting arm helps take the racket back and releases when your shoulders are sideways to the net. At the top of the loop, the racket strings should be eye level. As you lower your racket on the backside of the loop, keep the racket face, or hitting surface, at a slight angle and pointing down. At the bottom of the loop, keep the racket head below the level of the incoming ball. Bend your knees and lower your body in preparation to swing from low to high to contact the ball.

Brush Up at Contact

With an Eastern or semi-Western grip, the ideal place to contact the ball in relation to your body is when the ball is between your waist and chest, off to the side and slightly in front of your body. Shift your weight onto your front foot and use the racket's strings to bite into the nap of the ball as you brush up the back side. If you think of the tennis ball in terms of a world globe, brush up from the South Pole to the North Pole. Experiment with the angle of the racket as you contact the ball. If you find that the balls are going into the net, the racket face is too closed, meaning the hitting surface is pointing down too much. If the ball is going beyond the baseline, the racket face is too open, meaning the hitting surface is pointing up too much.

Extend the Follow-Through

Keep the momentum and the energy of your swing going through the point of contact. Elongate your follow-through and extend your hitting arm out toward your target. This increases your chance of hitting an accurate shot. Depending on the amount of spin you put on the ball, aim to hit the ball 3 to 5 feet over the net to ensure a deep shot. Allow your hitting arm to cross in front of your chest and finish with the racket head off to the side of your non-hitting arm.