I've mentioned before that keeping the
ball deep holds your opponent at bay and produces
errors. The best way to keep the ball deep, and your
opponent off balance, is with topspin. If you don't hit
your forehand with topspin you may need to devote quite
a bit of practice to master this stroke. Let's look at a
few pointers.
A semi-western grip (hold the racket like a
frying pan) helps generate topspin and gives more
support since your palm is behind the handle
As you take your racket back and
line up for the incoming ball, make
the butt of your racket point at the
ball (this gets your wrist in the
right position)
Take the racket back hip high or
lower - some people take it back
higher and drop it before they swing
forward, that's ok too
Swing from the low racket back position to a
high finish over your other shoulder, hitting the
ball out in front of your body
Try to visualize these tips and then practice the
topspin forehand. Also revisit
Hit the fence to help you still hit through the ball
while hitting topspin. If topspin is new to you, you're
probably going to need video to see the mechanics of
this stroke. Check out the master Roger Federer. Watch
for the pointers mentioned above.
