Low/short shot weakness with an eastern forehand

[lauren2009]

I have recently returned to tennis after a 15 year hiatus.

I am right-handed and have a 3.5 level forehand groundstroke at this time. I can hit with good topspin and placement. At 5'11" I am a tall girl, and can even hit high-bouncing balls with top-spin, and I relish the opportunity to do so.

My instructor recently convinced me to change from a semi-western double-bend forehand to an eastern straight-arm forehand. I must say the change almost immediately increased my power and consistency. I have been very happy with this change so far.

Also, when switching between backhands and forehands (either direction), I make fewer mistakes changing grips because the grip change is less extreme than before. And when coming to the net, it is easier and more accurate switching to the continental, another plus for this eastern forehand grip.

But my problem is low/short balls at the forehand. I don't mind the low/short backhands so much, because I can easily slice these balls or even reliably hit them flat because my one-hand backhand is naturally closer to the contact point and it is easy to bend low and tee-off to some degree on such shots.

But my only choices with the eastern forehand on low/short shots seem to be to either lamely slice the ball back into play or hit it flat, though when I hit it flat I tend to dig underneath it, which often times sends the ball long or high.

I like to follow short forehand balls in to the net after hitting them, but right now I am exposed to counterattack because I dig them too high or float them across the net with a forehand slice.

Any suggestions on how to attack these low/short forehand shots? Are there any videos here of tall players with an eastern grip and straight-arm forehand attacking low/short balls?

Thanks

[uspta990770809]

There is that Swiss guy

I have recently returned to tennis after a 15 year hiatus.

I am right-handed and have a 3.5 level forehand groundstroke at this time. I can hit with good topspin and placement. At 5'11" I am a tall girl, and can even hit high-bouncing balls with top-spin, and I relish the opportunity to do so.

My instructor recently convinced me to change from a semi-western double-bend forehand to an eastern straight-arm forehand. I must say the change almost immediately increased my power and consistency. I have been very happy with this change so far.

Also, when switching between backhands and forehands (either direction), I make fewer mistakes changing grips because the grip change is less extreme than before. And when coming to the net, it is easier and more accurate switching to the continental, another plus for this eastern forehand grip.

But my problem is low/short balls at the forehand. I don't mind the low/short backhands so much, because I can easily slice these balls or even reliably hit them flat because my one-hand backhand is naturally closer to the contact point and it is easy to bend low and tee-off to some degree on such shots.

But my only choices with the eastern forehand on low/short shots seem to be to either lamely slice the ball back into play or hit it flat, though when I hit it flat I tend to dig underneath it, which often times sends the ball long or high.

I like to follow short forehand balls in to the net after hitting them, but right now I am exposed to counterattack because I dig them too high or float them across the net with a forehand slice.

Any suggestions on how to attack these low/short forehand shots? Are there any videos here of tall players with an eastern grip and straight-arm forehand attacking low/short balls?

Thanks

There is that Swiss guy that made that nice shot last weekend between his legs to get to match point in that little tournament in NY last weekend. He's a couple of inches taller than you are and has a grip pretty close to a classic Eastern. There's a lot of video on him...Roger something or other.

[lauren2009]

I wonder if he'll give me lessons? On the other hand, he lost at the end.

[uspta146749877]

Example

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/rogerfederer/approach_and_volley/Forehand%20Approach/forehand_approach.html?FedererFHApproachFHVCourtLevelFront1.mov

[stumphges]

The eastern grip should make it easier to hit low balls. With a straight-arm, eastern forehand your model may as well be RF, as the others have noted.

Take a look at this video, paying attention to how, on low balls, Federer's racquet head approaches from below, with the racquet inverted, and then comes into the ball from low to high and from left to right (inside to outside). The swingpath puts a top-sidespin on the ball (like a hook in golf). Nadal does the same thing on low balls, which he hits with ease these days, despite a western grip that should make it hard for him.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/roger_federer_09/rf_forehand/rf_fh_short/rf_fh_short.html?RFFHShortNeutralStanceFront1.mov

The Federer 2009 Forehand Short section in Tour Strokes has lots of nice examples of neutral stance low forehands moving forward - which fall in the category of David Bailey's "step down" footwork technique.

[bottle]

Lauren, I think all of the above is very good.

First, there are natural advantages to a low ball with a Federfore. Your arm,
straight compared to your old double-bend, means you can tilt at the ball
more rather than bend your knees to the max in classic Scout fashion. You
kind of golf the ball then, don't you? And because it's down from you, it's closer to you than a waist-high shot. But it's still out there-- good for the end of a long run. There's reach built into the stroke, in other words. (Of course bending the knees is always good in all sports.)

The most important thing is to play matches against someone who gives you
low stuff all the time. At a little under 6' 5" I've seen a lot of this. Knowing
exactly where you're going to go is at least half of the fun. Down the
the line will always be a great choice, following it in. But as my Federfore has
developed, I find myself hitting to the short T (crosscourt) more and more.

The reason for this corresponds to what stumphges was telling you about
inside out racket work. And to what Carrera Kent has been saying in this website. The Federfore to me is a big sweeping body stroke except for one short section where the hand bowls shallowly from one arbitrarily chosen point
on the big circle to a next. "Bowl" to me means slightly down and slightly up.
Seen from above it would be a straight line.

It's just a way of speaking, though: There's no way you can make the strings
go straight when the body is bringing them around. But you feel as if you're sending them straight to a point somewhere on the right fence if you're right-handed. I have the feeling on all of these shots that I am swinging the racket
frame 90 degrees away from the target no matter where it is.

Complication: "mondo" and "anti-mondo." Mondo happens in middle of the
bowl. You accelerate the palm of your hand but let it open up and lower at
the same time (a passive motion). Then hand rejoins the original broad, sweeping circle and at same rate of speed as before. Passively, the forearm
rolls and the wrist straightens to take the strings farther right than any other
way. This is really hitting the ball as far as I'm concerned. I can push it and
swat it, as well, but when you're 69 years old and destroying somebody 6-0,
6-0-- a person who used to torture you, it's pretty sweet.

Sometimes, though, the ball will only be one inch off the surface. Continental
grip and cross it from outside to in for sidespin and let the forward progress
of your desperately (but smoothly) scrambling body provide the wanted depth and weight. No weight or very little might equal a very strange looking but
extremely effective dink/drop-shot (somewhere in between), sidespun and
barely clearing the net. Relax the hand and fingers I would say. On some days these shots are unbelievable; on others a deep approach shot down the line would be far preferable but don't flirt with both lines. Flirt with the side line but not the back line. Give the back line a five-foot margin. Then if
adrenalin takes you to within six inches of the back line, it's okay, you hit an
even better approach shot than you planned.

One other thing (there's always another thing). I noticed from watching many films that Federer slightly lays back his wrist near beginning of his forehand as
he raises his racket head. How much? About half of the available range, I would say, with the other half occurring during the mondo. If you don't make
this initial adjustment perhaps there will be too much of a wag or rough glitch
in your stroke and failure to achieve a smooth rasp with the strings.

[lauren2009]

Thanks

Thanks for the replies. Much to think about. Unfortunately, that's all I will be able to do for the next few months because I tore my right calf muscle today playing tennis. This is the third time I have done this to the same muscle this year. Now I am worried it will never heal correctly. I guess I will be looking for a different sport's medicine doctor tomorrow.

[bottle]

Injury, Loss, Life Marching on

Lauren, I'm very sorry to hear that just as I'm very sorry to hear about John Yandell's mother's health problems. A torn muscle, however, is better than a pulled tendon, in my experience. Whatever specialist you choose, he or she
may tell you to stay off of the court altogether. But unless this person is a tennis player herself, she may not know there is a big period where you could
just be dropping and hitting balls without running around and stopping and starting, which is where you do the real damage.

The absolute best improvements in my game have occurred when I was doing
this kind of thing, once after knee surgery even, and I believe that dropping and hitting those balls and a few back-footed serves accelerated the healing process.

Of course Rod Laver is alleged to have believed that tennis was the cure for all medical problems and everything, and that (I'm sure he would agree by now) can't be true. Good luck.

[lauren2009]

bottle

I am sorry to hear about the situation with John's mother. I hope for the best for her.

Bottle, carrying on with your thoughts, I wonder if this "down time" for me would be a good time to seek out a good serving coach and learn to perfect my serves? I would love coming back to the game with a good kick, twist and slice serve. I already have a good first flat serve.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas.

[airforce1]

Vitalzym

Lauren,

Check out vitalzym. It is a all natural blend of enzymes, formulated for repair and recovery. I tore a calf muscle pretty bad and had to get help off the court.
You could see the damage and fluid build up right away from the tear and it was all black and blue.

My teammates were amazed that even at 48, I was back on the court in 10 days and it was forgotten in 20! ask if you have any questions.
It's also great for tennis elbow or any inflammation. I don't make any money off this, but just like here with you, have shared with many and probably have over 50 success stories.

[lauren2009]

vitalzym

Hey I will check that out. Thanks for the tip.

P.S. I was in the USAF too. Small world. ha ha

[longtennis]

your FH

Hey there Lauren.
You can go to the stroke archive to see what players are doing on low shots, especuially Fed. First off, if you are moving to net check out the Front foot hop (David Bailey). Secondly check out how the pro's are getting racquet head speed and spin. On a low ball you either need a really low follow through (around the waist) or a reverse follow through like Nadal (but keep i compact).
When you get better I promise these will help.