He isn't nicknamed "The Bull" for nothing. Tennis' #1 player Raphael Nadal had risen to #2 in a remarkable amount of time, then proceeded to sideline Federer and finally took the throne this year. The aspects of his game that shot him up to #1 include speed, defensive maneuvering, and power. But the most important aspect is one that is admired the world over- his ability to generate massive amounts of topspin, exceeding 3200 rpm! By following these simple rules, you will form the foundation for hitting topspin, and by sticking to them, you will become a topspin pro.
Rule #1- Proper Grip
You have to grip your racquet with the semi-western or western grip. This is imperative. Without the racquet, one could not play tennis, and without proper grip, one can't swing the racquet correctly. If you can't swing the racquet correctly, you can't hit correctly. Grip should be the number one priority in your game. Make sure to switch to either the semi-western or western (the latter is used for hitting with the most spin) and keep it. At first, it will feel weird, but keep swinging with it and you'll eventually get in the habit of using this grip.
Rule #2- Proper Ball Positioning
Have the ball in front of you, by at least 12 inches (meaning your racquet should contact the ball 12 inches in front of you). This should be 12 inches from your lead foot. Whether you hit the open stance or closed stance forehand is up to you, but make sure the ball is in front of you. Everyone hits at a different distance, so start off with 12 inches and try to find your optimal contact point.
Rule #3- Proper Backswing
The backswing is the taking back of the racquet. Forming a loop is the best way to get your racquet in position to generate huge topspin. Practitioners of the loop include Raphael Nadal, Fernando Gonzales, Lleyton Hewitt, and Carlos Moya. Take the racquet above your head, loop it, and have it near waist level. You don't need a really big loop, but any kind of loop is optimal.
Rule #4- Proper Racquet Positioning
After finishing the loop, make sure your racquet is below the ball. The more it is under the ball, the more topspin you will get when you swing. It really is up to you. Also, have the stringbed be parallel to the ground. Make sure the strings are facing down (they don't have to be exactly parallel).
Rule #5- Proper Swing
So now the ball is in front of you, you have gone through the backswing, and have the racquet under the ball. Now, you start the swing. The swing should be from low to high; this is so you can put spin on the ball. You want to "brush" up the back of the ball- by brushing, your strings move vertically, so the ball is forced to spin forward.
To get a better understanding of this, watch Novak Djokovic in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc&feature=related At 13 seconds, he's ready to do the swing- he positions his racquet beneath the ball, then swings low to high. At the contact point, his stringbed is facing the ball, and as he swings up, the strings move up, imparting spin. All you want to aim for is swinging the racquet down to up, so the strings move low to high, and this makes the ball spin forward.
Rule #6- Proper Follow Through
You may be surprised at the way Novak finishes his swing. After he contacts the ball, it seems like he creates an arc with his racquet. This is the follow through. Without it, your swing isn't complete, and you won't get as much topspin on the ball. Creating this "arc" is vital to imparting topspin. With this follow through, your ball is more accurate and you get a cleaner swing. If your racquet follows this "arc," you naturally impart spin on the ball. Novak finishes with his racquet over his shoulder- you may do this, or you may finish with the racquet at waist level. Andy Roddick is known for doing this.
If you have never hit with topspin before, it feels like a new sensation, a completely different stroke than what you're used to. If you stick to these 6 important rules, you will get used to striking the ball this way. The key is to "brush" up the ball with your racquet, to achieve topspin. Now that you know how to hit topspin, try to hit it as good as Nadal. It's time to "Vamos!" Get out there and give it your all!
Check out Abeed Rahman's website at http://www.freewebs.com/expert1 Any comments, questions, or opinions can be emailed to triple14@hotmail.com
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