Monday's Important Things : Spin

Part One of "Building a Varsity Player"

Over the next four weeks, I want to walk through the important series of how to develop as a varsity tennis player. These steps should be followed in order, as this first part is an important base for the skills to follow. So check your skills for these attributes over the next several weeks at see at what point in your development you are.

SPIN (FORM) = Junior Varsity Player

The first part of developing your game is hitting strokes with the proper form and thus the proper form. Forehands and backhands should have the backswing low and follow through high, therefore producing topspin. Serves can be hit with topspin or slice. Volleys should be flat or slight backspin. But failing to hit with the correct form and spin can stunt the growth of any player.

A constant slicer of forehands and backhands can play at the JV level. But they will never excel at the varsity level. A key for any beginning player or JV member is to learn the form and spin necessary to become excellent. This means breaking out of the mold of "just getting the ball over" and beginning to look at the shape of your shot as being important. The form that you hit with being important.

You cannot hit the ball hard and in the court without correct form and proper topspin. You can't control the pace of your opponents shots without form and topspin. You can't learn to hit the corners of the court and move your opponent without form and topspin. I believe that everyone should start with learning topspin groundstrokes.

The essentials of topspin groundstrokes:

1. Use the correct grip. Forehand grip should be semi-western, backhand grip should be continental. If you need to see these, just search them on google image search. You should find a few different pictures.

2. Swing from low to high. If you swing straight back and straight through, you'll hit the ball in the net.

3. Don't force the topspin. You don't need to quick flip your wrist or spin your racket downwards or anything. Trust your grip and your low to high swing.

4. Practice and make small adjustments. Notice what isn't working and change it slightly. But remember, the goal is to get the ball spinning the right way.

Once you've mastered spin and the all important form that produces it, you are ready to climb to the next rung of the mastery ladder. So, come back next week.