You know that shot that everybody hates? It’s uncomfortable and annoying to deal with. You feel weak when trying to hit it, it gets you out of position, and it makes it easy to take advantage of you. Yes, I’m talking about the high bouncer! But don’t worry, here are some ways to either avoid them or hit them effectively.
1. Avoid them by hitting “On the Rise”
On the rise is one of my favorite ways to avoid a high bounce. I take advantage of the ball before it takes advantage of me! What I mean by that is I basically meet the ball right near the bounce, and before it pops up too high on me, I block it back. There is little backswing on this shot and the swing should be very compact. Go forward and stay low with the ball! A great way to practice this is to rally at the service line. Make contact at or below waist level depending on the shot.
2. Back up!
Don’t like the high ball? Move your feet and back up so the ball will drop to your ideal comfort zone. Now this isn’t my favorite option because it requires more footwork. Plus if you judge the bounce wrong it can still be difficult. You need to be able to return this high ball with another high, deep, or lofty shot so it will allow you time to recover back into position.
3. Hitting the High Ball
-The Stance-
Track this ball like no other. Start moving and building your swing with the racket head up. For the forehand, set up with the outside foot. A semi-open stance will be perfect for this shot. Use that back leg to help transfer your weight into the shot. You want to make sure you are still moving and swinging with your body weight forward even though the shot pushed you back.
-The Swing-
Preparation for the swing is the same as other shots. The difference is the racket head will drop only slightly below where you make contact to ensure that you will be hitting up on the ball. As you swing and make contact, the racket head will be actually above the hand. (See image)
-Finish it-
Now if your opponent hit this high bouncing shot and decided to stay at the baseline hit a deep, high shot back to them with a higher finish. This is a great way to allow yourself time to recover. You could also flatten it out by having a lower finish. If they come to the net you may want to try and hit it back at their feet by finishing the swing a lot faster and wrapping it around the body.
As mentioned, this shot is not easy. It requires much practice! So grab a partner or the ball machine and get to work 😉 Soon this shot won’t be as intimidating as it may seem at the moment. You GOT THIS!!!!!
