How To Punish Short Balls in Tennis 🎾 (4 ways)

How To Punish Short Balls in Tennis 🎾 (4 ways)
Working hard during a point to receive a short forehand and then missing it is one of the worst feelings in tennis.
In this lesson, Coach Simon Konov will show you 4 ways you can punish short balls and start winning more tennis matches as a result.
Method One:
Attack the short ball with heavy topspin.
This will allow you to be aggressive with your racket head speed, whilst maintaining a good degree of control. The goal with this shot is not to hit winners but to set up the winning volley.
Treat it like an approach shot as opposed to a winner which will reduce the pressure on yourself.
Method Two:
Attack the short ball using a slice approach. This works extremely well on faster surfaces such as indoor courts, grass courts or carpet courts.
Focus on getting above the contact point so you’re able to cut down the ball during the strike zone.
Method Three:
Attack the short ball by hitting it at the apex. This means the ball isn’t rising (on the rise) or dropping, it’s at that dead spot for a split second.
Focus on hitting through this ball, with a more linear motion.
Method Four:
The disguised drop shot.
This is where you set up as if you’re going to drive the approach, and at the last moment, you switch into the continental grip and hit a drop shot.
This should be used just occasionally to keep your opponent guessing.
Video Timeline:
00:00 - Method One (heavy topspin)
02:25 - Method Two (slice approach)
04:45 - Method Three (hit at apex)
06:10 - Method Four (drop shot)
#tennis

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Which method do you prefer?

[@TheBlessedLion]

Depends on where is the position of the opponent…and the court surface…on carpet slice, on hardcourt and clay with spin…

[@user-dv4vg6ee7l]

1 method the best in clay court + dropshot

[@luyin1961]

All four approaches seem to require a relatively high ball and early preparation to there. The 3rd option seems more ideal,. However, the more common situation involves low shortballs, which is much harder to finish, as it requires lifting the ball over the net.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

If the ball is lower, you can use the heavy topspin approach, the slice approach or the disguised drop shot. Hitting at the apex is still possible but will require you to lift it, so a flatter shot is not an option

[@livinglogically8180]

Your videos are technical masterpieces, love how you get to every detail and explain it lucidly. Thank you and please keep them coming, we need to get better!!

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Thank you for the support 🙏

[@user-dv4vg6ee7l]

Thank you coach Simon - the good lessons!

[@Jonnnatane]

As usual, great stuff ! Cheers

[@serhatngd]

Çok güzel teknikler👍Teşekkürler👏👏👏

[@mustafaalsaffar7366]

This is the lesson I was searching for!!! Kudos to you Simon Keep up the good work. Could u plz do a video for balls are bounce high due a medium lob. I tend to lob them back or slice them as a serve but I miss a lot

[@lynx4444]

Again great vid! Could you please briefly post the positioning and the adjustments of your slinger, so I can reproduce this drill on our court? Thank you in advance! ❤

[@user-ii4ll4cz3m]

I like that you have the same camera angle for all 4 shots. I can clearly see the difference in body and arm motion for each shot.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

👌

[@viorel.muresan]

Hi Simon! What string and tension do you use in your Babolat Aero VS racquet? It is your main racquet, the racquet you play nowadays? Thank you.

[@user-os6rx6ev7s]

Really cool advises 👍

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Thank you 🙏

[@FS-hp9oy]

Cheers Simon ...

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

My pleasure

[@anthonydabaco8407]

Excellent content, thank you. Would welcome a video on tips to generating power on serve.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Added to the list 🙏

[@ytoru9630]

Brilliant video! Thank you! Could you precise: hitting at apex is another approach shot or rather should be a winner?

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

It should be an approach shot but if you hit a winner, then that’s a bonus 😉

[@ytoru9630]

@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial Ok, thanks. So in general, should we (amateurs) never be looking for a winner? On pro level short ball = winner (usualy).

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

You don’t need to worry about it being a winner if the quality is good. Pros don’t think “I have to hit a winner here” they are executing the shot to the best of their ability and that often results in a winner

[@nicholastsinonis]

Awesome video. What settings you used on the slinger bag to practice the short ball drills? Thanks

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

I think it was: Speed at 11 o’clock Tempo at 1 o’clock Trajectory at 25%

[@nicholastsinonis]

@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial thank you so much. I will practice the shots tomorrow.

[@bmanbusee3812]

Great stuff man. My weakness is my forehand slice. Not sure what I’m doing wrong but it doesn’t have pace and just sits up for my opponent to come in and finish the point. Any advice?

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

This lesson is just for you - kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4DEi4erltZ5icUsi=eegOndsnMDHO5Xvj

[@bmanbusee3812]

@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial appreciate it

[@IsaiahW16]

I asked and top tennis never fails to deliver!

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

At your service sir 🙏

[@dogholooha]

Awwwsooom top tennis.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Thank you 🙏

[@pejipe2297]

Hello, Can you give the reference of your ball launcher please ?

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

It’s a slinger bag

[@Kelvin-ed6ce]

Only TTT delivers high level tennis instructoon, rather than the crappy relaxed lessons elsewhere. Tgis is because the coaches at ttt really can play the modern game. Lots of coaches are styck in the past or don't have a good level themselves which is sad.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

Thank you for the support 🙏

[@TheBlessedLion]

What happened with the court…? So small….

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

It’s not a real court, it’s half a court with a wall

[@TheBlessedLion]

@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial …😂…❤️

[@sharkme3561]

The stroke 57 seconds in is not the correct stroke to use from mid court to the net. He is trying to use a full stroke baseline top-spin. Baseline stroke uses coil, full arm, full wrist, uncoil. Just use no coil, extended up front arm, no uncoil, all wrist stroke for advanced players. I did like his slice volley and flat which I use all the time and he is right it surprises most.

[@TopTennisTrainingOfficial]

If you can make a better lesson on the subject, go ahead, send me the link when it’s done. I’ll be happy to critique it for you

[@sharkme3561]

@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial I actually did do that 2 weeks ago but it was done at night which was a little too dark to really appreciate.