Trouble with topspin? Here’s a simple and effective way to learn to hit it.
PROBLEM
You have difficulty applying topspin to the ball because you instinctively swing from high to low. It’s particularly common with young beginners who equate the motion with hitting a baseball. The resulting shots are slices or flat balls that you have little control over.
SOLUTION
To introduce the concept of swinging from low to high, I’ve had success using an ordinary household broom. Stand on the baseline with your racquet back, holding that position. Have someone face you while gripping a broom firmly by the handle and positioning the bristles at your point of contact. Now swing at the broom and brush up on the bristles with your strings. If the motion is too level or high-to-low, your strings will get stuck in the broom. But when you brush past the bristles without getting stuck, you’ve got the proper brushing motion needed to apply topspin to the ball. You’ll also improve your extension and follow through. It’s a great way to “clean up” a messy topspin stroke.