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Using Underspin to Add Offense to Your Game

Dave Kensler - Peter Burwash International (PBI)

At the recent US Open, the so-called "Magician," Fabrice Santoro played Roger Federer in three very close sets (7-5, 7-5, 7-6) before losing. How could Santoro, with a ranking in the 30's and a game lacking in power, create such problems for Federer? Very simple, he used underspin in virtually every aspect of his tennis game - groundstrokes, volleys, returns of serve, approach shots, and drop shots.

I believe a common misunderstanding about playing tennis is if you use underspin you must be a "pusher" or defensive player. This could not be further from the truth. I have seen plenty of tennis players hit big, loopy slow topspin ground strokes who were definitely "pushers" while I have seen other players use underspin shots to attack relentlessly and play a very aggressive game.

Many teaching professionals help their students use underspin in defensive situations but not how to create an attacking game using it. Make no mistake about it, underspin is a great defensive tactic whether it be for a lob, returning or "blocking" a strong serve, "floating" a ball while on the run, and so on. All tour players use it in these situations and others all the time.

But you can you can add more offense to your tennis game by utilizing underspin and I will show you how.

Terminology

I'll begin by clarifying the use of the word "underspin" or "backspin." These are the proper words when applied to ground strokes, volley, drop shots, lobs, and return of serves. A "slice" applies only to the serve or overhead. Think of slicing motion when you are cutting an apple for example, you don't use that same motion to hit a "slice backhand."

Federer uses underspin to return a heavy first serve.

Benefits of Underspin

It is human nature to be more agreeable to using or trying something different if one can understand the benefits of doing so. There are a number of key benefits to using underspin in your tennis game:

1. For an attacking ground stroke, approach shot, or return of serve - the ball will skid and stay low when it hits the court on the opponents side of the net.

2. A low ball forces your opponent to "hit up" to get the ball over the net. This means you are now looking at a rising ball and one which is easier to attack than if the opponent had a higher point of contact and was hitting the ball "down" on you.

3. Underspin can be created with a very short or long swing. You can basically block a return of serve and create underspin if the racquet face is slightly open. Topspin on the other hand takes a much longer low to high motion to create.

4. Underspin is more easily disguised with greater options than topspin (More details on this later in the article)

5. Hitting with underspin can be great for conserving your energy (when It is hot and you are tired) while still being able to create some offense. Every club has at least one player who never seems to move from the middle of the baseline but has their opponent running all over the court by using an assortment of spin shots.

Initial preparation ensures an element of disguise, racquet head is flat at contact, strings point toward the sky at finish.

Two Tips on Hitting Underspin

1. One of the most common ways tennis players hit underspin is to prepare the racquet so the face is already open. This virtually guarantees an underspin ball but there is no "disguise factor." Your opponent knows instantly by your racquet preparation an underspin shot will be coming to them and thus can better prepare their response.
   Sometimes this type of preparation also lends itself to a "chopping" motion and particularly if the racquet moves in a high to low path. A chop swing, while creating underspin, usually is lacking in ballspeed and depth.

2. To have good underspin with speed, depth, and disguise, I recommend a "think flat at contact and finish with the strings pointing up to the sky" swing.
   
   Initially you may find your shots floating or sailing. Don't panic! This simply means you are opening the racquet face too early and probably using a "cupping" motion to create the spin.The spin is not created by a radical turn of the racquet face right at the moment of contact, but rather a more gradual opening of the racquet face during the contact/follow-through phase.
   
   It will take a little practice to get the feel of "working" the ball in this manner, but your end result will be a great underspin shot.

As with any stroke and especially with the underspin stroke, the role of the opposite hand is important when changing grips; letting the hitting hand relax; keep the racquet head up; and guiding and preparing the racquet, that is, setting the angle of the racquet face to help ensure better underspin. For a more in depth analysis on how to use your opposite hand to improve your tennis game, see my previous article, "Use Your Opposite Hand to Improve Your Tennis Game."

Three Drills for Practicing Underspin from Easy To More Challenging

1. To get a good feel of the "think flat at contact and finish with the strings pointing to the sky" swing, stand on the court, drop and hit balls yourself. Some times the easiest way to get the feel of a particular shot (Drop shots are another example) is to do some "self feeding" so there is no pressure of the ball coming at you.

2. Set a ball machine on a slow to moderate speed and practice hitting with underspin at the same speed as the ball is coming to you.

3. One of my favorite playing drills - use any type of scoring, but once the serve is in play every shot beginning with the return must be hit with underspin! This will force you to use underspin in a wide variety of situations.

Now let's take a look at how underspin can help your tennis game.

The Triple Option

No, this is not a football play, instead, it is one of my favorite approaches to having my students incorporate underspin into their game. Specifically to working on return of serve in doubles (But it will work in singles too!).

Lets say you are returning serve from the ad court and your opponent has either an overall weak serve or simply a weak second serve. In this situation I tell my students to "read" the server and then decide which option to use:

1. If the server stays back and does not come in; hit a short angled underspin return to the side-T which will then force them to move up to try to get it. Remember, if they stay back don't return the ball to them, that is what they want. Make them move for their next shot.

2. If the server follows the serve to the net; hit an underspin shot at their feet which forces them to hit up and you or your partner can then move in and put away a volley.

3. If the server follows the serve to the net and their partner is either very close to the net or looks like they might try to poach; hit a soft underspin lob over the server's partner.

In that situation, you have three options from which to choose, a soft-angled shot (Almost a drop shot); a more forceful, driving shot, and a lob. What makes this even more advantageous is the "disguise factor." If you practice using the same type of racquet preparation, it is virtually impossible for your opponent to know which of those three shots you are going to use by looking at your racquet!

Furthermore, in all three scenarios, you have potentially created an offensive situation for yourself or your doubles team. You have put your opponents on the defense by using underspin!

On Return of Serve Think Approach Shot

Along the same thought process as "the triple option," you can take a short or weak serve and come into the net yourself. Many tennis players, at least based upon the comments I hear, make more mistakes than they should returning weak or wimpy serves. Why? Because they try to hit the ball hard or hit a winner. If a serve is coming to you at 25 mph and you try to hit it at 75 mph you are tripling the speed which is going to increase your chance for an error.

I often tell my students to adjust their mental strategy on returning weak serves. Rather than think of it as a "return of serve' instead think of it as "hitting an approach shot."

When you are in a baseline rally and your opponent hits a short ball, what do you do? You move forward to hit the ball and perhaps even close into the net. The same tactic applies for a weak serve! Hit an approach shot type of return, with underspin and come into the net.

Use Underspin on Approach Shots

Remember, one of the key benefits of using underspin is that it keeps the ball low. Therefore, with few exceptions, when using an approach shot to come to the net, you should use underspin. This will then force your opponent to hit the ball up, making it easier for you to close in and put away a volley.

Even at the tour level, I am often amazed at how many players hit a topspin approach shot. These shots, bounce about waist level making it easier for opponents to rip passing shots. Unless your opponent is so weak that any spin will create problems for them, do not hit a topspin approach shot as the ball is almost always going to bounce right up into their comfort zone.

A good underspin shot will stay below their knees and make it much more difficult for them to pass you. Remember, most tennis players are more comfortable with a ball that bounces between their knees and waist versus a ball that bounces between their ankles and knees.

These are just a few examples of how you can be in an attacking mode of play by using underspin. Like all other shots in tennis, it will take some practice, but you can create a wonderful variety of speed, angles, and deception by adding underspin to your tennis game!

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Dave Kensler's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.

Dave Kensler has been teaching tennis for 23 years with Peter Burwash International(PBI).

PBI contracts with resorts, hotels and clubs all over the world to direct tennis programs.The companypresentlyhasprofessionals working at62 facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean. During its 30 years in business, PBI tennis professionals have taught tennis in over 135 countries.For more information visit: www.pbitennis.com.