Dealing with a High Ball to the Backhand
by: Dave Winship @ On The Line

High backhands are notoriously difficult to deal with effectively. In fact, although you're reading this to find out how to deal with them, you'll benefit just as much by turning the problem on its head and making your opponent deal with them! This is particularly so if your opponent has a single-handed backhand and doesn't move well enough to hit an off-forehand.

It's probably not a great idea to try to hit a high backhand with topspin. It depends how high your contact is going to be, but unless you possess great strength and timing, you'll find it difficult to brush up the ball and get any sort of forward penetration once the ball gets up around shoulder height. Better to go for slice.

Better still to take the ball on the rise with a flat stroke. And that's the point really - your best option is to avoid letting the ball get high in the first place. Don't let the high looper get onto you. Work your feet, take it early and try to make contact in front of your body. If you're fast enough, consider running around and hitting an off-forehand on the rise, again trying to make contact in front of your body.

If you get caught out and you've simply got to take the ball at shoulder height or higher, step into the shot, but lean away slightly at the waist so that you can get your arm up high enough to swing at the ball.

Regards.

Dave Winship