View Full Version : what is slapping the ball ?

11-26-2009, 08:46 AM
Heard the other day a coach mentioning it to a junior. Can anyone explain ?


11-26-2009, 09:23 AM
Is it or is it not recommended?

11-26-2009, 09:24 AM
Usually when someone using loose grip, loose wrist, no control, and no tennis form and no technique.

11-26-2009, 09:25 AM
You can use it, but you'll remain the 2.5 that you are.....

11-26-2009, 09:27 AM
I'm not too sure, but my coach says it too.

I'll take a guess at it, but someone correct me if i'm wrong.

I'd say it's when someones hitting the ball hard and flat but with no control. Normally its when someone is being lazy and not getting a full body turn nor setting up properly and you sort of wrist the ball. It's more or less a squash looking shot then a tennis shot.

11-26-2009, 09:29 AM
loose grip, loose wrist are arguably good things.
But "no control, and no tennis form and no technique." = sprayed ball, isn't it?

11-26-2009, 09:37 AM
Trying to hit extremely flat???

11-26-2009, 09:38 AM
Is it or is it not recommended?

No control (you might be able to control the direction, but it's really hard to be consistent and hit 2+ balls trying to keep a good pace), its not recommended at ALL. It's kind of like how federer practices being lazy, but he doesn't end up slapping the ball because he doesn't wrist snap at the ball.

11-26-2009, 09:44 AM
Trying to hit extremely flat???

Well you end up hitting extremely flat with no control as a result from slapping at the ball, you might be able to get spin, but it's not a lot.

Here i found something about slapping the ball.
"If you are hitting the ball hard and flat, but with no control, you are probably slapping the ball with your wrist, more or less like a squash shot. Slow the swing down and just rally at a medium pace, until you get control of the ball. "

11-26-2009, 09:53 AM
It means you aren't using solid form. No knee bend, shoulder turn, etc, only using your arm to hit the ball.

11-26-2009, 09:54 AM
I believe "slapping the ball" refers to swing path and follow through. If your racquet follows through across your body too quick and there is only one split second where you can contact the ball, then your slapping the ball.

Here is a video of Federer doing the opposite of slapping, there is about a 2-3ft contact zone in his swing path before his racquet follows through across his body.

11-26-2009, 09:58 AM
My personal thought is just as it implies... a wristy shot hit with a flat racket face as opposed to making a stroke. Like if you were to slap your opponent across the face for questioning a line call.

11-26-2009, 10:05 AM
At this point I would by Blake's find and Superfly's answer, but I'm still not sure about "no control".

I think I used to "slap" the shot alot but I had a lot of control with it -- the ball was always in and good -- but it had no pace and made the loudest noise on contact, much like slapping your palms together. I really don't know how slapping is different from a "regular" hit (other than no pace and noise). A hit is a hit, but probably the racket doesn't "bite" hard into the ball?

11-26-2009, 11:02 AM
Terms have a way of changing meaning over time. "Slapping", in the context of hitting a tennis ball, has two different manifestations and one root cause, in my experience. The caveat is that my experience spans more than a couple decades; thus, my definition may be somewhat dated.

Slapping, in my view, is at it's heart, minimal contact with the ball through the hitting zone. By virtue of this minimal contact, there is essentially no dwell time on the strings, and no "feel" for the ball. There may be several contributing factors, which include poor footwork, timing, and technique.

The actual slap, as I would describe it, consists primarily of either (1) contacting the ball too far out in front, with little or no backswing; or (2) leading into the ball with the racquet head, much like a ping-pong player, with more of a pushing motion. These are the visual clues that would immediately have me saying someone is slapping the ball.

Again, as I am accustomed to how the term "slapping" is used, it most often is associated in a problem with technique. It can also, however, fairly depict a more technically proficient player who is being lazy or lax. I suspect, in the modern sense, it is being used more to describe players that aren't putting out, e.g., arming the ball instead of stroking through it.

A lack of control would certainly be symptomatic of someone who was slapping the ball.

When I think of someone slapping a ball, I usually visualize groundstrokes, but I suppose you could slap a volley or serve just as well.

11-28-2009, 05:27 PM
My coach usually tells me I'm slapping at the ball when I'm not prepared or just being lazy and just swinging without rotating my body.

So basically arming the ball, imo.

11-28-2009, 06:17 PM
Just slinging the racquet without regard to technique or feel.