I noticed that one of my weak points is receiving a short right sidespin/topspin backhand serve short to my forehand. The serve is usually right sidespin with varying amount of topspin and from a right handed player. For me the easiest options so far has been to either go with the spin and get a good angle on a diagonal return to my opponent's forhand, or to go for a diagonal forehand flick. Sometimes I end the flick too much crossing over, but I am working on it.
However, my bigger problem is returning this serve down the line, to the backhand. Doing a forehand push here, quite often results in the ball popping up or being long and it is immediately attacked with a backhand opener. I am an attacking player with a decent backhand, maybe with a better backhand than the last guy I played, but those backhand openers caused me a lot of trouble.
Quite not sure how to deal with this return, maybe working on a more soft and vertical push? Working on this push return being low, has so far resulted in a somewhat incomplete stroke and many balls into top of the net. Perhaps a better option might be to work on a forehand flick down the line, or maybe just stepping over and using a backhand flick?
Yes, sure thing, serve receive requires a lot of practice and experience. But I think that getting some pointers always helps.
However, my bigger problem is returning this serve down the line, to the backhand. Doing a forehand push here, quite often results in the ball popping up or being long and it is immediately attacked with a backhand opener. I am an attacking player with a decent backhand, maybe with a better backhand than the last guy I played, but those backhand openers caused me a lot of trouble.
Quite not sure how to deal with this return, maybe working on a more soft and vertical push? Working on this push return being low, has so far resulted in a somewhat incomplete stroke and many balls into top of the net. Perhaps a better option might be to work on a forehand flick down the line, or maybe just stepping over and using a backhand flick?
Yes, sure thing, serve receive requires a lot of practice and experience. But I think that getting some pointers always helps.