Hitting a Top Spin Groundstroke – Proofs and Indicators
There were a lot of very interesting and correct answers in the original quiz question “How do you know that you hit a top spin?”.
If we make a summary of your answers and differentiate between what is the proof of top spin and what a possible indicator is, then here are my tennis thoughts:
First, we have 5 senses through which we perceive outer world: sight, hearing, feel, smell and taste.
So obviously we cannot smell or taste a top spin shot 
, but we can see it, hear it and feel it.
But let’s first define what top spin is. Top spin is when the ball is spinning forward related to the direction of the flight.
For more scientific explanation of spins check this excellent page.
Ok, back to “how do we know we hit a top spin…”
The first thing that happens when we hit the ball with top spin is the feel. We can feel the brushing of the strings against the ball and we can also be aware of the direction of racquet path – upwards.
Note that by definition a top spin is when the ball is spinning forward. It doesn’t tell you anything about the direction of the flight of the ball.
This means I can play a top spin down into the ground and it’s still a top spin. So if you thought that the higher arc over the net proves that you hit a top spin, that’s not correct.
It can be a good indicator, but you can also play in an arc with slice or flat shot.
The second indicator is the sound of the strings brushing the ball.
If you close your eyes and someone beside you hits the ball with top spin, side spin or slice with the same speed, you won’t be able to determine which type of shot happened.
So hearing the brushing is not a proof, but when you combine it with feel, you can be sure that you hit a top spin.
The last thing is that you will see a top spin. If you can see the ball spinning forward, that is a proof that you hit a top spin.
Again, it doesn’t matter whether the ball flies low over net, into the net or with an arc. The only sure thing that you hit a top spin is if you can see the ball spinning forward when it flies away from you.
And this only proves top spin BEFORE the bounce.
Most of the shots, whether hit with slice, flat or top spin will spin forward AFTER the bounce because of the friction between the ground and the ball.
Only heavily sliced balls keep the backward spin after the bounce. It also depends on the surface.
One very interesting and counter intuitive fact about ball spins is that if you hit the ball with top spin, it will rebound at an angle LOWER than the ball hit with no spin.
And the ball hit with slice (backspin) will rebound at an angle BIGGER than the ball hit with no spin.
Our experience tells us that when we hit with top spin, the ball will bounce up higher, than when we hit with slice.
The reason for this is not top spin, but the angle at which the ball comes towards the ground.
We typically hit the top spin with a lot of arc and this makes the ball dip down and thus rebound high.
And we typically play slice with a low arc and the ball rebounds in a shallow angle.
If you played the shot with the same arc and with the same speed – once with top spin and once with backspin, a [tag]tennis ball[/tag] hit with top spin would rebound LOWER than the ball hit with backspin.
Interesting, eh?
And do you know that top spin or backspin would have no effect on the Moon? NASA explains…
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