For Pickleball players coming over from tennis, they quickly observe that hitting top spin is a lot harder than it is in tennis.
It’s pretty obvious why it’s harder.
First the ball is light and airy so its much harder to get the continuous rotation of the ball after its struck.
And while new technology in paddle grips are starting to grab the ball with more tenacity to afford more aggressive spins, for the most part, most paddles just simply aren’t good conduits for spin.
But let’s back up a bit.
What is top spin?
Top spin is when you hit the ball by brushing up the back, causing the ball to rotate.
As a result, the ball rotates upward and towards the opponent.
Some people may ask, why the top spin?
First and foremost, one will observe that with the top spin, the ball flies and dips down faster compared with a normal hit, thus putting the opponents’ team at a disadvantage.
But how do you do a top spin?
As mentioned, a top spin starts with brushing up the back of the ball using the paddle. However, there are some important points to note here. First, players should avoid doing a top spin with a closed paddle face because if they hit the ball in such a manner, it will just go straight into the net.
Next, hitting the ball with an open paddle face to do a top spin is also a big NO. In this case, the ball will fly.
The secret for a sleek top spin is a neutral (or vertically straight) paddle face. With this orientation, brushing up will result in a perfectly spinning and arching ball. Interestingly, the top spin can be done with either a forehand or backhand.
The brushing-up movement, which causes a low-to-high acceleration, is the secret to the top spin of the ball as well as accelerated dropping compared with a normal shot. So, for beginners and pros, this technique does not come easily.
Of course, a perfect top spin will requires lots of practice and patience. In addition, Pickleball players should only do the top spin at the right moment and not in a situation that might lose them a point.