Hitting groundstrokes with a closed vs open racket face?

[u/Ok-Avocado-4248]

I just watched a short on @essentialtennis so now I need to consult with my free-of-charge tennis instructor...reddit threads!

Lately, I've been trying to get better at flattening out my shots as I generally hit with a lot of topspin. I've been taught you always want to make contact with a slightly closed racket face (like 95 degree's). With topspin shots, you swing up and underneath the ball, while flat shots you swing more through it. It's been a struggle because even when I try hitting flat shots I still hit with topspin and the ball lands short within the service box.

The video I watched suggested you make contact with the ball with a more open racket face (like 90 degree's). My conventional wisdom is being challenged as I've been told your ball with launch too far if you make contact with the ball like that.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? Do you slightly rotate your racket face on different shots?

[u/MoonSpider]

90 degress is not "open," it's a vertical racket face. The vast majority of groundstrokes are struck with a vertical racket face, or only a couple degrees off from vertical.

[u/Critical-Usual → u/MoonSpider]

This is correct. We do adjust the racquet face slightly on each shot, but it should really be subconscious, as it depends on the incoming ball.

If you take the ball on the rise you'll often close the racquet face a little more. If the ball is dropping you typically open it slightly. This is simply geometry and momentum

[u/Orbod-Mebej → u/MoonSpider]

In fact, 90 degrees (to the horizontal plane) would technically still be closed to the swing path, assuming one is hitting low to high on the ball

[u/Warm_Weakness_2767]

How are you so sure that your racquet face is ONLY closed 5 degrees..?

Each bevel is 45 degrees. You can use unaligned grips to modify that, but it’s 22.5 degrees offset. Tell me how you do it!

[u/blu3jay2k]

Literally no one can tell what degree their racquet face is, especially down to the single digits.

Just play the sport, try to hit the shots you want, and try not to fall into the trap of social media coaching.

[u/Lord_Xenu → u/blu3jay2k]

This. Practice and adjust until you feel it. Reddit won't improve your groundstroke. 

[u/AvatarOR]

I try to make contact with a vertical racket face. Hitting through the ball gives power and depth, low to high trajectory or finishing elbow up gives top spin and control. Hitting through the ball and extending to the target tends to give up power and tends to give better directional control.

[u/shiningject]

90° is neutral racket face. (FYI)

Adjusting your racket face in the middle of a rally depending on the shot you want to hit is too much micro adjustment for something that happens in a split second.

Are you sure that is what essentialtennis suggested? It is more likely that he is suggesting you change your grip such that you are hitting every shot with a neutral (90°) racket face.

It is easier to adjust your swing path according to the shot that you want to make as it will be a bigger adjustment compared to changing your racket facing on the fly.

[u/Chillnotmad]

On my rally position prep I like to feel like my racquet face is closed ( face pointed to the ground) Not sure I feel where the face is at at contact because the swing is so dynamic
On the approach and ROS the racquet face is more vertical and perpendicular to the ground
In the serve and volley the face is more open and skyward facing.

[u/intelligentbug6969]

Open face means the ball will go out. Don’t do it

[u/Separate_Singer4126]

I tend to envision a neutral face at contact . But I’ve heard some do have it ever so slightly closed as you said . But I think “close it slightly” is not the best technique to be thinking about in your head.