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From: acy@milo.UUCP (Adnan Yaqub)
Newsgroups: net.sport
Subject: Re: Tennis question.
Message-ID: <653@milo.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Oct-85 09:28:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: milo.653
Posted: Fri Oct  4 09:28:36 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Oct-85 15:16:20 EDT
References: <90@unc.unc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Allen-Bradley Co., Highland Heights, OH 44143
Lines: 40

> 
> In Bill Tilden's classic, Match Play and the Spin of the Ball,
> he recommends that a student first learn the drive as the foundation 
> of his game.  He then states that the eastern grips should only
> be used for driving, whereas other strokes should be hit with
> an English (semi-continental) grip.
> 
> My question is, "What is a drive?"  At first I thought that
> "drive" was a synonym for "goundstroke".  Then I learned that
> advanced players may drive their volleys as well, if the ball
> is high and slow.  Then I figured that it had to do with the
> spin put on the ball -- drives were hit flat, or with topspin,
> whereas lobs, volleys, dropshots, etc are usually hit with underspin.
> Now I've read another author praising Ken Rosewall's "beautiful
> underspun backhand drives."
> 
> So if a drive can be hit with topspin or underspin, at the net
> or off the ground, then how does one differentiate between
> a stroke that is a drive and one that is not?
> 
> 	Frank Silbermann

A Drive is a special kind of a groundstroke with a little 
overspin.  The ball goes flat over the net, and the "bounce-
point" is closer to the baseline than with a Topspin.
Also, the ball will not bounce as high as a Topspin does, but,
because the Drive has a high speed, it is very effective in keeping
your opponent back at the baseline, or "drive" him out of the court.
The only disadvantage of the Drive is that, because the ball goes
very low over the net, chances to make a mistake are higher than
if you play a Topspin.  An underspin backhand drive is nothing
more than a slice, a very nice weapon on clay-courts.  The ball
goes flat over the net and, after bouncing, it will stay very
low and slow, so that it will take a lot of "bending of your knees"
to return it.

Sven Grimm
Coach of the German National Team of Deaf Tennis Players
c/o Allen-Bradley Co.
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