Objective

Classification

Stem

Distractors

Feedback

Terminal Objective

When given graphic media of the follow-through motion of a tennis player’s one-handed topspin backhand, the learner will be able to determine the direction of a ball that is hit by a tennis player’s one-handed topspin backhand.

Apply principle

Which of these photos show a topspin backhand being hit down the line?

A. Photo of down the line follow-through.

B. Photo of crosscourt follow-through.

C. Photo of a down the line forehand.

D. Photo of a serve.

Correct. This photo shows a topspin backhand shot going down the line.

That's incorrect. This photo shows a topspin backhand shot going cross-court. At tne end of the follow-through, the racquet hand ended across the player's chest.

This shot went down the line, but it's a forehand.

This shot is a serve, not a topspin backhand.

Which of these video clips show a topspin backhand being crosscourt?

A. Video clip of down the line follow-through.

B. Video clip of crosscourt follow-through.

C. Video clip of a down the line forehand.

D. Video clip of a serve.

That's incorrect. This clip shows a topspin backhand shot going down the line.

That's correct. This clip shows a topspin backhand shot going cross-court. At tne end of the follow-through, the racquet hand ended across the player's chest.

Thisclip shows a shot going down the line, but it's a forehand.

This clip shows a serve, not a topspin backhand.

Match the photo to the correct description of the shot being hit.

Target description:
A. Down the line topspin backhand.
B. Crosscourt topspin backhand.
C. Down the line underspin backhand.
D. Crosscourt underspin backhand.

Target:
A. Photo of down the line topspin backhand follow-through.
B. Photo of crosscourt topspin backhand follow-through.
C. Photo of down the line underspin backhand follow-through.
D. Photo of crosscourt underspin backhand follow-through.

Correct matches shown to the left.

If incorrectly matched:
Sorry, at least one of your matches is incorrect. Think about the follow-through motion for a topspin shot (low-to-high). An underspin shot's follow-through travels from high-to-low. For a crosscourt shot, the racquet hand finishes across the player's chest at the end of the follow-through. For a down the line shot, the racquet hand finishes near the player's head.

Enabling Objectives

When given graphic media of a tennis player hitting three types of one-handed backhands or a list, the learner will be able to remember the direction of motion of the follow-through of a topspin backhand.

Remember fact

Of the four photos of follow-throughs, identify the one that is a topspin backhand.

A. Photo of high-to-low follow- through.

B. Photo of level follow-through.

C. Photo of low-to-high follow-through.

D. Photo of forehand shot.

That's incorrect. Think about the rotation on the ball that this follow-through would produce. The ball would first travel downward and then float up.

As a result of this follow-through, the ball would have very little spin on it.

That's correct! A low-to-high follow through produces topspin. The ball would travel upward, and the topspin would bring the ball down into the court sharply.

Look at the player's body and forearm position. This is a forehand shot, not a backhand.

True or False?
To hit a topspin backhand, a tennis player must follow-through in a high-to-low motion.

A. True

B. False

That's incorrect. Swinging high-to-low will produce underspin. The ball will travel downward, and then upward before landing in the court.

That's correct. A tennis player cannot hit a topspin backhand with a high-to-low follow-through. The player must follow-through with a low-to-high motion.

To hit a topspin backhand, a tennis player must follow-through in a __________ motion.

A. low-to-high

B. high-to-low

C. level / straight

D. circular

That's correct. To hit a topspin backhand, the tennnis player's follow-through must go from low-to-high to generate the topspin.

That's incorrect. A high-to-low follow-through would put underspin on the ball.

This type of follow-through would put very little spin on the ball. It's usually used to hit the ball hard and low over the net.

Ouch! The tennis player hitting with this type of follow-through will injure his arm.

When given graphic media of the follow-through motion of a tennis player’s one-handed backhand, the learner will be able to identify whether a backhand shot is hit with topspin.

Apply concept

Match the description of the type of backhand shot to the correct photo.

Target Description:
A. Topspin backhand
B. Underspin backhand
C. Flat backhand

Four photos (one distractor is not matched):
A. Photo of topspin backhand
B. Photo of underspin backhand
C. Photo of flat backhand
D. Photo of serve

Correct matches shown to the left.

If incorrectly matched:
Sorry, at least one of your matches is incorrect. Think about the body and forearm position of a tennis player hitting a backhand. Remember that the type of follow-through determines the type of backhand shot. Topspin shots are hit with a low-to-high follow-through. Flat shots are hit with a level / straight follow-through. Underspin shots are high with a high-to-low follow-through.

Watch the short video clips of three different backhands. Identify which one is a topspin backhand.

Three video clips of a backhand shot:
A. Video clip of topspin backhand

B. Video clip of underspin backhand

C. Video clip of flat backhand

That's correct. The tennis player hits the backhand and follow-throughs in a low-to-high motion.

That's incorrect. The tennis player shown in this video clip is hitting an underspin backhand. The follow-through is in a high-to-low motion.

The tennis player shown in this video clip has a level follow-through striaght to the target. There is very little spin produced on this "flat" shot.

True or False?
In the picture shown, the tennis player is hitting a topspin backhand.

Photo of tennis player's follow-through at the end of a low-to-high motion.

A. True

B. False

That's correct. This player hit the backhand with topspin. You can tell because the follow-through ended in a high position.

That's incorrect. This is a topspin backhand. Remember that the follow-through of a topspin backhand ends in a high position because the player is swinging the racquet from low-to-high.

When given a list of actions made by a tennis player hitting a one-handed backhand, the learner will be able to recall how to exert control over the width of the target area that a tennis ball lands after it is hit by a one-handed topspin backhand.

Remember concept

A tennnis player hitting a one-handed backhand, can hone-in on the target destination of the ball by:

A. Moving the opposite, or non-racquet, hand in the opposite direction to the raqcquet hand to counterbalance the racquet hand.

B. Hitting the ball with a low-to-high motion.

C. Hitting the ball with a high-to-low motion.

D. Hitting the ball so that the racquet hand moves towards the intended target.

That's correct. Moving the non-racquet hand in the opposite direction of the racquet hand, which limits the range of motion of the racquet arm. This helps the ball land close to the intended target.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a low-to-high motion produces the topspin. It will not help hone-in on the ball's target.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a high-to-low motion produces underspin. It will not help hone-in on the ball's target.

Although moving the racquet hand towards the intended target helps shift the direction that the ball is hit. To exert more control over the target destination, a tennis player should move the non-racquet hand in the opposite direction of the racquet hand in order to counteract the tendency of the racquet arm to swipe across. Limiting the range of motion of the racquet arm gives the player more control over the ball's target destination.

True or False?
When a tennis player's hand holding the racquet moves in the direction of the target, the player can exert more control over where the ball lands.

A. True

B. False

That's incorrect. Moving the racquet hand toward the target helps get the ball going in the intended direction. But to exert more control over where the ball lands, the player needs to move the non-racquet hand to limit the range of motion of the racquet arm.

That's correct. A player can have finer control over where the ball lands by counterbalancing the racquet arm's tendency to swing across the tennis player's body. Limiting the range of motion of the racquet arm helps exert more control over where the ball lands.

Which of the following actions can help control where the ball lands when hitting a topspin backhand?

When given a list of actions made by a tennis player hitting a one-handed backhand, the learner will be able to recall how to change the direction of a tennis ball when it is hit by a one-handed topspin backhand.

Remember concept

A tennnis player hitting a one-handed backhand, can choose the direction that the ball is hit by:

That's incorrect. Moving the non-racquet hand in the opposite direction of the racquet hand helps the ball land close to the intended target. To choose the direction of the ball, the racquet hand should move towards the target when striking the ball.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a low-to-high motion produces the topspin. It will not help change the direction of the ball. To choose the direction of the ball, the racquet hand should move towards the target when striking the ball.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a high-to-low motion produces underspin. It will not help change the direction of the ball. To choose the direction of the ball, the racquet hand should move towards the target when striking the ball.

That's correct. Hitting the ball so that the racquet hand moves towards the target determines the direction of the ball's flight.

True or False?
When a tennis player's hand holding the racquet moves in the direction of the target, the player can change the direction of the ball's flight path.

A. True

B. False

That's correct. Moving the racquet hand toward the target helps get the ball going in the intended direction.

That's incorrect. A player can change the direction of the ball by simply moving the racquet hand towards the intended target when the ball is hit.

Which of the following actions can help a tennis player choose where to hit the ball when hitting a topspin backhand?

That's incorrect. Moving the non-racquet hand in the opposite direction of the racquet hand helps the ball land close to the intended target. To choose the direction of the ball, the racquet hand should move towards the target when striking the ball.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a low-to-high motion produces the topspin. It will not change the direction of the ball.

That's incorrect. Hitting the ball in a high-to-low motion produces underspin. It will not change the direction of the ball.

That's correct. To change the direction of the ball, the tennis player should simply hit the ball so that the hand holding the racquet moves toward the intended target.