I used to coach tennis. I agree with part of your thesis. Yes, “chippers” can indeed beat habitual topspin players, but it is not for the reason you indicated. It has nothing to do with confidence. This is why: most of the club players learn to hit (and love and prefer) topspin, and practice/play against topspin-only type players. All day every day. They learn to hit their best shots ONLY when the opponent has already hit a high bouncing fast topspin shot towards them. Much like most of the pro tour. When these topspin accustomed players meet someone who hits flat or chips the forehand, their mechanics have no muscle memory for how to counter those shots. They try to use the mechanics they’d use against that easy high bouncing ball but of course that doesn’t work. The solution is just as you said - to develop those other crafty types of shots which are better suited to the low flat or chippy balls. But my essential point is that the club players only play club players who are similar - they don’t develop variety by doing that, and when they face opponents who are using unconventional methods, they cannot adjust.

You are spot on with this. I'm a returning player and once had extreme confidence in all my shots. Although I haven't played consistently for quite a few years, I still have that overwhelming belief that I can rip it anytime I feel like it. It defeats my confidence with each missed shot and rather that slowing down and simply returning the ball, I focus on what I did wrong and how to tweak my shot to correct the previous bad rip. At 60 years old, I will most likely never regain all my skills from younger years. I joined a 40+ 3.0 mixed doubles league recently and while the style of play is completely different from what I'm used to it is teaching me to use finesse more than power. I am slowly learning that hitting crazy angles and soft chip shots win just as many points as power shots. I will share this with my team and it will help several of us I'm sure.

Well said, as a 56 year old returning to tennis after a 30 year lay off, variety of shots is like variety of vocabulary. The more vocabulary you have, the better off you’ll be…

Since I don't make a living by winning tennis matches, I look at tennis as entertainment. So I don't care about winning but about everything that the game of tennis offers. That means the ability to execute all shots consistently, technique, movement, using court geometry, shot selections, strategy, mental toughness, intensity, etc... I don't care about winning, but by focusing on getting better in all areas of the game, the winning comes eventually.

Most rec players can’t finish points. Just blocking the ball is more consistent than hitting through the ball in most situations. However, you are never going to be better at pushing and chipping than the person whose whole game is based on that. The key is learning how to finish points. That can be volleys and overheads, drop shots or placing the ball better. It comes down to working on transitioning and finishing points which most people almost never do.

One of the best videos you’ve ever done. Many many many years of experience to bring this Truth out. Amazing job.

❤ "Be a chipper AND a ripper." I'm a 4.5 who still has to remind myself. But I use less kind words in my head. You've given me a new mantra!

I see all these young adult men club players practicing on public courts all the time. They stand at the baseline and hit ONLY topspin shots as hard as they can to each other. They don't practice their volleys and NEVER hit overheads. Lobs to them is for old ladies. Because they never practice the chip shots so they do not know how to return a chip shot or a short ball, when they run up to the net they get lobbed and miss their overheads. That is why most of the 3.5 tournament winners are pushers, chippers, and moon-ballers.

I'd rather attack the ball and lose than hack the ball and win. I play tennis to enjoy. Hacking is no fun.

The real problem is that chippers are also great movers. They have to be. So instead of hitting 1/2/3 shots and the point is over you may have to hit 4/5/6 or more good shots and it still keeps coming back. Rippers need to get fitter so they can hit more good shots in the same rally.

Wise words! Most players don’t have the hand to eye coordination to hit next gen shots with the consistency needed to win matches. It’s about modifying things to find the best version that works based on your ability.

One of the best advices I’ve ever heard: “hit it if you can, make it if you can’t “ 👍🙏

Certainly not angry. Many of us spent too much time trying to hit next gen forehands, etc. I’m 74 and that ain’t gonna happen for me. In my experience consistency and depth kill.

Excellent video! The balance between ripping and resigning to just making the ball sometimes is an art!

I agree tennis is about confidence and that can go in a downward spiral or a upwards one. For me to start chipping or pushing the ball around not swinging properly puts me on a downwards one. To play better I have believe I will start hitting those shots, so I keep going for them and generally that works. In addition when I get my game together and play well and win that gives me real satisfaction afterwards. When I play terribly and don't improve I am probably going to lose but even if I somehow pull out the win it's not that much fun. I am not a pro, this is not my living, I want to go home satisfied more than I want to win while playing horrible tennis.

You are preaching to the choir. I've been teaching and playing with a "crafty" game for 50 years with good success. It's a hard sell, but worth the time and effort to teach the shots that offer more versatility and options (slice oriented skills).

Top spin takes more energy than slicing. After a certain age, can you hit a penetrating consistent top spin for 3 sets? Not likely. So your slow top spin sits up in your opponents strike zone where they can crush it. Slice is like the jab in boxing, not likely to knock out your opponent but it slowly saps their strength. Slice forces you opponent to bend their knees to get a good return.....and few can crush a good slice. When they get tired and their knees stop bending, the top spinners will miss more and more.

Excellent video. I needed to hear this. Actually, pros have the variety of tools that you mention, and I see them using them throughout their matches and it looks great. However, I see lower-level recreational players with just one forehand and one backhand option. They get super good at hitting it, but there's not the variety of strokes in their game that open the path to becoming a higher-level player. Just looks like they have a hammer for all occasions instead of a variety of tools.

I agree. Utilizing the chip is raising my level. I regret not figuring this out years ago. Great tip !!

Good advice. I'm 64 and play doubles club matches. Most of the winning players hit the ball cleanly, consistently, accurately to the right place and anticpate and put volleys and overheads away. The better players anticipate where you're going to hit. Very few players of my age win because of big serves or big groundstrokes. Another good strategy if you have the skills, is to come in and play volleys rather than hang back and baseline, take time away from your opponents and force them to give you a ball to volley away. Lobbing is useful at the right time but it takes a lot of skill and feel to hit good lobs consistently. Obviously lobbing is best when the opponents are close to the net. Oh, and drop shots are very rarely winners. If you drop shot, setting up for the ball that will be reached is critical. I suffer a lot from loss of confidence and it is a killer. You need to have shots that you are confident to execute and you have to stay positive and competitive and concentrate. I'd like to hit more powerful groundstrokes but i need to do that during practice sessions not during matches other than on rare occasions when there's no other option.

Solid advice. The chip has a definite place at the rec level. Especially on lower bouncing courts where a normal topspin shot can sit up at the perfect height for your opponent.

I think this video is the most important coaching video on KZfaq Pete. I have to admit that I was one of those players that thought the only way to truly win is to be able to hit like the pros, but my strokes would break down and I would spiral mentally. I know that there is some value to understanding the techniques of the pros, but I think it is a waste of time and effort to try and be like them. First off, pros play 8 hours a day and have dedicated their lives to tennis, so their range of motion and overall athletic skill is far beyond what we can do at rec/club level. I know that many of the joint positions Thiem and Schwartzman can hit with ease (even with injuries) are much more than what I can do, but that is ok. Secondly I think spending so much time studying pro technique is disrespectful to the pros who have hit millions of shots perfecting their technique and we as club/rec players may have 100000 shots under our belt. I think tennis is a life tool for growth. Yes there are techniques that are better than others, but competition is where the rubber meets the road with growth. Competing at a lower level and then moving up the ranks is growth, with or without studying how the pros do it. Our focus should be competing and winning at the club level. Great video.

I’m 5.0 and I struggle with fatigue. I played a few days ago and was up 5-2 in the first set but couldn’t serve out the match and my serve collapsed. I was able to serve it out at 6-4 but the heat finally got to me in the second and I retired due to heat exhaustion. It could also be that I live in Texas and it’s so hot to play effectively

I am not going to be one of those commentators ripping you here… As a chipper and pusher - proudly! - I am affirmed by what you say here 😂

Great video! I can beat people all day with chip shots but can also hit a relatively consistent forehand and two handed backhand. I still like to practice my topspin shots and it sure is also great to be able to dip the ball short cross court or hit a high deep topspin shot to your opponents backhand side. You are correct that it's great to have a reliable chip shot especially when you really want to just keep the ball in play. I can beat players all the time who just love to smash the ball. Their usual weakness at 3.5 level (sometimes 4.0) is lack of patience and lack of consistency. So many players want their their game to look like a highlight reel of winners.

Certainly one of the best videos you’ve ever done. It all makes total sense. However, I’m still not ready to start chipping, moon balling etc. But I am going to develop and integrate some chipping to use as required. I’m gonna need to watch it over again and think about I can best use the info. Really appreciate you posting this. Real food for thought.

Good advice. Rip when you can and chip or make the ball when you can't. I do that and it saves me a lot if points lately. Usually I can rip second serves and dead balls but I saved lots of points just running around like crazy and managing to hit the ball over the net.

It’s true it takes me into the 2nd set to gain my almost full confidence. Usually ends up 6-1/2 against pushers

You are 💯 right Coach! Thank you Coach!

Truth!

Agree 💯

Great advice - be in touch with your confidence meter & play accordingly. By all means rip away with topspins when you feel more confident - commonsense stuff!

If I start pushing and hacking to win in the short term I might as well stop playing.

Good video

Very good video, any adult player needs to cultivate their chip shots in order to enhance their consistency and lead their opponents into error. Of course a player will develop other shots as well, however the chip shots will make it much easier to become an all court player. A player that is comfortable playing at the baseline as well as coming forward and winning points at the net.

i LOVE the chip and charge & Block serve and charge in doubles. Your statement is true! Just look at MEP. He has a winning record over many 4.5 players.

Yea, it makes sense. I guess I better learn to execute my chips more consistently. Pete, is a “power chip” actually a slice?

I think the meta for tennis now especially is hitting deep with heavy spin which is effective for high level players since one short dink means you are done for the point and to keep a dangerous opponent at bay with margin. So I think that's why recreational players are obsessed with trying to hit like Nadal/Alcaraz/Sinner. I think due to lack of pace coming your way in recreational tennis, people are thinking of needing to generate all that pace yourself and hit a winner which is risky. Short chips or dropshots with a transition to net are too effective not to be utilised in the recreational level. I find that I exploit the lack of good footwork which forces my opponent to shovel it back leading to an easy put away volley/overhead.

2:13 begins the explanation I' d give this video a rating of 2 out of 5. Interesting info if you can get over narrator repeating himself and slowly getting to the point. Quality of sound and enthusiasm is good. Content is NOT organized and not succinctly explaned as he rambles.

True. My coach winning every time only chipping the ball playing against me and I’m playing > 10 years, solid 4.0 At least by my estimation😅

This was a great video and so true, at least for me. It's only taken me 56 years to learn I can't rip every ball. I'm also slowing down my "rally ball" to aboue 60%-70% to decrease my unforced errors. Your thoughts, Coach Pete?

04:23 - Top spin forehand break-down 10:38 - Making vs hitting shots

Is a forehand chip different from a forehand slice?

Chip and charge, it really works. I try to remember that every time I play.

I’m watching this after losing to Ben 1, 0. I agree with you, but his chipping game is better than mine.

I'm sold. Please make nexr-gen chipping videos. My chips float or fall short.i think excellent for doubles.

It's all true and it sucks. Recreational tennis is very cruel. I think the dog agrees too.

3:12 It is also simple math, I believe. How consistent can you really be with a "correct" forehand? 95%? That would be outstanding. And yet, how consistent are chippers? 99.9%. So it's just a question of time that they make the point... unless the "ripper" puts them under pressure. That is difficult without good footwork to position himself properly. Footwork is part of high level groundstrokes. I would even say someone who is not able to put practice into overall athleticism and footwork should focus more on learning to push balls in. Maybe it hurts the ego, but nobody cares how they won once they are winning games.

Is Bitu a Ripper or Chipper?

Chipping is okay…part of all court game.

i'm about to watch and i'm fully expecting that the truth is that fitness and footwork are the real issues...pressing play now

Dude have you been watching my matches?

i'm not angry... u seem like a nice guy

Angry! You're telling everyone how to win most matches below a 5.0 level. Confidence meter; 2 chips before a rip; tag the short sitter inside the baseline; lob or hit deep ball from behind the baseline or if off-balance. Only slight qualm, I see slice as slightly different than a chip (though you mentioned you can tag a chip/hit it with power, which to me would be a deep drive slice; Dimitrov anyone?). I always had a good topspin FH (TY, Vic Braden.) but now enjoy no shot more than dancing into position to hit an attacking slice that opponent needs to fish off his shoe strings (unless maybe the one hit with side-spin and skidding off the court). Is this vid a follow-up to Tennis Doctor vid with emphasis on perfect technique (for those aspiring to 5.0 and above, IMHO)?

this just seems like a video in testing that dog's discipline

Ugh. This is my life.

My experience does not match yours. Topspin forehands dominate rec tennis. In fact the #1 thing I look for in scouting for a USTA team is a guy with a big solid forehand. Even at 3.5 level guys hit very good topspin forehands. Forehand and Serve - it's what dominates rec tennis. The more athletic player with the bigger and more reliable topspin forehand - that's pretty much the winning ticket. Here is a sample 3.5 match in Sunnyvale. Yeah Sunnyvale - I used to play there. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o9Z-idWpvNTPe6c.html Here is a sample 4.0 nationals match. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a556m8-gnL-Xm4U.htmlsi=aa5N5pnR0FpndS1g I have never even SEEN a slicer and dicer at the 4.5. Never mind winning with it under 5.0. Most tennis players can hit chip backhands and some okay volleys. But that's about all the slicing you need. You want to claim that pushers or slicers win at the rec level? Put up - or shut up. Sorry - you give good lessons but this is nonsense. Almost no one good is a slicer and dicer. They stopped teaching that style years ago.

This is a good strategy for being a better 3.5 player. It is also a sure plan to never be a 4.0 player. When good players aren't feeling it (and it happens to everyone) they adjust their targets, maybe run around a few backhands or hit less pace. They don't stop coming over their forehands, lol. CTC mentions some woman who tries to figure her way through it ("follow through"). She has promise. Any of you that think you are going to be the first 5.0 pusher, well good luck.

Please get to the point.

What a waffler .. and the comments section is completely taken in by this nonsense!

You're teaching people not to play real tennis!