Photo Lesson: Hitting the Two-Handed Backhand on the Rise

Players who hit heavy topspin tend to do well at the French Open in large part because the clay augments the height of the ball's bounce, forcing the opponent either to play the ball above her comfort zone, move farther back to let the ball drop, or take the ball on the rise. Hitting on the rise is the most aggressive option, but it's not easy to get the racquet aligned with a ball that takes an unpredictable bounce on one of the many footprints or other surface inconsistencies.

Stop-action photos illustrate this tennis lesson on how to hit the two-handed backhand on the rise. The basic principles apply to hitting any groundstroke on the rise. It's a great skill to own, no matter what surface you're playing on.