Q: On hard courts, when do you think topspin will be most useful. When do you think it's a terrible situation. I personally think low balls are better than high balls so flat, power shots could be better instead, what do y'all think?
A: Topspin works great on hard courts in many situations, as do flat "power" shots, or even slice/backspin shots. Topspin is great for rallying shots and taking control of a rally. You can push your opponent back using the "arc" ball and make it hard for them to attack you (did you know there are 7 different types of forehands recognized? Arc ball, dip drive, shoulder-level dip drive, lob, ...) Topspin is great for those short angle shots that take your opponent off court and give you space to hit into. Great for offensive lobs and for gaining rhythm and confidence by giving yourself margin. Flat "power" shots are great for attacking or offensive shots. Look at the folks who usually beat Nadal on hard courts - flat, hard balls skid through the court and take time away from your opponent. That's one of the cons of topspin - they can give your opponent extra time if not struck in a way that causes them to accelerate and bounce away quickly. Which suggests another point. The court surface is one component, but the other is your opponent. Folks like Nadal who have extreme grips and big swings need time to produce those swings and prefer higher bouncing balls because it is harder to pick up low balls with those grips. That's why skidding, fast, low balls can be more effective against that type of player. Look at a player like Stepanek who has an "old school" continental forehand grip and he has a harder time with higher bouncing topspin balls. The reason it is great to learn all the types of shots and spin is because they give you situational advantages...