Topspin

[1] In baseball, the curveball, a type of pitch which usually has downward movement, is thrown in such a way as to put topspin on the ball.

In either case, the bowler imparts the ball with top spin by twisting it with his or her fingers prior to delivery.

In cricketing terms, this means that the ball drops shorter, falls faster and bounces higher than might otherwise be anticipated by the batsman.

Tactically, a bowler will bowl topspinners to draw a batsman forward before using the dip and extra bounce to deceive them.

In modern-day cricket Anil Kumble is considered the foremost leg spin exponent of the top spinner.

A topspin shot can be generated by hitting the ball with an up-and-forward swing, with the racquet facing below the direction it is moving.

In competitive table tennis, effective command of topspin is indispensable, not only in order to be able to execute an attack shot counter to a backspin ball, but also in order to be able to execute a speed shot when the ball is already lower than the net.

Keeping the racquet face (the strings) slightly closed from perpendicular will impart the topspin to the ball that the player wants.

Topspin is also far more difficult to impart on backhand strokes due to the physical limitations of an arm stretched across the body.

[11] Topspin on a shot imparts a downward force that causes the ball to drop, due to its interaction with the air (see Magnus effect).

The ball spins forward and descends toward the ground quicker, so it can be hit with more force compared to another type of shot.

As a result, it is often used on clay or "soft" court surfaces which have a naturally higher bounce in order to make the ball harder for the opponent to hit.