For this, I’m assuming you know how to flip, either forehand or backhand, preferably both. (If not, YouTube is your friend! Or work on it with a coach.) But many players have trouble flipping against heavy backspin, and so just push those balls back. But that makes you predictable, a serious weakness.

Instead, learn to use all three receives against a short, heavy backspin serves – push long or short, and flip. Perhaps favor one or two of these receives, and use the other one or two receives as a variation.

But how do you flip a ball that’s low and heavy with backspin? It’s all about the racket angle and contact. Most players get used to flipping against moderate backspin. Most players can’t really serve both short and very heavy, and so you get less practice against it. And when they do see it, they fall back on what they are used to – flipping moderate backspin, and since there’s more backspin then they are used to, they go into the net.

Against heavy backspin, open the racket a LOT. Once you do this, lifting it is easy. Just brush under and behind the back of the ball with a topspin stroke, and lift the ball over the net. With practice, you’ll find something amazing – it’s often easier to flip against heavy backspin then against a no-spin ball. Why? Because you can easily convert all that incoming backspin into outgoing topspin. The trick is really just reading the spin and opening the racket more than you are used to.

Work with a coach or practice partner on this – have them serve low, short, heavy backspin over and over as you work on flipping it. Ideally, have a box of balls so you can do this over and over without playing out the point. Once you get used to doing it, you’ll never have trouble flipping against heavy backspin again.