playing with left and right - equally well

[tennisrocket]

Hi,

I'm new here and am looking for some advice.

I started playing tennis (3 months ago).

Before - I played table tennis for 10 years and was looking for a more physical challenge, hence the tennis uptake.

I think I am progressing well. I started of with an oversize head liquid metal racket and quickly moved on to a wilson six one tour 90", as i am a big hitter.

what i have found is that i don't have a backhand.

i am ambidextrous with slightly more power on the RH.

I hit my backhands as a full on left forehand, which is about 80% of what my right forehand can do.

Am I going to suffer in the game for not having a backhand.

I know that I scare a lot of people in my local club, :-)

Thx for your help

Tennisrocket

[Koaske]

I know of one quite a good player who does this. Of course it's good if you're able to hit both forehands almost equally well, but one problem is that you might have a hard time switching hands fast enough in high speed rallies.

[tennisrocket]

thats true,

i do occasionally do a backhand slice.

switching is sometimes difficult,but its not impossible and getting better.

[tennisthehilife]

Sounds cool to me. I don't know any real disadvantages other than changing hands, so go for it!

[officerdibble]

I know an ATP coach who has been teaching his daughter this way.

If you can serve with both hands you'll have a great weapon!

I say go with what works, you will probably develop quicker reactions because of your need to get the hand in the right place a little earlier than one-handed players, but that should help you get to the ball and to get your body turned too, so why not?

[Frank Silbermann]

You should learn a one-handed chip backhand as a basis for your volley; you cannot volley with two forehands. But if you have the lightly-underspun backhand for volleys and an occasional groundstroke, then a left-handed forehand is just like a two-handed backhand -- but with more reach and topspin.

[tennisthehilife]

^Yes, completely agreed. You will need a small one hand backhand for defensive purposes (will be very helpful) and to stick w/ one hand when you volley. 2 forehands, if your not a learning kid, and you seem to be playing very well, then stick with it.

[tennisrocket]

I do sometimes use the single backhand, if i can't swap hands quickly enough.

I didn't understand the volley thing. I can volley with my left and right hand equally well.

I'm currently working on good left serve in addition to my right serve, which is an area I need to improve.

Thx for the opinions so far

[bluestreak711]

i am the same way and here is my two cents worth

your right hand is stronger then you should be a left handed player and take a two handed backhand and slice with one

that will balance you out with good stregnth on each wing

the backhand is usually weaker than the forehand so use the strong stroke on your weaker side and the weaker stroke on your stronger side

and that takes away the problem of switching

but still in certain situations switch like instead of being pulled out wide and forced to hit a defensive bh lob switch and hit a decent right handed forehand back

that bh of mine became my signeture shot when my serve and forehand both broke down i remember i won with just my backhand

and when ever you think you are going to have and awkward backhand just take a forehand

Rafael Nadal does something simalar he is more right handed than left he just plays tennis left handed

if you watch he signs his autographs right handed

well its up to you to dedcide and only you can develop your on style and make the decisions so good luck i hoped i helped

i am glad to hear that there is other ammidextrios players like me

[obow]

tennisrocket,

I play lot of table tennis and I have a far far far better forehand there. However in table tennis I hit with a long-pimple on my backhand side, and the attacking strokes (I have big backswings in TT when looping from both wings) are exactly the same as for the 1HBH. So when I tried the 1HBH for the first time in tennis, everything just clicked and worked straightaway. Now my tennis 1HBH is much more consistant than my table tennis backhand (except maybe for slices!), and is as good as my forehand.

[grizzly4life]

i had longer response i thought i submitted but somehow lost it.

i actually play with both hands. probably one of the few (i've only seen one other of any tennis consequence.... i'm weak 4.0. other guy was probably mid-strong 4.5).

anyhow, when i play people better than me, say a strong 4.0 or a 4.5 (real ratings, not inflated ones), i find the ball comes back very fast (and i have a pretty fast serve for 4.0). so basically the ball is on you very fast. hard to change hands that fast (although i guess luke jenson did, and what was he? 6.5??). might be hard for normal player, but i really notice it as hand changer.

if you truly are same with both hands, play lefty. tons of advantages... but if you're honest with self and NOT the same with each hand, then just play strong hand (anyway, if you're good with both hands, you should have an excellent 2hb as i do)

biggest weakness with my playing with 2 hands is my right handed overhead is terrible and i never have time to get back to left hand (Which i serve with)