Spanish Playing Style

[Ash Doyle]

Does anyone know of a website or book that teaches tennis the way the spanish players play? It is incredibly different from how it is taught here in America. Everything I can find teaches very traditional tennis (closed stance, eastern forehand); I'd like to find instruction aimed toward producing a player such as the spanish players.

[Thunnus]

Consider the following possibilities:

-Attend a tennis academy in Spain

-Hook up with a Spanish coach (or a former college player) in the US

-Travel to Spain to pickup Spanish instruction books (i hear there are many) and do some sightseeing as a bonus

-Watch Nadal and Ferrero on TV and try to figure it out yourself

[Agent Smith]

"-Watch Nadal and Ferrero on TV and try to figure it out yourself"

I'm trying... hehe

[Classic]

To play Spaniard you need...

A Western Forehand Grip
A 2-Handed Backhand
Great forehand and backhand drop shots
Agressive Baseline or All-Court PLayer
Lots of SPIN

That really it!

[Let]

www.tennisteacher.com

[guernica1]

Ash do you play primarily on clay? Otherwise I can't really see why you'd want to emulate Spanish type players.

I can speak from personal experience as I used to have an extreme western grip, 2 handed backhand, etc... and I played on hardcourts. I think you become much more vulnerable to certain styles and shots on faster courts than you do with a more 'American' style baseliner.

I'm not saying its a bad style but its a pretty extreme style to play if you play mostly on hardcourts or indoors.

p.s. Also a lot of Spanish and South American players have 1 handed backhands as well

[VTL]

Get some nice legs