Why do WTA pros have longer backswings on forehands?

[ramseszerg]

My guess is 1) more time to prepare than on ATP, and 2) less muscle so gotta time a bigger swing for more power. Still, you'd think the best male and female players in the world would share a similar backswing. Also, what does this mean for what rec players should do?

[iamgoat]

Rec players should imitate Roger Federer. After all he is the greatest player of all time, no?

[Go Tennis]

In yours dreams could be.

[Failed]

More time to prepare for swing, simple as that really.

[SystemicAnomaly]

My guess is 1) more time to prepare than on ATP, and 2) less muscle so gotta time a bigger swing for more power. Still, you'd think the best male and female players in the world would share a similar backswing. Also, what does this mean for what rec players should do?

Is this really true? Hadn't given it much notice. I would thing that both of your guesses are probably accurate. The guys have more leg strength & power (speed strength) than the WTA players and can use this for a more productive hip & torso turn. This would require less power needed to be initiated by the arm using a large backswing.

However, option #1 is probably the more significant factor.

[ramseszerg]

So.. said another way, the only reason why rec players should use compact swings is not because it will give us the most power or because we don't have time to prepare, it's because our timing sucks compared to WTA pros?

[LeeD]

Higher levels, most balls go to backhands.
Shortprep backhands are more consistent than long, loopy stroked backhands.
You hit the ball over ONE more time than your opponent, you win.
Forehands mostly one handed, and it's the same as when you first started playing 10 years ago,....or more... so why change that?

[pushing_wins]

midcourt shoulder height. same amount of time for men and women. the men wind-up is still shorter.

i think it has to do with the loading.

look at henin.she loads like the men

[ronalditop]

because wta players dont pronate their wrists on their forehands, so they need a long backswing to get power. On the other hand, almost all atp players do pronate their wrists on forehands which allows them to get more acceleration so they dont need to have a long backswing. Of course there are exceptions, like cañas, soderling, ljubijic, etc, which have long backswings.

[OvertheFence]

because wta players dont pronate their wrists on their forehands, so they need a long backswing to get power. On the other hand, almost all atp players do pronate their wrists on forehands which allows them to get more acceleration so they dont need to have a long backswing. Of course there are exceptions, like cañas, soderling, ljubijic, etc, which have long backswings.

is it a good idea to pronote the wrist at lower levels of play?

[kungfusmkim]

is it a good idea to pronote the wrist at lower levels of play?

I think its a better idea to get the proper stroke down before pronating the wrist. Pronating might have advantages but there are also disadvantaged. Like if you dont pronate properly shanking happens alot more. If you are able to excel in tennis without pronating your wrists, the next level would be starting to pronate your wrist for more spin and power.

[gzhpcu]

Because WTA players don't have a modern forehand. Their swing (seen from above) is circular, whereas Federer, Nadal, Verdasco, etc. have a linear swing up to impact. Afterwards they have extension and the windshield wiper motion (strong pronation).

[chico9166]

Yea, this gets back to the whole "wrist neutrel backswing concept" that has been talked about at length on this forum.

And while I'm sure there is merit to the argument that the wiper potential is increased with the atp version, I think the underlying issue, is that it allows for a much shorter, more direct line to the ball, which is absoulutely necessary given the speed and spin rates on the men's tour.

[jimstorm]

atp men hit so much harder than wta women.
the men would use a bigger backswing if they had time, but they dont. its all about speed.

[Charlzz]

Men imitate men. Women imitate women. Watch Jeremy Chardy of France. He takes a forehand swing that's very similar to the women. There's time for them to hit such shots, but men choose not to hit that way.

[ramseszerg]

Well then, should we be swinging like the WTA pros then, because our opponents don't hit harder than WTA pros?

[ronalditop]

Well then, should we be swinging like the WTA pros then, because our opponents don't hit harder than WTA pros?

NOOOO. It would be so boring watching all rec players having girly strokes.

[gzhpcu]

atp men hit so much harder than wta women.
the men would use a bigger backswing if they had time, but they dont. its all about speed.

Don't think so. The modern, whippy forehand used by the ATP men consists of first tracking the ball with the racket pointed forward, then after the bounce, rapidly taking the racket back in an accelerated loop, then linear trajectory forward till impact. The racket during the backswing always stays right of the body.

The WTA women take a more classical approach of a unit turn with a very big take back, and then accelerating from there in a circular fashion. At the end of the take back, the racket is on the left side of the body.

The men accelerate from the tracking position till impact. The women from the end of the backswing till impact.

[sn1974]

The modern, whippy forehand used by the ATP men consists of first tracking the ball with the racket pointed forward, then after the bounce, rapidly taking the racket back in an accelerated loop, then linear trajectory forward till impact... The men accelerate from the tracking position till impact.

this might be a stupid question, but is that possible? how can you accelerate and change direction at the same time, especially if you have a straight take back?

[sh@de]

How do you pronate on forehands...? I've never heard of it. Sorry about it, but I'm not good at all this technical stuff. I just know how to play tennis...

[split-step]

You probably do it already, you just don't know that you are doing it.

[Nellie]

I don't know about the original statement - All the ATP guys I watch take big swings at the ball, except, maybe, on returns of serves.

[gzhpcu]

How do you pronate on forehands...? I've never heard of it. Sorry about it, but I'm not good at all this technical stuff. I just know how to play tennis...
Pronation just means that you are rotating your forearm counterclockwise. This happens when you are executing a windshieldwiper type finish.

[gzhpcu]

this might be a stupid question, but is that possible? how can you accelerate and change direction at the same time, especially if you have a straight take back?
Acceleration does not have to be linear.

You can not do what I described with a staight take back. You need a loop take back.

[gzhpcu]

I don't know about the original statement - All the ATP guys I watch take big swings at the ball, except, maybe, on returns of serves.
Compare Sharapova's forehand and Federer's forehand on Youtube, for example and you will see what is meant.

[Nellie]

Federer's forehand takeback loop is over his shoulders, and extends fully back 180 degrees from the flight of the ball:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmhvKafCYsk

Sharapova forehand takeback loop is over her shoulders, and extends fully back 180 degrees from the flight of the ball:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqX8kxhT_xk

I am not trying to pick a fight - I agree that on many points, the men appear to have less time to prepare and are hitting with an abbreviated stroke, but I do not think that the fundemental stroke is that different. Also, Federer is likely the guy with the shortest strokes because he is coming forward to hit on the rise. Guys like Gonzalez, Roddick, and Soderling have huge forehand takebacks, as do most of the Spanish and French players.

[ramseszerg]

Look at the top 5 women from the back or from the front, and tell me if you can see the racquet on the other side of the body on the backswing. Now tell me for the top 5 men.