1-handed BH using an open stance

[babar]

It was brought to my attention recently that I hit my 1-handed BH shot with an almost completely open stance, so that the only body part behid the shot is my arm. I was told that I don't dip my shoulder, I don't turn my hips and close my stance, and I don't take the racquet back far enough. I should say that I don't do these thing on a 1-handed topspin BH, but I do perform all these pieces on my 1-handed slice BH. I guess that explains why my 1-handed BH is always a floating ball and not a drving shot. Any advice on how to remedy this situation?

[AngeloDS]

The key to the one handed backhand is excellent footwork. If you don't have that you'll find yourself out of position and hitting open stance backhands. The only way you can really develop this is by just practicing your backhand against someone who can hit a variety of shots.

There's a drill where you start at the center, a ball is fed to your backhand, you take 2 tiny steps before you plant yourself, then return to the middle, take 3 tiny steps and just incramenting yourself to improve the quickness of your footwork.

That's something people neglect also taking those tiny steps before you plant yourself. Take a few big strides and then take tiny steps, plant and then hit. Pros do split steps, and those tiny steps so fast it's very hard to notice with the eye. But you can hear it, when you hear a bunch of shuffling heh.

[paulfreda]

One can hit an open stance BH but it is a control shot IMO.

One of my early teachers taught me this type of BH to get me to learn to lean into the ball and hit thru the ball by extending my elbow the way one would shove someone out of the way with their arm. (The motion is also much like a boxer hitting a punching bag with the side of his wrist moving left to right thru the bag.)

The grip should be Eastern BH so your face is square out in from of you at contact. You get a controlled flat shot this way. I used to think/align myself so the ball coming in would hit my stomach. Then I would explode from my elbow into the ball. My elbow would be pointing at the ball as it comes in.

I have not hit this way for more than 25 yrs now, but it is effective in teaching two components of power (elbow extension and body weight) on the 1HBH.

[35ft6]

Off returns sometimes you HAVE to hit open-stanced. Becker is the first guy I remember seeing hitting this way. Strong moose.

[Marius_Hancu]

check the articles and the clips in my Sticky posting on the 1HBHG (topmost thread here)

[SystemicAnomaly]

Off returns sometimes you HAVE to hit open-stanced. Becker is the first guy I remember seeing hitting this way. Strong moose.

I also remember Boris Becker as the 1st pro that I recall using the open-stance BH... primarily on serve returns. Since Boris, I've seen a number of other players adopt this... even on shots other than the ROS.

It's easier to hit open stance with the with the 2-hander than the 1-hander. 1 hand or 2, be sure that you rotate you upper body (it also helps to turn your non-dominant foot toward the side fence). This way you can use sufficient body torque on your open stance shots.