Curious about the open stance 2HBH

[Cindysphinx]

I have a friend who struggles with her 2HBH and takes lessons. She described what she is being taught. I am mystified in understanding what could be going on in her lessons, so I thought maybe some of the folks here who teach could explain.

My friend says she is learning to hit her 2HBH open stance. She said that, while facing the net, she is to take her racket back with a shoulder turn. Then she is to drop it down and around behind her left calf, racket head down. From there, she is suppose to whip around and hit the ball finishing over her right shoulder.

She says that the pros hit most of their 2HBH open stance because the ball is on them so quickly. Is that true? I thought most of them hit their 2HBH pretty closed except in emergencies. I have been watching to see if there is a gender difference, but the ones I watched recently (Stephens, Ivanovic, Sharapova, Petrova, Hewitt, Roddick, Isner, Verdasco) all seemed to hit mostly closed/neutral stance 2HBH.

I never really tried to learn the 2HBH open stance because I figured the footwork would be very tricky and it would be hard to get weight transfer, but maybe I should reconsider.

 

[spaceman_spiff]

I've consulted the expert (Andre Agassi), and he says to hit the ball on the front foot whenever possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3uiZvHN9f8

 

[rkelley]

From what I've seen most pros generally hit neutral or slightly closed. Generally the only time I see open is when they're pulled to their backhand side and don't have time to set-up. Generally however they have time to set up.

All that said, I believe Serena hits her backhand from open position a fair amount, thought I'm not 100% sure. Possibly there are others?

Like a lot things, I think you would need to understand a pro's entire stroke (grips, arm structure, arm dominance, swing path) in order to understand how the stances they use work.

 

[LeeD]

I used to see this top B men's player hit with fully openstanced 2hbh's. B would be 4.5, but he was very competitive in A/Open, speed his only liability.
He hit lefty forehands, short prep, little shoulder turn, supported by his right hand. He hit open to recover back towards center of intersect, to mask his lack of footspeed.
Almost every A player would try to exploit his openstanced 2hbh, to little effect. That short direct prep 2hbh with little shoulder turn could redirect almost any incoming ball with accuracy and consistency. AND, with the short prep, he could disquise flat lobs, short angles, and deep DTL easily.
It's a shot worth trying, for almost anyone.
It's not a shot for long sustained baseline rallies, as lack of power can be a liability in long rallies.

 

[LeeD]

Oh...
He did not bother to hit exclusively topspin 2hbh's. He'd hit with sidespin, some underspin, and some topspin, depending on height of incoming ball and how the mechanics worked.
I never could beat him, either picking on his 2hbh or his forehand. He had 4 sisters who were also pretty good.

 

[directionals]

Does anyone know why most pros hit their 2HBH with a neutral stance but their FH usually open stance?

 

[TennisA]

Does anyone know why most pros hit their 2HBH with a neutral stance but their FH usually open stance?

I'm guessing with the BH, you get more foward momentum and more balance while close-stanced, while for the FH, and open-stance allows more rotation and power.

 

[LeeD]

Body mechanics.
Try it.
With neutral or closed, you get the benefits of the long backswing.
With openstance, backswing is limited by your right hand, when you're hitting a lefty forehand supported by the right hand.
This never bothered my friend, who hit softer with his 2hbh openstanced, but hard enough with the added precision to be tough to pick on.
Like a serve, you want to finish your swing as you're hitting the ball, if you want power. Without a long prepbackswing, it's tough to finish the stroke.

 

[fuzz nation]

From what I've seen most pros generally hit neutral or slightly closed. Generally the only time I see open is when they're pulled to their backhand side and don't have time to set-up. Generally however they have time to set up.QUOTE]

Interesting - I was watching Ferrer and Hewitt duking it out in their match and noticed how they were trading 2hbh's with primarily neutral and closed stances. The only time either of them seemed to go with an open stance was when they needed to sort of fight off the ball when it got in tight on the backhand wing.

 

[Rjtennis]

If you are gong to exclusively hit a 2hbh you need to able to hit open stance at times. You are not always going to be able to get sideways when defending. Its a good thing for a pro to work on with a player.

 

[Headshotterer]

one thing is that if you hit open stance rotate your shoulders back more for control and power

 

[Wuppy]

Lots of WTA players open their stance up after hitting their 2HBH. ie they swing their bodies around and wind up facing the net

these girls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLZ-q_OcD-w

 

[sureshs]

Then she is to drop it down and around behind her left calf, racket head down.

So no loop?

 

[bhupaes]

Lots of good reasons have been given for hitting from the front foot if possible... let me add one more reason for using a not-so-open stance on the 2hbh.

IMO, hitting the 2hbh on the front foot (when possible) makes it easier to adjust to the bounce. In the Agassi video posted above, notice how he commits the front foot really late, as he's taking the backswing. This is a great way to adjust to the "second flight of the ball" after the bounce, in case it breaks to the left or right.

But one has to be able to hit the 2hbh in open stance - it's a mandatory skill! - when on the run or pressed for time.

 

[Topaz]

I'm doing this more and more often Cindy, as I'm playing better singles opponents as well as mixed...things are coming at me faster and a more open stance allows me to get set up better when pulled out wide and, for some reason, I usually hit a better angle back when open.

I'm also working on opening up my FH stance, too, and it is paying off as well.

 

[LeeD]

Open stance 2hbh allows easier CC rallying, which is the percentage play.
Notice most 2hbh backhands on TV, going DTL for winners, is closed stance.
But CC is the percentage play in singles.