Many PROS have this backswing that you can see the racket face on other side of body?

[millenium]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvHtwpZVd-U

Then why do many coaches say keep the swing on right hand side of body or left hand side of body so you cannot see the racket face on other side during the backswing. Especially on Forehand many coaches do not teach the backswing where the backswing goes beyond a point where it will be visible on other side of your body. It seems it does not affect many players even on faster surfaces or harder hit shots.

 

[Ash_Smith]

Millenium

If you watch the ATP tour you'll see the vast majority of players keep the racquet on the racquet side of the body. On the WTA tour there are many (majority?) players who take the racquet back around the back of the body.

Whether there is a physialogical reason for this male/female difference i'm not sure, all I know is that from the research we have this is the case. Personally I teach the ATP way!!!

 

[Rickson]

She's just flexible.

 

[chess9]

Yes, Rickson's right, and it's common among women, particularly younger ladies. I think it looks graceful IF it's controlled, but all said, a slightly shorter stroke is probably more economical and ACCURATE.

I had this same problem in high school because I have very long, flexible arms (36 sleeve). The first year I played I was wilder than Rickson at a Swedish Massage Parlor.

-Robert

 

[snvplayer]

Even pros can have bad habits or minor issues in their ground strokes.
Not necessarily saying this is a terrible habit.
Coaches empahsize that point mostly because it can be difficult to react against hard shots as you know.

You watch men's groundstrokes and many of them don't have this habit.

If you are going to copy, you might as well copy the proper ones.

 

[itsstephenyo]

Robin Soderling does that on his forehand. Fed really exposed that weakness yesterday in the match.

 

[smoothtennis]

Think about it this way. It is just more timing variables to deal with.

 

[xnarek]

Watching all this...u guys think watching pro's play is very essential for a junior tennis player?

 

[skiracer55]

Yep, I do...

Watching all this...u guys think watching pro's play is very essential for a junior tennis player?

...it's like if you're a ski racer, watch the World Cuppers. You may not be able to do what they do, but you can see (a) How much variety there is among the top dogs...not everybody does everything the same, which says there are many paths to success and (b) If you see somebody doing something that you think might work for you, go for it. Remember, these folks had to start somewhere, and they still put their tennis shoes on one at a time, just like you do.

Anna C's backhand looks to me like a pretty classical two handed backhand, kind of in the mode of Chris Evert. Remember, she's just hitting easy balls in practice. You can almost look at this at as a backhand demo. I'm sure when she's rushed, she'll cut down on her backswing. The "let's keep it all on the same side of the body" is probably a way to keep things simple. But if you can get a full backswng and still make clean contact, you're probably going to generate more power and spin. I also think that the follow through is good, and you see something that my coach was working on with me last summer. Which is reach out toward the net for a spot over the net on the net on the follow through, then let the momentum of the stroke bring the racket around, instead of trying to wrap the racket around the body. Again, more control, more direction, more spin. To me, this is the essence of the keep the racket on the same side of the body idea...

 

[Nellie]

You also have to remember that, in the video, she is warming up. As the match speeds up, she will also shorten her backstroke. If your coach says your strokes are too long, you are late to the ball and need to shorten to catch the ball in front. of you.

 

[xnarek]

Oh ok thanks. J/W cuz my dad sais that it is REALLY helpful. Lol, yea so i guess ill start watching!

 

[Mark Rainey]

backswing behind body

I'm so glad to see this discussion. Soderling has this huge behind the body backswing as mentioned above. And even though Federer beat him recently, I would love to have Soderling's forehand. It is huge. It came to my attention because my son who is 15 and has been playing for 2 years has a similar backswing. I am not sure I like it, but have been seeing it more and more. I saw Bartoli doing it... Venus Williams does it, at times Sharapova does it, and as mentioned above, it seems more common in women. It comes natural to my son, and I tend to want to trim it down, but am I overcoaching? My gosh, if Venus and Soderling do it, who am I to interfere?

 

[Vision84]

Probably ok now for your son but as he gets older and playing players who hit the ball harder it may help to shorten it.