One Handed Backhand vs Two Handed Backhand

[LeeD]

If I need to hit 4 topspin backhands consecutively, I"m playing much to conservatively, am just pushing, and need to be a MAN and take charge of that point.

[rabidranger]

From my experience, the one-hander is the more comfortable stroke but is probably harder to master. I'm just going to stick with it!

[AhmedD]

I actually use both depending on the situation, I find the 2HBH is better to use when dealing with shots that are very deep and going to land just a few inches from the baseline, so I use it instead of half-volley every shot with 1HBH, and I can use it today with kick serve or high topsin balls. But if a shot lands short, even to the smallest degree, or if it's just a normal rally I use the 1HBH because there is just more variet and you can go for shots with insane angles, plus I find more power in 1HBH. Anyone else use both, it really helps because your opponent never knows what to expect

[FastFreddy]

20 years ago I would have said one hander it looks cooler. Today two hands seems the better way to go since the players are taller so reach is not a problem, and faster to get the two hander ready and be in position. The one hander is still the better shot to hit on the run out of position than the two hander. Serve returns the two hander is better but I like the one hander on mid court balls with no pace.

[fuzz nation]

The OP's assumption is that everyone needs to embrace one or the other. I'm with AhmedD in that I believe that there's plenty of room for both in anyone's arsenal, along with a good slice. In the same fashion that it takes extra time to learn good all-court skills to become a more complete player, it also requires more time and effort to learn both topspin backhands, but they're both potentially quite useful.

Anyone who thinks otherwise ought to pause and figure out whether you're more in favor of one style because you couldn't learn the other. No crime if that's the case. A vast majority of players have a stronger aptitude for one style over the other. We're funny like that.

The power baseline game... yeah, okay. Although I can swing a racquet rather hard on short notice with a 2hbh, my racquet speed is much greater with my one-hander. Hands down, no contest, blah-blah-blah... and I've been using the two-hander for most of my life. I only learned a good working one-hander a couple of years ago (remember that snippet about our individual aptitudes?) and the only downside with it for me is the extra fraction of a second that it takes me to put it on the ball. For short notice, the slice and the two-hander have me covered.

Hit two-handed on both sides if you have to, right? Whatever works better for you. Carry on...

[Ultra2HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Every pro now started AFTER the mid '70's. So they were taught the by then accepted 2hbh WHEN THEY WERE TINY LITTLE WEAK KIDS!

Federer never used a twohander. I'm sure there are many onehanders who never used a twohander. Was federer even able to play as a kid because he was too weak? Or was federer one of the 'tough' kids? lol. To blame the dominance of twohanders on weak kids who are too weak to use a onehander is pretty laughable to me.

[Manus Domini]

federer never learned 2HBH cause he can't use that stroke for his life. But there has to be some advantage to 1HBH is one of the most famous players in the Open Era, Sampras, found it to be better than a 2HBH.

For those that want to make really looooooooooong, booooooooooring rallies, the 2HBH is great. But for people that wanna make an exciting net play game, the 1HBH is the way to go

[Ultra2HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

.
For those that want to make really looooooooooong, booooooooooring rallies, the 2HBH is great. But for people that wanna make an exciting net play game, the 1HBH is the way to go

It does not really matter if you have a one or two as far as net game.. Watch todd martin clips.. Although i do admit all the best serve and volleyers were onehanders. And the best baseliners seem to be twohanders.

[darthpwner]

Originally Posted by Ultra2HolyGrail

It does not really matter if you have a one or two as far as net game.. Watch todd martin clips.. Although i do admit all the best serve and volleyers were onehanders. And the best baseliners seem to be twohanders.

Goran also had a good net game.

[Manus Domini]

and which two people hold the consecutive rank weeks for #1? Fed and Sampras, right? The one-handers? (note, I loathe 2HBH, so I ame 100% biased)

[Ultra2HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by darthpwner

Goran also had a good net game.

Yup. Goran is a prime example of a player that you would never know had a twohander just based on his serve.. You would swear he had a onehander after watching him serve and volley.

[darthpwner]

Originally Posted by Ultra2HolyGrail

Yup. Goran is a prime example of a player that you would never know had a twohander just based on his serve.. You would swear he had a onehander after watching him serve and volley.

Yeah, and Goran would also hit a lot of 1 handed backhands on the run.

[Ultra2HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

and which two people hold the consecutive rank weeks for #1? Fed and Sampras, right? The one-handers? (note, I loathe 2HBH, so I ame 100% biased)

Yes, but their backhands are noted as their weakness.

[Manus Domini]

at the baseline game, the one-hander is pretty important for net game, their specialties, you know

[Devilito]

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

at the baseline game, the one-hander is pretty important for net game, their specialties, you know

that's why both Federer and Lendl, two of the greatest baseliners use a 1hbh? I’ve had to switch to a 1hbh from a 2hbh which was actually probably my best shot due to a wrist injury. There are pros and cons to both. Hitting a 1hbh can be a more natural and relaxing shot to hit, give you more reach (less steps to take to set up), easier to hit low balls with. The 2hbh has some serious advantages though. Easier to hit high balls, hard balls that give you less time to set up and the return of serve. Having to swap grips between forehand and backhand is what makes the 1hbh very difficult. On my 2hbh I would barely have to move my grip and would never more it on the return, letting me step in and hit aggressively. The 1hbh return is probably going to be the biggest killer for me, especially against hard servers.

Timing is another HUGE point. With 2 hands, your forehand and backhand hit the shot at about the same location in front of your body. With a 1hbh you have to time and ball and hit it further in front of you making it a much more diffult to time. That’s why you see so many people shank the one hander. I used to never shank my backhand, now it’s fairly common.

[Manus Domini]

Federer's backhand was his weakness, as noted before. But it still was a beautiful shot to see and created more variety for Fed to use. IMO the only reason Nadal has so much on Fed is because they mainly met on Nadal's strongest surface, clay, and his 2HBH is basically a 2HFH.

[Dechizen]

http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2007/0...nded-backhand/

[pyrokid]

More irrelevent comments.

When playing someone with a solid one hander, when you hit a deep loopy TS shot the their backhand, it might come back neutrally.

When you hit the same shot to a 2 hander, there's a good chance they'll put it away.

On sere returns, if you try and jam someone in the body, then 1hbh wins out by a long shot.

[Dechizen]

Finally I have gotten the answer.Here is why the TWO-HANDED BACKHAND IS SUPERIOR TO THE ONE-HANDED BACKHAND:

http://www.itftennis.com/shared/medi...9_original.PDF

[Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Dechizen

Finally I have gotten the answer.Here is why the TWO-HANDED BACKHAND IS SUPERIOR TO THE ONE-HANDED BACKHAND:

http://www.itftennis.com/shared/medi...9_original.PDF

most honest one-handers could of told you that. I'm holding on to my 1hander because it's pretty as hell. All the 1handed votes actually come from our 2hander fans.