One handed backhand thread: value, technique and else

[10isfreak]

I'd like to discuss a few issues on the one handed backhand.

Firstly, what sort of take back would be ideal? What pro players seem to have a take back which is easily emulated, which one is a good model for this?

Secondly, is the one handed backhand fit for the modern game? At the pro level, for men or women and for amateurs in general.

Thirdly, whose one handed backhand is the best on the tour? This seems silly to some, but it could be measured... here, the best means, that over infinitely many rallies in all possible conditions, the best backhand would earn the most point out of them all.

[10isfreak]

The forehand is well discussed here; the serve is also well covered from time to time. The backhand is a rare bird of discussions, the one handed version of it being rarely touched...

We need a one handed backhand thread! Bring on the controversy or something!

[rkelley]

Here's a personal factoid:

The three people I hit with the most often all have a 1hbh. One is my son who is 17. He switched from a 2hbh about 4-5 months ago. He's hitting it really well - can take balls on the rise and hit aggressively across high balls. The other two guys are my age and are both around 5.0 level.

I have a 2hbh btw, one handed slice.

[watungga]

My takeback is sort of being my grip is the "hinge of a door". If the door could not swing, there'll be no impact on the ball to generate pace.
The direction of my racquet head, is from 3pm to 6pm to 9am (impact) to 12noon on the high upward motion.

Its the same principle like Federer forehand.

[sunof tennis]

Originally Posted by 10isfreak

I'd like to discuss a few issues on the one handed backhand.

Firstly, what sort of take back would be ideal? What pro players seem to have a take back which is easily emulated, which one is a good model for this?

Secondly, is the one handed backhand fit for the modern game? At the pro level, for men or women and for amateurs in general.

Thirdly, whose one handed backhand is the best on the tour? This seems silly to some, but it could be measured... here, the best means, that over infinitely many rallies in all possible conditions, the best backhand would earn the most point out of them all.

I would use Tommy Haas as a model. Nice economical strokes (both forehand and backhand). Who has the best one hand backhand on tour is debatable-Gasquet, Almagro, Wawrinka are often listed as having the best.
Finally, having a one hand backhand can work in the modern game as these players plus, of course, Federer have proved. It is all up to the individual, although people often find the two hand easier to learn.

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by sunof tennis

Federer have proved.

choice question - is Federer so successful

a) because of his 1hbh or
b) despite his 1hbh

it's a touch question.. on one hand (no pun), he leads in 2nd srv points won%, but lags in all return stats - 1st, 2nd srv return pts won, bp conversion... therefore you can argue that if he has 2hbh and had any sort of return stats close to what rafa, joker or murray has, he'd have even more success.

on the other hand, one can argue that his 1hbh helps him in leading in the serve game (he is #1 in 2nd serve points won).... but that argument is a little more difficult to establish.

even though myself play 1hbh, I believe the answer is b).... and the empirical evidence of what the top 100 or 200 use is pointing that way also... the 2hbh is the better suited for the top guys.

on the rec level, can be entire different story.

[LeeD]

Takeback is up to the individual. The high takeback of Gasquet/Warinka/Almagro get's cancelled out when you consider McEnroe's direct straight takeback for simplicity.
The game is not only the backhand, but the combination of all other strokes.
Best always involves having a good day or a bad day.

[sureshs]

Definitely 2 hander is the way to go if you are starting out as a junior

[julian]

Originally Posted by 10isfreak

I'd like to discuss a few issues on the one handed backhand.

Firstly, what sort of take back would be ideal? What pro players seem to have a take back which is easily emulated, which one is a good model for this?

Secondly, is the one handed backhand fit for the modern game? At the pro level, for men or women and for amateurs in general.

Thirdly, whose one handed backhand is the best on the tour? This seems silly to some, but it could be measured... here, the best means, that over infinitely many rallies in all possible conditions, the best backhand would earn the most point out of them all.

There is a decent RECENT thread about 1 handed backhand by Ash Smith.
One has to find it

[Relinquis]

Originally Posted by luvforty

choice question - is Federer so successful

a) because of his 1hbh or
b) despite his 1hbh

it's a touch question.. on one hand (no pun), he leads in 2nd srv points won%, but lags in all return stats - 1st, 2nd srv return pts won, bp conversion... therefore you can argue that if he has 2hbh and had any sort of return stats close to what rafa, joker or murray has, he'd have even more success.

on the other hand, one can argue that his 1hbh helps him in leading in the serve game (he is #1 in 2nd serve points won).... but that argument is a little more difficult to establish.

even though myself play 1hbh, I believe the answer is b).... and the empirical evidence of what the top 100 or 200 use is pointing that way also... the 2hbh is the better suited for the top guys.

on the rec level, can be entire different story.

you make important points, but what is the breakdown of the serve return stats that are to the backhand? we need to know this to factor for sure that it is the single backhand issue that is the determining variable and not some other factor (maybe he's trying to hit forehand winners off the return?)

anyway...

In addition to tommy haas i think gasquet is a good model to follow as he manages to hit a variety of shots with his backhand. he rallies with it a lot and in many cases it is more formidable than his forehand (e.g. his Doha final match against Davydenko a few weeks ago).

check out federer as well as there are lots of videos of his backhand online.

[luvforty]

there is no break down... just anecdotal evidence that Fed chips a lot of returns and end up something like 1 for 50 on bps in so many matches against rafa.

[Orange614]

I made the switch from 2hbh to 1hbh after I broke my left wrist about 4 years ago. After hitting the 1hbh for 6-8 months my left wrist had healed but I could not go back to the 2hbh. With loops on fh and bh being so much more prominent in the modern game (opposite of McEnroe straight back) the 1hbh felt better because my range of motion was greater. However, It has taken me until about now to feel fully confident in my backhand again. The hardest thing to adjust to was making contact about 3 or so feet farther in front with the 1 hbh. Second, when playing doubles and returning on the deuce side I always went with a 2hbh when driving the ball. I didn't have time to get shoulders, hips, and feet turned as is necessary to hit the 1hbh so much farther in front.

[boramiNYC]

Train to have strong and flexible wrist and model Almagro's 1hbh. The best 1hbh in business.

[marosmith]

You can't blame Federer's passive serve return style on his backhand, it's his style of play and for most of his career he was better in rallies (partially because of his backhand) than anyone else so he plays his return game conservatively.

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by marosmith

You can't blame Federer's passive serve return style on his backhand, it's his style of play and for most of his career he was better in rallies (partially because of his backhand) than anyone else so he plays his return game conservatively.

i know 'you can't argue with success'.. but empirical evidence shows that 'conservatively' is not good enough for his standards (14th rank in 2nd srv return points won, while murray joker and rafa are the top3), and he has been trying to reverse that with Paul A's coaching.

you don't see him being 'conservative' when he gets a 2nd srv on his fh, problem is rafa can serve to his bh the entire match, literally.

could fed have even more success? that's arguable.

[Wilander Fan]

One drawback is that you will never dominate the return on the BH with a 1HB. You can chip them all in but a good server just needs to keep it into your BH side. The return on a first serve is basically a swinging volley. Even off a good serve, you can hit a pretty big return from your FH while on the defensive. However, you cant do this from the BH so easily. My theory about Federer's return stats is that he cannot punish a first serve from the BH side though he can get everything back with a chip. On 2nd serve, he can run around on the deuce side but not from the ad side since it opens so much ct up he has to hit a winner with the FH. This is the big matchup issue with Nadal. He can almost always guarantee at least a neutral ball rally every time he serves to the ad side.

Actually, I think this is actually specific to the Fed BH. Johnny Mac, Edberg and Lendl could punish the BH return because they tended to volley alot more from the BH side and BH volleys used to be more blocky than slice. Mac could really block his BH return with some pace. OTOH, Fed almost always slices his BH volleys. I dont recall ever seeing him hit drive volleys on the BH side.

[bhallic24]

Originally Posted by boramiNYC

Train to have strong and flexible wrist and model Almagro's 1hbh. The best 1hbh in business.

well i think if you could pick in certain situations:

for variety: fed's got the best backhand
for consistency: I'd go almagros or gasquets, both look like they could hit that thing all day.
for dealing with high bouncing shots to the backhand: gasquets, no question, dude hits it like a boss.
for return of serve: take feds.
for finishing winners with it: fed, wawa, or gasquet (but he stands a little too far back)

I mean that's being picky but all four have fantastic backhands. probably the four best in the world, can't think of anyone else that comes close.

[ShoeShiner]

For me, GUGA is still the best 1HBH ever.

[bhallic24]

Originally Posted by ShoeShiner

For me, GUGA is still the best 1HBH ever.

With all that head bobbing, he can't possibly keep his head still through contact. A bad model for the kids.

J/K, like his backhand a ton too.

[luvforty]

guga is almost impossible for me to copy.. just don't have that kind of flexibility.