McNamee - Successful stroke overhauls by former pros

[35ft6]

Alex Kim said when he changed his eastern forehand to a semi-western, he instantly improved. This was right before he dominated the NCAA's for a couple of years. I actually experienced the same thing. There was really no transition period, I just instantly improved when I moved to a semi western.

[gpt]

Originally Posted by BTURNER

So far every one of these examples deals with the backhand groundstroke. How about forehand or service overhauls?

I read in an old tennis magazine last week that Kevin Curren played a two handed forehand in the juniors and his early pro years. His game apparently improved significantly after changing to a more conventional forehand.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by gpt

I read in an old tennis magazine last week that Kevin Curren played a two handed forehand in the juniors and his early pro years. His game apparently improved significantly after changing to a more conventional forehand.

That is interesting because Curren also revamped his serve in college to the extremely low ball toss action (probably the lowest and earliest strike of all time).

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by 35ft6

Has there ever been a great serve and volleyer with a two-handed backhand? His switch to a one-hander was symptomatic of a complete overhaul in how he would approach the game in order to some day win Wimbledon. They must have realized that strictly from a ground game standpoint, the one hander wasn't going to be as strong, but in terms of developing a more attacking game, it was a necessary and positive change.

Wilander was hitting nothing but slice backhands for a while. But that's really not a radical change.

It's well known that is why Sampras changed. This has been publicized since 1990. In fact, the notion that a 2 handed backhand player cannot be a SV'er has been around since the 2 hander.

Having said that, I believe the notion to be false, and we have seen some excellent 2 handed SV players, and certainly excellent net players. The idea that strategically a 2 hander is disadvantaged is false in my opinion. If there is any validity to the premise, I think it would be a biologically based reason.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by joe sch

Laver, probably the GOAT, had a more old school slice/flat backhand until early in his pro career where he was one of the first players to developed a big topspin BH weapon. This addition to his game helped him to win Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969.

That's not true at all. Laver developed that big topspin backhand as a junior. That was thanks to his original coach, Charlie Hollis, who was a huge advocate of topspin as an aggressive shot off both wings and insisted that Laver learned how to hit it. In turn, Laver was very heavily influenced by Lew Hoad who hit topspin off both sides.

What Laver developed, as he got older, was the physical strength to control hitting such aggressive spin off the backhand side continually. It's one thing to hit it occasionally but it takes a lot of wrist strength and physical strength to hit it repeatedly with a wooden racquet and while using a Continental grip. That's why Hoad was such a freak - he was able to do it well enough from the age of 18 to be one of the world's best.

[raging]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

That's not true at all. Laver developed that big topspin backhand as a junior. That was thanks to his original coach, Charlie Hollis, who was a huge advocate of topspin as an aggressive shot off both wings and insisted that Laver learned how to hit it. In turn, Laver was very heavily influenced by Lew Hoad who hit topspin off both sides.

What Laver developed, as he got older, was the physical strength to control hitting such aggressive spin off the backhand side continually. It's one thing to hit it occasionally but it takes a lot of wrist strength and physical strength to hit it repeatedly with a wooden racquet and while using a Continental grip. That's why Hoad was such a freak - he was able to do it well enough from the age of 18 to be one of the world's best.

Nice info AndrewD. Charlie had all his guys doing the fishing line with the weight on the end , broomstick roll-up, roll-down technique. My coach had us doing it too but all I got was sore wrists!(wrong biometrics, bodytype).
Hoadie and Laver built their arms like steel cables!
Even in 1983 ,when I last saw him, his right arm was bigger than his right.
Ditto for Laver with his left!

When Macca went away for 6 months to Hopman's that was unheard of.
Normally the end of your career...it kickstarted his!