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2 -- both times I had been thinking -- "I ought to replace this grip", then proceeded to lose the racquet during the service follow through. Racquet shot straight down and cracked @ the top.

I think for biomechanics, the backhand has more potential power. Think about throwing a frisbee w/ a backhand vs a forehand motion. Having said that, it appears that the conditions required to really crack a backhand are as common as they are on the forehand side.

I'd challenge some of the doubters in this thread to post match videos -- unedited. Everyone can look like a 5.0 when you clip out all the unforced errors. Especially if you are just rallying! These guys, though they don't look like they're crushing the ball, are definitely directing the ball...

Wasn't the OP the same one that started the 4.5 vs Evert thread?

Curious -- does anyone else do what I do? I consider it option #4... my right hand never has to change position. Works for FH, 2HBH and if I need to, I can drop the left hand and hit a 1HBH or slice.

I love hitting with my pusher friend -- he's in fantastic shape and retrieves almost everything. However most of the balls having nothing on it and becomes great target practice. I hit with a little extra topspin for clearance and just work angles. I've also noticed at the 3.5 level the...

I use a western grip for my forehand... and my 2hbh has my RH on an eastern backhand grip. I just drop my left hand if I hit a forehand...

If you believe that tennis is 95% the player and 5% the equipment, then there is no way that the 4.5 should be able to overcome the enormous gap in talent when compared against one of the greatest of all time. The pro-4.5ers believe the difference in wood vs. modern technology is quite a bit...

I learned/read that the toss should be pretty close to where you want to make contact with it. I have a low toss and a quick motion. I have heard people argue that the higher toss = more topspin from the ball falling as the racquet rises to meet it. I'm not sure if it makes that big a deal...

I find mini-tennis difficult w/ my western grip. So much so that I usually just switch to a conti and start volleying or half-volleying everything. I don't know if that is defeating the purpose of mini-tennis.. I definitely don't feel any more warmed up when we step back...

I'll start by saying I have a pretty short service motion to begin with. However, the other day I also goofed around with emulating a Roddick-like motion and served up a few bombs. My kickers were much more penetrating and my slice was nasty. That's a big deal because I normally struggle with...

I like rallying -- however I hit a point where I had plateaued in my game because I would have fun, but unproductive rallying with my friends. We often fell into the trap of just playing "gorilla ball" after a while.. few rallies would last more than 5-6 strokes. I started to improve again...

It's all technique... the biggest thing is keep a loose arm. None of the other advice matters if you're trying to muscle the ball in. Relax and the technique will get you there.. I'm short but I can rip the ball well over 100..

Not sure if it's the toss that's the problem or that he always picks up the front foot during the service motion. He needs to keep that planted and only bring the back foot up.

It's a building process... Hit the loopy ball to understand how to strike the ball to impart spin. Then to add pace, start blending in a forward trajectory along with the upward swing. Add more by adding weight transfer into the serve. Finally, if you're looking to impart a strong break to...

Do you feel comfortable taking high 1-handed backhands? How good is your footwork? If you don't like high 1h backhands, then your footwork better be exception to avoid having this exploited. I have friends w/ 1hbh that have trouble with high-bouncing balls... I enjoy hitting a lot of shots to...

So where is the bar that differentiates extreme from a lot? Or is Nadal the definition of extreme? :)

Weight transfer should start before contact. Think about throwing a football -- the larger parts of your body are already in motion before the arm and hand are moving forward. Same goes for open-stance, WW forehands -- the weight tends to go from the right leg to the left (for righties)

I'd say it depends on what the lesser player is trying to achieve in this match. If the goal is to improve your game regardless of the results, then treat it as a lesson. There isn't much pressure in this situation, so enjoy it. I like the idea of supplying balls and getting as much play in...

Heavy topspin that lands short and sits up in a player's strike zone will be bad news. That having been said, if you want some of the pro matches, they can often hit a heavy enough ball that even though the balls land near the service line, they have so much weight that it doesn't put them in a...

I will admit to not knowing what to look for when I buy tennis shoes. Any advice? Am wearing Nike Air Breathe Cage IIs... after about 15 minutes of play my arches start to hurt. It goes away after a little while (or I get used to the pain)... Tips on how to better shop for shoes? They...

My submission.... http://www.vimeo.com/3290055 Converting it from DV to Quicktime to Vimeo seems to have jacked up the frame count vs the original video. First serve was about ~14 frames @ 29.97fps, second and third are ~13 frames from contact to the bounce.

If it's breaking down during matches, chances are that you are too tense and probably not getting the required racquet head speed to impart the necessary spin. If this is your second serve you'll probably add to the tension and doubt by missing it during the match. At the start of a match...

Agree on the camera operation :) however it looks more like normal 3.5 type of play. 3.5's seem to fall in one of two groups -- consistent hackers and inconsistent bashers. The two of you seem to have decent looking strokes but none of the points while rallying lasted more than four strokes...

You seem off balance a lot of the times after the serve is struck. It seems as though you recover 2-3 steps to the left before you can change directions. I'm guessing that you sometimes feel rushed when your serve is successfully returned?

Thx for the feedback -- my comments included: I definitely agree -- it was something that stood out when I was watching the videos. I'm certain that by fully extending it will allow my shoulders to rotate more fully. I suspect the lack of full extension is due to a) tossing the ball from...

I used to use the RDS Midplus (98) -- I had a lot more pop on the serves with that racquet than with the 90. It took some adjustment to get the pop back on my serve w/ the smaller frame. For me learning the twist serve was a bit of an 'aha' moment. Start slow and get the feel of hitting the...

If I do, it's not for very long. The surprise only lasts a point or two. If my opponent is appropriately matched (4.0ish) they usually have faced decent servers and can adjust.

Thanks for the feedback all -- For the record, I'm quite short -- 5'4". But I have a very loose shoulder and arm so that helps. Using a radar, I have hit between 105-115. I noticed that my left arm does not extend completely vertical. Think there is anything that I'd gain here? I tried a...

Received a Flip Video "camera" over Christmas. Turns out it's perfect for recording tennis-play footage. http://vimeo.com/3291266 Only have video from the ad side -- the camera moved while hitting from the deuce side. A good 20 minutes of looking at my feet.