Camping on the backhand side

[kimba]

Hi guys,
One thing I have noticed when playing the better players (level 5.0) is how hard it is to hit to their backhand. A lot of these players camp on the backhand side and just keep nailing forehands. I went and watched Federer play against Simon and IMO Federer must of hit 70% + forehands.

How important is it to learn incorporate this strategy into your own game?

 

[Austinthecity]

It depends how good your forehand is.

 

[LeeD]

and almost as important, how well can you run to cover your forehand side alley when your opponent goes there just for fun..

 

[salsainglesa]

You ought to force something every shot if youcamp on the backhand side, always making strokes wich would be hard to change directions with, taking directionals into account and changing sometimes to an inside in forehand and take the other player unbalanced.

 

[dozu]

forget about it if you don't know how to hit a running RH.

 

[DeShaun]

I am not extremely fast by any stretch but I am not slow either, I probably have ever so slightly above average speed for a 3.0. If I tried camping out on my forehand side, more than one of my hitting partners would blast me repeatedly off the court with shots down the line. Some 3.0s even, whom I hit with, hit inside in shots consistently enough to caution me against camping out on my forehand side, unless I had some serious wheels which I don't.

 

[LeeD]

Since I'm blessed with non healing ankle injuries, there is no chance I can camp out on either side, as I can't cover alley to alley anyways. So splitting the court with some knowledge of my opponent's strengths and preferences is the best I can do. If he hits within 2' of the sidelines, it's point over for me basically. I might get over to cover ONE of those shots, but will not be in position to make much of a play on the next close to alley ball.
Better I just go and hit the FIRST forcing ball, and make my opponent respond to my shot.

 

[GetBetterer]

This may mean they're scared and worried about their backhand because it has shown flaws for them in the past -- aim for it.

 

[larry10s]

This may mean they're scared and worried about their backhand because it has shown flaws for them in the past -- aim for it.

at the club level maybe.
at the pro level they HAVE a backhand with which they can hit winners and passing shots. they CHOOSE to hit forehands because its a stronger shot for them and they have the footwork to do it.
when playing someone like that often you have to go to their forehand side to open up the backhand side

 

[GetBetterer]

larry10s:

at the club level maybe.
at the pro level they HAVE a backhand with which they can hit winners and passing shots. they CHOOSE to hit forehands because its a stronger shot for them and they have the footwork to do it.
when playing someone like that often you have to go to their forehand side to open up the backhand side

I wouldn't be entirely sure about this.

Rafa has recently been slicing most of his backhands, and sort of chips his two-handed backhands seen US Open 2010 (or at least that's around when I've been noticing it).

Plus, I said past, not current. Past fears are driven very deeply into the human subconscious. Many people are still afraid of jumping off a cliff without a parachute or hang glider and it's because everybody has fallen and been affected by the gravity of the fear (get it? ahahahha, laugh, now...).

 

[larry10s]

you are entitled to beleive what you want.
i only express my opinion
icbw(but i dont think so)

 

[Power Player]

People camp on the backhand side to set up their forehand. I was taught that as a junior. It is a style you play to set up attacking shots with the forehand. It does not mean your backhand is awful, but it means your strength is your forehand.

The DTL backhand is a huge weapon to have as is the running forehand if you play this way.

 

[kimba]

I really feel this tactic has improved my game. As long as I stay aggressive with my forehand I find I get a lot more short balls. I have also found that the amount of winners I hit has increased. I find that if I start to back off with my forehand I have to do a lot of running and be prepared to watch the ball pass me by down the forehand side.

 

[yellowoctopus]

at the pro level they HAVE a backhand with which they can hit winners and passing shots. they CHOOSE to hit forehands because its a stronger shot for them and they have the footwork to do it.
when playing someone like that often you have to go to their forehand side to open up the backhand side

larry10s:
I wouldn't be entirely sure about this.

Rafa has recently been slicing most of his backhands, and sort of chips his two-handed backhands seen US Open 2010 (or at least that's around when I've been noticing it).

Plus, I said past, not current. Past fears are driven very deeply into the human subconscious. Many people are still afraid of jumping off a cliff without a parachute or hang glider and it's because everybody has fallen and been affected by the gravity of the fear (get it? ahahahha, laugh, now...).

IMHO, I believe that the pros do it out of anticipation based on recognition that their opponent's tactic is to throw a lot of balls to their backhand, which is often related to the opponent's perception of the relative strength or weakness of the player's backhand. I'm not sure if Larry10s' use of the word 'choose' refers to this or not.

Most club players, on the other hand, do this no matter what the opponent's tactic is. I had a player who thought my cross-court forehand was 'lethal' when in reality, it was nothing worth bragging about--he was consistently caught standing way to his backhand side. I don't remember trying to hit to his backhand side at all that entire match.