Forehand stance?

[torpantennis]

Which forehand stance do you use most often during matches, open stance or neutral stance? Or are you one of the players still using the closed stance on most of the balls?

Let's limit this poll on close matches with an opponent of the same level as you.

NOTE: If you primarily use semi-open stance then please answer open stance.

 

[Topspin Shot]

My forehand stance varies anywhere from open to closed, just like everyone else's. I hit with pretty modern strokes though, so my base forehand is hit out of a semi-open stance. If that were a choice, I would have picked it, but since it wasn't, I went with open.

 

[Ash_Smith]

All of them depending on the incoming ball and my tactical intention

 

[torpantennis]

I'll personally answer the poll. I tend to use the open stance on close matches on all the balls. When I'm into long rallies I just make less errors with the open stance and tend to play safe if I cannot dictate. Actually I tend to make errors on short balls when I shift into the neutral stance after hitting many open stance forehands in a row. This is a tendency I should somehow get rid of.

 

[BlueB]

Poll is incomplete. It should have:
Open (axis joining the feet balls close to parallel to the net);
Semi-open (axis close to 45 deg to the net);
Neutral (axis close to perpendicular to the net);
Closed (axis angled past perpendicular to net).

In the match, I mostly hit Semi-open, but would like to move back towards Neutral.

Every now and then, when I quickly have to reach forward for a low ball, I also use reverse stance.

 

[Fintft]

Semi-open to neutral (as per the diagram posted in the bellow thread, did you see it?) allows me for more power then 90% of my opponents and 2/3 of my partners:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=485403

 

[torpantennis]

My forehand stance varies anywhere from open to closed, just like everyone else's. I hit with pretty modern strokes though, so my base forehand is hit out of a semi-open stance. If that were a choice, I would have picked it, but since it wasn't, I went with open.

Yeah, I intentionally didn't add semi-open, because I want to see how many TTWers still play classical style in this sense, i.e. using neutral or closed primarily.

 

[torpantennis]

Semi-open to neutral (as per the diagram posted in the bellow thread, did you see it?) allows me for more power then 90% of my opponents and 2/3 of my partners:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=485403

If you can dictate your opponents, you're not playing a close match. Or are you making stupid errors on short balls or volleys?

 

[Fintft]

If you can dictate your opponents, you're not playing a close match. Or are you making stupid errors on short balls or volleys?

Well yeah:
a) I also miss on the FH.
b) My BH is worse.
c) I go for too much on my Ros.
d) Don't move too well.

Can get tense on both sides, especially the BH.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Poll is incomplete. It should have:
Open (axis joining the feet balls close to parallel to the net);
Semi-open (axis close to 45 deg to the net);
Neutral (axis close to perpendicular to the net);
Closed (axis angled past perpendicular to net).

In the match, I mostly hit Semi-open, but would like to move back towards Neutral.

Every now and then, when I quickly have to reach forward for a low ball, I also use reverse stance.

My poll option is not here either. Only rarely will employ a fully open stance (do use it for some serve returns). I employ a mix of semi-open and neutral. I was using more fully open stances a decade ago but have developed a serious hip flexor issue. Except for the occasional jumping BH, I can't think of anything, other than the full-open FH stance, that has stressed my hip flexor.

 

[CaptainCool309]

If I used this chart to classify my forehand stance, I'd say I use the square stance (Neutral stance) the most for my forehand.

 

[corners]

Forehand stance is almost entirely a function of where you make contact with the ball and where you are trying to go on the court with your footwork after the shot. Stance is situation dependent and not simply a matter of preference. In other words, forehand stance is a matter of playing style and the level of your opposition. For example, if the ball is short or slow or low I will step into it with a neutral stance and probably follow it to the net. I would do this on every ball if all I ever faced were short, slow and low balls. But unfortunately balls do come higher and deeper, and in that case I might hit a rally ball from a neutral stance using recovery footwork that re-establishes me at the baseline. However, if the ball is deep, fast and wide and I have only enough time to get my outside foot planted, I'm going to have to hit from an open stance, and might even have to take a step back to do it.

If you go around thinking that you're going to hit open stances on every ball you're going to be a weak, defensive and ineffectual player.

 

[NLBwell]

I don't think anyone should have just one forehand stance.

 

[torpantennis]

I agree, not one stance should be always used and the stance is a function of where you are on the court and how much you have time. But still, in a close match without either player dominating, your playing style and strengths determine the stance you tend to use. A defensive spanish-style player with good conditioning and modern strokes would back off and primarily use open stance, whereas a player with more aggressive mindset and/or classical strokes tends to more use the neutral stance and more aggressive court positioning, even in a close fought match without domination.

 

[GoudX]

Players have a stance which they prefer to use in a regular situation and in an attacking situation. In a defensive situation they more or less do whatever they comfortably can (by definition they don't have the time or ability to set up their shots how they like or it's not a defensive situation).

I tend to hit from an 'almost-open' stance, where the heel of my left foot is in line with the toe of my right foot - as I find this allows me to hit with the most topspin and control.

If the ball is really short I tend to step in to a neutral stance, so that I can get over the ball and hit it flat more easily - and then use my momentum to carry me in to the net.

If I have time to set up properly, I never hit from a neutral stance at the baseline as I find my shots are just better from the nearly open stance (more power through extra rotation and more leg drive, more directional control and consistency as I can use a more compact stroke and the make small adjustments in positioning up till the last second, and more spin as there is more freedom to swing upwards from a more open stance).

 

[Arabi_Tesla]

closed stance ??
does somebody still really play forehand with a closed stance ?
as for me my stance varies from open to semi open to neutral
depends on the ball
so if (various) was an option I would've picked it
plus you should add ( semi open ) because lot of people actually use it

 

[Topspin Shot]

closed stance ??
does somebody still really play forehand with a closed stance ?
as for me my stance varies from open to semi open to neutral
depends on the ball
so if (various) was an option I would've picked it
plus you should add ( semi open ) because lot of people actually use it

Many inside out forehand approaches are hit from closed stances, especially relative to the baseline. Also, if you're pulled out wide on a return of serve, you may have to hit out of a closed stance.

 

[Arabi_Tesla]

Many inside out forehand approaches are hit from closed stances, especially relative to the baseline. Also, if you're pulled out wide on a return of serve, you may have to hit out of a closed stance.

I think the "pulled out wide" is okay and sometimes you have to hit it closed stance if on the run.
But as for inside outs I hit them with neutral stance .. A closed stance would give the other player a very good reading for where you are aiming.

 

[Fuji]

I hit all of them except for fully closed depending on how much pop I'm aiming to put on the shot. Since I hit fairly flat off my forehand if I'm really going for a winner, neutral gives the most forward momentum and thus more power for me.

On a standard rally ball though, I'm semi-open to open depending on how lazy my footwork is that day. :razz:

-Fuji

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

If I used this chart to classify my forehand stance, I'd say I use the square stance (Neutral stance) the most for my forehand.

Mountain Ghost stance for me, stand back 15 feet and moonball everything back.

 

[HughJars]

Approach shots and balls landing short = closed.

The rest, open to semi.

 

[5263]

Which forehand stance do you use most often during matches, open stance or neutral stance? Or are you one of the players still using the closed stance on most of the balls?

Let's limit this poll on close matches with an opponent of the same level as you.

NOTE: If you primarily use semi-open stance then please answer open stance.

Not sure what you had before your edit, but seems you adjusted it to clear up things for the confused. They should know that semi is one of the many open stances, just like there are many amounts of closed as well. Neutral is the only stance that is quite narrowly defined. Funny how some think that semi open is somehow way more descriptive. The poll also said "typical" Fh, so don't know what the problem there was either.

 

[CaptainCool309]

Mountain Ghost stance for me, stand back 15 feet and moonball everything back.

:lol: I want to congratulate you Chi Sin Lo, you just made my day a helluva lot funnier!

 

[movdqa]

I picked neutral as I assumed it meant something in-between but apparently it doesn't based on that picture. I started out as a closed stance player decades ago and can hit open, semi-open, etc. depending on how much time I have, height of the ball, my position and what I'm trying to do.

Same thing with the backhand. I used to always use a closed stance and then, after watching Federer's backhand pressed for time, adopted the sometimes open backhand (I have a OHBH).

I think that marks one of the big differences between the 80s and the 2000s and later is the flexibility in hitting shots, in stance, grip, using a OHBH for slices and 2HBH for topspin, etc.

 

[mightyrick]

For me it's probably:

75% open stance (heavy topspin rallies and moonballs)
20% semi-open stance (flat-ish, low-spin shots)
5% neutral or closed if I'm hitting on the run

So I'm almost always open... and fully open at that. If I am forced to hit neutral or closed, it is because either my footwork and preparation sucked at a given moment... or my opponent just hit a really good shot.