Grosjean deserves a lot of credit

[Rickson]

for improving his backhand. Grosjean used to be so uncomfortable with his backhand, he used to run around to hit a forehand. Grosjean is using his backhand a lot more than he used to which is more than I can say for many club players who still use the run around to the forehand tactic.

 

[Nadal2]

You can be a pretty good player and still use the run around the backhand tactic. Just look at Carlos Moya.

 

[Rickson]

You can be a pretty good player and still use the run around the backhand tactic. Just look at Carlos Moya.

There is no doubt that Moya prefers an inside out forehand over the backhand, but he leaves a lot of open space for his opponent to hit a winner when he does that.

 

[Mikael]

You definitely become a better player by doing what Rickson just said... A symmetrical game is so much more versatile than a one weapon game. I think this was one of Kafelnikov's, or Rios' great strengths. You have more tactical options open to you, you keep the opponent guessing, and you run less...

 

[lofoblast]

No strategy is better than the other one, it is only a matter of quality of shots produced, yes a symetrical game is less prone to open the court for your opponant, but if you have an great inside out forehand, good enough to make many winners or to expect only a weak reply from your opponant, then go for it!

Federer and Kuerten are admired for their backhands, but just take a look at how often they run around their backhand to hit a forehand.

For Grosjean, a more symetrical game means less inside out forehands, more backhands and a higher % of forehands hitted crosscourts, given the excellence of his inside out and down the line forehand when he runs around his backhand, given the lesser quality of his crosscout forehand, and given his often suspect backhand (even if he has improved it compared to the beginning of his career), the right strategy for him is still to run around his backhand as soon as possible and go for the killer forehand that he can hit inside out or down the line with great success.

 

[Mikael]

You're right when saying that any player can potentially generate more pace with the forehand... It's a matter of physiology. Thus, a purely symmetrical game cannot exist? Maybe that's the answer.

As for Grosjean's strategy, well I guess "becoming" a symmetrical player isn't quite the same thing as being one. Maybe those are innate things. I've rarely, if ever seen an ATP player successfully make the transition from being a "one weapon" type to a symmetrical type. Sure, you can cover your weaknesses, but it's not quite the same thing as being able to rely on them on pressure points to make powerful down the line attacks. Maybe it's a psychological thing, in part. IE, even if Grosjean's backhand becomes as good as his forehand, he'll never develop the instincts needed to operate it like his forehand.

 

[SonicSpeed]

Roddick runs around to hit his inside out forehand a lot too, but he isn't that prone to his opponent hitting a winner into the open court. He's quick and he anticipates when to run around his backhand well.

 

[Rickson]

Even Roger, who is known for his great backhand, runs around to the forehand side a lot because it's simply his dominant groundstroke. Everyone does it on occasion, but I don't think it should be a necessity like it was for Grosjean, just an option.

 

[lofoblast]

Rick wrote :

Even Roger, who is known for his great backhand, runs around to the forehand side a lot because it's simply his dominant groundstroke

Yes of course.

Now the real deabate is : Does a player have to build his strategy around his best natural strokes/forces (ex : run around the BH if he has a natural great inside out FH, or use a more symetrical strategy if has a great down the line BH, or rush the net if he is a great natural volleyer with great net coverage...)? Or is it better to build/develop his strokes to suits a predefined strategy that he thinks should be the best strategy of all (even if it has to negate his best natural strokes to suits the predefined strategy)?

Personnaly I'm for the first option.

 

[Rickson]

Develop a backhand. Running around once in a while is ok, but doing it constantly shows a definite backhand weakness.