If given the choice... lefty or righty?

[Rubens]

My 10 yo son has recently started learning tennis (I'm teaching him). From the start, it's clear that he doesn't have a preference between using the left or right hand. That's not surprising in his case, because he's quite ambidextrous (although he writes and draws with the right hand, so I'd say he's slightly more of a righty in general).

So here's the thing. If he doesn't have a preference, should I nudge him towards being a lefty or righty player? I'm thinking about the lefty edge, especially when it comes to serving (the ad slice serve). The only problem is that he's not a fan of Nadal, lol. So what do you think?

Thanks for your help!

 

[sureshs]

I always wondered if there are doctors who specialize in this - that is, who will evaluate a kid with amibdexterity and advise the parents on which path to take (if necessary on a per activity basis). Is there a science to this?

 

[Rubens]

I think the recommendation is to let the child choose. I believe that's what Toni did with Rafa. However, my son is really undecided, so I'm tempted to nudge him towards left (Not because of Nadal, but because of the lefty advantage in sports, especially tennis).

 

[WildVolley]

I'm a righty, but had I been ambidextrous I would have played with my left hand while hitting a 2hbh, or possibly hit forehands off both sides when given the time.

Since serving is similar to throwing, if he can throw well with the left hand that will make it much easier to teach a proper serve.

 

[dominikk1985]

there are hardly any lefties in the top100. if being left handed was an advantage the numbers of lefties would exceed the prevalence of lefties in the population (around 10% at least).

you can see that very well in baseball: in baseball being left handed is an advantage and about 30% of all hitters and pitchers throw/bat left.

in tennis being L/R seems to be around neutral if that.

 

[Topspin Shot]

Let him do whatever he's most comfortable with. I'm a natural righty, so I never had a dilemma as to which hand to play with. If I could be a lefty, I probably would be one though there isn't really an advantage.

 

[SpeedKillz]

def let him to what's more comfortable.

9.5/10 youre going to face a righty or play doubles with a righty. itll help when picking sides for doubles but at the end of the day it doesnt really matter what hand he uses, what ever is comfortable.

 

[dominikk1985]

unlike baseball tennis is a more symmetrical game, there are no specialists like in baseball. that means that every tactic that a lefty can apply the righty can do too.

people always talk about how nadal can hit a CC FH to Feds BH or how mac can slice serve lendls BH. however federer can also hit a CC FH to nadals BH and lendl can hit a slice serve to macs BH.

every tactic can be applied 100% by the other guy too, there is no real matchup advantage.

the only advantage the lefty has is that he does it more often against a righty than vice versa so he is used to it more.

 

[Bobby Jr]

Lefty. Simply being left-handed would improve an otherwise equivalent player's level by 10%, if not more.

Lefties are used to playing righties whereas righties are not nearly as used to playing lefties. This means the left vs right/right vs left tactics are equivalent argument doesn't quite play true. In general lefties have more awkward serves to return, hit their routine forehand cc to the right-handed player's weaker wing etc. Because they play righties far more often they generally become better at defending their comparative weaknesses in the most common patterns of play.

 

[cjs]

Which hand does he prefer to throw with? I'd probably go with that.

Otherwise, let him try both for a while. See what hand is better over time.

 

[Rubens]

Lefty. Simply being left-handed would improve an otherwise equivalent player's level by 10%, if not more.

Lefties are used to playing righties whereas righties are not nearly as used to playing lefties. This means the left vs right/right vs left tactics are equivalent argument doesn't quite play true. In general lefties have more awkward serves to return, hit their routine forehand cc to the right-handed player's weaker wing etc. Because they play righties far more often they generally become better at defending their comparative weaknesses in the most common patterns of play.

That's what I was referring to as the lefty advantage. I don't think studies have been done regarding this though. Looking at the current top 100 wouldn't be enough .I guess I'll try to see if he prefers throwing with left or right. The logic being that the serve is the most important shot.

 

[cjs]

That's what I was referring to as the lefty advantage. I don't think studies have been done regarding this though. Looking at the current top 100 wouldn't be enough .I guess I'll try to see if he prefers throwing with left or right. The logic being that the serve is the most important shot.

There is a small advantage in being left handed, but really you should just let your kid decide what works best for him.

For 99.9% of the tennis playing population, tennis is about having fun and not just winning at all costs.

And regarding the serve - your kid's preferred throwing arm will be the best indicator of what hand to serve with.

 

[dominikk1985]

Lefty. Simply being left-handed would improve an otherwise equivalent player's level by 10%, if not more.

Lefties are used to playing righties whereas righties are not nearly as used to playing lefties. This means the left vs right/right vs left tactics are equivalent argument doesn't quite play true. In general lefties have more awkward serves to return, hit their routine forehand cc to the right-handed player's weaker wing etc. Because they play righties far more often they generally become better at defending their comparative weaknesses in the most common patterns of play.

if that was true we would expect to see more lefties in the top100. if we asume that talent is distributed equally we would expect around 10-15 lefties in the top100 if there is no advantage.

if there was a real advantage we would expect to see at least 20-30 lefties in the top100 which we clearly don't.

you have a nice theory but reality doesn't support that (not only in ATP but also in WTA and probably juniors too so it is probably no coincidence).

 

[Bobby Jr]

if that was true we would expect to see more lefties in the top100. if we asume that talent is distributed equally we would expect around 10-15 lefties in the top100 if there is no advantage.

Not so. (btw, two years ago there were 13 or 14 in the top 100)

Tennis requires an astonishing high level of dexterity which makes most other sports look like childs play in that respect. Because of that the variance of left handed people compared to top players who are left handed isn't skewed. There are too many formative years of practice before a player could ever get to the top 100 so the motivation for someone to be left handed, or for a left handed person to focus on tennis per se is diminished.

if there was a real advantage we would expect to see at least 20-30 lefties in the top100 which we clearly don't.

It's not merely a theory. I am left handed and cause issues for far, far better players than me simply because of my patterns of play and serve - moreso than similar level right handed players. McEnroe, Ivanisevic, Connors, Laver, Nadal all show the traits of antagonising players through awkward angles/patterns yet the reverse isn't true for them when facing a righty because they're more used to it. Even moreso lefties get the naturally favoured serve side on, on-average, more critical points (40-0, 40-30, ad-in 0-40 30-40 and ad-out) are in the ad court, including more break points. There's a reason some in the 1980s wanted lefties to have to serve from the deuce court when facing break points - because McEnroe was the king of defending break points in the ad-court.

The fact that ATP players seek out left handed hitting opponents when they're likely to face a lefty says a lot about the inherent added kookiness of facing a lefty. Similarly, nuances aside, the fact that lefties are an anomaly in the field of players makes them less comfortable to play compared to a right handed version of themselves.

Imagine for a second that Federer was left handed. The issues he has with Nadal would be reduced greatly - in fact he could look like the better player in that match-up. His serve would be better, his biggest weapon (forehand) would more often be directed at Nadal's weak point (backhand), and his own weak point would be somewhat reduced by virtue of his backhand having to mostly defend against Nadal's backhand (which is much, much weaker and lower bouncing than his forehand).

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I think the recommendation is to let the child choose. I believe that's what Toni did with Rafa. However, my son is really undecided, so I'm tempted to nudge him towards left (Not because of Nadal, but because of the lefty advantage in sports, especially tennis).

I thought that it was Toni's idea, not Rafa, to switch from the right hand to the left. I would think that young Rafa might have been hesitant to do so w/o some prodding/insistence from Uncle Toni.

... Since serving is similar to throwing, if he can throw well with the left hand that will make it much easier to teach a proper serve.

While it the 2 actions have some similarities, it does not necessarily transfer. I have alway thrown much better with my right hand/arm (my lefty throw is relatively weak and inaccurate). However, my lefty serve/strokes are much better than my righty serves/strokes. I can actually throw a tennis racket better than a ball with my left arm. I've had a number of students who also throw more naturally right-handed but serve & play tennis as a lefty.

Quite a lot of lefties, esp those from China & India, were forced to write and eat with their right hand. Even in other countries, like the US, parents sometimes inadvertantly "program" their kids to be right-handed. Babies will often grab things with either hand -- whichever is closer/more convenient. However, many parents will tend to hand objects to a baby's right hand. After a while, the kid tends to grab most things with the right rather than the left hand.

To the OP: If your kid appears to be able to hit & serve as a left, try to cultivate that. Not a bad idea to work both sides tho' -- it could be good for brain development (as some studies seem to indicate). Also, I gained quite a bit of insight into my strokes mechanics when I switched & taught myself to serve and hit FHs with my right arm (I can demo righty BHs, but they still feel very awkward). I also gained an appreciation for what novices go thru by teaching myself to use my non-dominant arm.

 

[cjs]

. I can actually throw a tennis racket better than a ball with my left arm. I've had a number of students who also throw more naturally right-handed but serve & play tennis as a lefty.

Maybe those students would of had a better serve if they learned to serve with their throwing hand - its impossible to know for sure.

I'm left handed in everything I do except throwing. When I played cricket I'd even bowl with my left but throw with my right. I do wonder if would of had a better serve if I'd learned to serve with my right.

My hunch is that because I spent so much time on the tennis court as a child that when I went to throw a tennis ball I'd do it with the hand that wasn't holding the racquet, hence learning to throw with the non-dominant hand.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

^ Do not think so. It was definitely not the case for me. With my students, we experimented with serving with their natural throwing arm. We only switched one of them. Note: All my students learn to hit FHs with their off-hand as an exercise. For some, it helps their 2-handed BH.

 

[cjs]

^ Do not think so. It was definitely not the case for me. With my students, we experimented with serving with their natural throwing arm. We only switched one of them. Note: All my students learn to hit FHs with their off-hand as an exercise. For some, it helps their 2-handed BH.

Are the students absolute beginners and how old are they?

 

[Rubens]

Ok, I went to the court with the boy tonight and had him throw some balls. It turns out he throws way better with his left! More pace and accuracy, really. But here's where it gets interesting. As we kept experimenting playing with his left and right hand, he's finally showed signs that he prefers to hit his groundstrokes with... his right hand. As I was thinking about all the possible options, he asked me what about having righty groundstrokes and a lefty serve? I said sure, why not.

Now I'm not so sure anymore. My son is really interested in the game, and he does have amazing hand eye coordination for his age, so there's potential for him to develop into quite a good player. I know it's just a hobby, but what if one day he gets serious and wants to reach a higher level? Is it a hinderance to play with one hand and serve with the other, at higher levels? Why don't we see it at the pro level?

 

[Topspin Shot]

Ok, I went to the court with the boy tonight and had him throw some balls. It turns out he throws way better with his left! More pace and accuracy, really. But here's where it gets interesting. As we kept experimenting playing with his left and right hand, he's finally showed signs that he prefers to hit his groundstrokes with... his right hand. As I was thinking about all the possible options, he asked me what about having righty groundstrokes and a lefty serve? I said sure, why not.

Now I'm not so sure anymore. My son is really interested in the game, and he does have amazing hand eye coordination for his age, so there's potential for him to develop into quite a good player. I know it's just a hobby, but what if one day he gets serious and wants to reach a higher level? Is it a hinderance to play with one hand and serve with the other, at higher levels? Why don't we see it at the pro level?

I've seen it a couple times. I personally played a kid who played righty and served lefty, and Matt Lin has a video of a kid who serves righty and plays lefty. Luke Jensen served with both hands when he played on tour. It might cause trouble recovering after the serve though I think the biggest issue may be overheads.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Are the students absolute beginners and how old are they?

When I picked up the sport and decided to play/serve left-handed (even tho' I naturally throw right), I was nearly 21. Does that make a difference? Most of my "lefty" students who throw right-handed have been between 7 and 15. They ranged from neophytes to (low) intermediates. Are you going somewhere with this info?

 

[GoudX]

there are hardly any lefties in the top100. if being left handed was an advantage the numbers of lefties would exceed the prevalence of lefties in the population (around 10% at least).

you can see that very well in baseball: in baseball being left handed is an advantage and about 30% of all hitters and pitchers throw/bat left.

in tennis being L/R seems to be around neutral if that.

However the number of top players is wildly skewed towards lefties. Here's a list of greats from the open era (4 or more GS wins):

-Federer
-Nadal (L)
-Djokovic
-Sampras
-Agassi
-Becker
-Edberg
-Newcombe
-Lendl
-Borg
-Mcenroe (L)
-Connors (L)
-Laver (L)
-Vilas (L)
-Wilander
-Courier

Thats 5/16 (31%), which is 3x more than the 10% you would expect.

Ok, I went to the court with the boy tonight and had him throw some balls. It turns out he throws way better with his left! More pace and accuracy, really. But here's where it gets interesting. As we kept experimenting playing with his left and right hand, he's finally showed signs that he prefers to hit his groundstrokes with... his right hand. As I was thinking about all the possible options, he asked me what about having righty groundstrokes and a lefty serve? I said sure, why not.

Now I'm not so sure anymore. My son is really interested in the game, and he does have amazing hand eye coordination for his age, so there's potential for him to develop into quite a good player. I know it's just a hobby, but what if one day he gets serious and wants to reach a higher level? Is it a hinderance to play with one hand and serve with the other, at higher levels? Why don't we see it at the pro level?

I'd advise going with a lefty forehand and lefty serve if that is the case, and then develop a very strong right dominant 2hbh.

 

[cjs]

When I picked up the sport and decided to play/serve left-handed (even tho' I naturally throw right), I was nearly 21. Does that make a difference? Most of my "lefty" students who throw right-handed have been between 7 and 15. They ranged from neophytes to (low) intermediates. Are you going somewhere with this info?

No, just curious. Handedness interests me.

 

[cjs]

Ok, I went to the court with the boy tonight and had him throw some balls. It turns out he throws way better with his left! More pace and accuracy, really. But here's where it gets interesting. As we kept experimenting playing with his left and right hand, he's finally showed signs that he prefers to hit his groundstrokes with... his right hand. As I was thinking about all the possible options, he asked me what about having righty groundstrokes and a lefty serve? I said sure, why not.

Now I'm not so sure anymore. My son is really interested in the game, and he does have amazing hand eye coordination for his age, so there's potential for him to develop into quite a good player. I know it's just a hobby, but what if one day he gets serious and wants to reach a higher level? Is it a hinderance to play with one hand and serve with the other, at higher levels? Why don't we see it at the pro level?

One of the Jensen brothers could serve either right or left handed. Swapping hands after serving didn't seem to hinder him.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

One of the Jensen brothers could serve either right or left handed. Swapping hands after serving didn't seem to hinder him.

That would be Dual-Hand Luke (a reference to the movie, Cool Hand Luke). True ambidexterity is actually rather rare. Many lefties exhibit some form of mixed-handedness or cross-dominance. Many will perform some tasks with the left side and other tasks with the right side. I happen to be visually cross-dominant -- I am primarily left-handed but happen to be right-eye dominant. Also right-footed.

I consider myself "bi-lateral" rather than ambidextrous. As I mentioned previously, I throw much better righty than lefty. I have learned to perform quite a few other tasks at a decent skill level with my right arm/hand. However for most of those skills, I am better with the left arm/hand. Volleyball and table tennis are 2 sports that I can play right-handed nearly as well as left-handed. In tennis, I've developed a decent righty FH and serve but the BH is still very shaky.

Favorite quote: Everyone is born right-handed. Only the truly gifted can overcome it.

Interesting links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/29/left-handed-facts-lefties_n_2005864.html
http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question23310.html
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