Left Hander Playing Right-Handed

[DownTheT]

I would like your opinions on this. I am a naturally left-handed, i do everything with my left hand EXCEPT for throwing a ball. Like playing baseball I will throw with the right hand for some reason. So I pick up a racket a couple years ago to learn tennis. I tell the coach I'm left-handed he asks do you throw left-handed? I said no. So I learn to play right-handed. i will sometimes switch hands if a volley is out of reach I switch to the left hand and hit it. I've tried to get the coach to practice hitting with me using my left hand and he said it looked like a more natural stroke but still he wants me right-handed since that's the way he taught me.
Now do any of you think I should continue playing right-handed or go with my natural left hand. I have a 1 hand bh and have no problems with my strokes off the left side except for the serve because I have never practiced that off my left side.
So what do you think?

 

[TwistServe]

Keep things fair and play right handed. If you want an edge on the competition play left handed.

A 4.0 lefty could easily compete against a 4.5 righty.. Leftys with maginal serves can get away with it because its a lefty serve. Leftys with big serves are very hard to return.

 

[Jonnyf]

you've started with the right and built you're game so stick with it.


a well known player that plays left but is right is......

thats right rafa plays opposite hand as his forst coach said it would help him

 

[tom-selleck]

this response probably won't help you...

but i'm naturally LH who started playing RH, because easy to hit both FH and BH when i was young. of course, at that age, you don't think of serving and you can always change hands cause the play is very slow..... i didn't play competitively when young, where a pro might have straightened me out.

so now i serve lefty and play thereafter righty, except recently i have started changing hands for some overheads. went and specifically practiced my RH and LH overhead and that seemed to help.

i have tried 100% LH but i think it would take a few years to really get back to the same level, and i'm already getting the benefit of serving LH.

 

[DownTheT]

Okay, so I should stick with the rh since that is the side my game is built on?
It would be hard to make the switch after a couple years playing rh. I did know about Rafa being a natural rh that's why I thought I would see if it was worth trying to make the switch. I did just go and practice some lh serves and it wasn't pretty I guess because I've never served that way.
Thanks for the advice I really appreciate it!!

 

[Jonnyf]

yes stick righty
(yeah 750 posts)

 

[Camilio Pascual]

A 4.0 lefty could easily compete against a 4.5 righty..

This statement contradicts itself.
If the 4.0 lefty can easily compete against a 4.5 righty...he would be a 4.5, wouldn't he?
What are you trying to say?

 

[Jonnyf]

he says that us lefties have a non existant advantages

 

[ajs72us]

Carlos Moya

Is a lefty but plays righty. In my opinion do what comes natural. If you are being forced to do one way and you FEEL more natural about another way go natural. For example I play with a big western grip on my forehand and every coach I have had tries to get me to change it. I will not because that is what feels natural to me.

 

[papa]

Throwing a ball is one of the most difficult tasks to do with the "other" arm. With a little practice most can write, eat and do a lot of tasks with the opposite hand/arm. Throwing a ball, in particular, is a very complex action. There are others, like Luke Jensen, who can serve and throw a ball equally well with both arms --- not many around that can do it.

I think I'd stay with the hand you throw with.

 

[Jonnyf]

Throwing a ball is one of the most difficult tasks to do with the "other" arm. With a little practice most can write, eat and do a lot of tasks with the opposite hand/arm. Throwing a ball, in particular, is a very complex action. There are others, like Luke Jensen, who can serve and throw a ball equally well with both arms --- not many around that can do it.

I think I'd stay with the hand you throw with.

HEHE i'm ambidextrous

 

[papa]

HEHE i'm ambidextrous

Lucky you, there aren't that many around - quite a gift.

 

[Thomas]

I think Moya is a lefty and he hits righty.