One-handed backhand Questions!!

[Tigerarp1]

Hi, I've been playing tennis my whole life... am now 18 and will be playing college tennis next year. I am in the process of switching to a one-handed backhand, for many reason which dont really need to be discussed. The problem is that my schedule doesnt fit with my coaches schedule most of the time, so I am having to teach myself how to hit this stroke. I have the help of my dad, who was quite a tennis player himself in his day. Here are the problems and questions i have run into.

1. I have read in some places that my body should never rotate into an open position with the followthrough. Is this true? If so, at what point of the followthrough do I allow my self to rotate back into my ready position?

2. I have found that hitting high balls around head level are quite difficult with the one-hander. The problem may be in my approach to hitting this shot, because im not really sure what to do... If anyone can tell me the correct way to hit this shot... it would be appreciated. Or... should I be taking these on the rise.... OR slicing them back?

3.With a one handed backhand, should I expect to need to slice back most head-level or higher balls?

4. How much wrist movement should there be in my stroke. When I keep my wrist very firm throughout the stroke... I seem to hit with more power, and control. However, my natural tendency is to let the wrist accelerate through the ball and flop over at the end of the followthrough.

Sorry I have so many questions, but I just want to nail this stuff down before I continue to practice anything the wrong way.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Thomas]

It hurts my shoulder like hell to hit the high balls with the one hander, you'll get it though.

 

[Rickson]

You've made a good decision. I love my backhand now and feel more comfortable with it than when I used a double hander.

1. You can get back into an open stance after the followthrough by bringing your left foot up, but you should not hit the 1 hbh in an open stance.

2. High balls are generally sliced back, but you also have the option of moving back to get the ball in your strike zone, taking it on the rise as you pointed out, and running around to hit a forehand.

3. Same answers as number 2.

4. A firm wrist is very good for a one hander. Your followthrough will be very different from the 2 hander in that your right arm, if you're a righty, will not be folding up toward your shoulder at the end of the motion, it will be straight and to the right of your body.

 

[madhavan]

1. Make sure to turn your shoulders/hips and step across with your front foot for
both the slice and the topspin backhand. For the topspin, you'd remain sideways
until contact, but then a good follow-thru with the arm swinging out freely will cause
your body to gradually open up & also allow the back leg to come around, so your
body finally finishes up facing the net and the arm is extended high to the right.
This finish allows you to also quickly recover for the next shot.
But overall, it's best not to think of trying to make this rotation happen since it will
mess up your racket-speed and follow-thru. Instead just
focus on hitting thru the ball freely and the rotation+follow-thru will just happen
naturally.

For the slice, some pros (for eg Edberg) also open up on the follow-thru (though the
back leg still stays at the back and doesn't come around as it does on the topspin).
However, others (for eg Federer) stay sideways thru most of the shot. So pick
your poison according to your slice style.

2. To hit a shoulder/head high ball flat or with topspin - take the racquet back like
normal, but then hit out confidently at the ball with a free swing with a nice high
follow thru. The key is to hit out confidently - once you do that, everything will
fall into place. Most folks screw this up by being afraid to hit out on a high ball.
Don't hit down! Get the feeling that even though the ball is high, you're still
hitting thru it freely.

4. The wrist should be pretty firm, but not rigid, otherwise it will prevent you from
swinging freely in the follow thru.

-Madhavan

 

[Leon]

My 2 cents.

1. You don't rotate as for a forehand, you stretch your hitting arm across the body.
Coil the body -> stretch all the way -> it should be in straight line, or like you see some players even bring they hand behind them.
What helped me is extend the non hitting arm from your body, like a penguin, this way it won't allow you trunk to rotate. I feel like I sort of grab an invisible rope with non hitting arm, and let the hitting arm to hit through the ball and stretch all the way.

2,3. Hight balls watch the JHH, she mastered it. What I was told, is to hit straight, follow through and brake the wrist at the end. I still didn't master it, but it seems to work many times. Slice is also great way, I would say it depends on a player, and personal preferences.

 

[optic yellow]

@Curious

 

[Curious]

He was 18 when he started this thread. He probably thought 37 was old then. Now he’s 37. It’s like people in their 30s, 40s think I’m old at 58. They’ll find out, too!

 

[Dragy]

He was 18 when he started this thread. He probably thought 37 was old then. Now he’s 37. It’s like people in their 30s, 40s think I’m old at 58. They’ll find out, too!

My farther is 68 now. Yesterday we played tennis and I told him how you are a good enough mover to play singles and not camp on top of the line, but recover to good position and move in when needed

He said he was and felt 100% good and fast up to around 55. Football (soccer), tennis, skiing. He still does all of that except football, but steadily declining for a decade+ Still great to practice together or play some doubles as a team.

 

[jz000]

He was 18 when he started this thread. He probably thought 37 was old then. Now he’s 37. It’s like people in their 30s, 40s think I’m old at 58. They’ll find out, too!

Woah.
I just practiced my 1hbh and then went to try it out in dubs.
Works against 4.0s

But a heavy kicking high ball? gg

 

[optic yellow]

Woah.
I just practiced my 1hbh and then went to try it out in dubs.
Works against 4.0s

But a heavy kicking high ball? gg

Don't try to sidearm groundstroke against a high ball. I guess that pretty much answers the OP

 

[10sbeast888]

here is how you hit a high 1hbh.

it's in the set up. you need the racket head to travel close to horizontal, with a slightly closed face at impact.

question is how to generate speed. you can't lift your hand too high as that will be a weak position. so at impact the racket face needs to be above the hand.

but the question is still - how to generate speed? the face needs to travel low to high, then across, then down in the follow thru. - they key part is the 'low to high', which means the racket head is around head high when you prepare, then dropped to about waist high at the lowest point of the racket drop, then swung up to eye level to meet the ball....

this way you have racket speed at impact. or course you are also wiping across for spin and consistency.

I'd not try to hit balls above the eye level... just step back, or step in, or slice.

 

[Shroud]

Hi, I've been playing tennis my whole life... am now 18 and will be playing college tennis next year. I am in the process of switching to a one-handed backhand, for many reason which dont really need to be discussed. The problem is that my schedule doesnt fit with my coaches schedule most of the time, so I am having to teach myself how to hit this stroke. I have the help of my dad, who was quite a tennis player himself in his day. Here are the problems and questions i have run into.

1. I have read in some places that my body should never rotate into an open position with the followthrough. Is this true? If so, at what point of the followthrough do I allow my self to rotate back into my ready position?

2. I have found that hitting high balls around head level are quite difficult with the one-hander. The problem may be in my approach to hitting this shot, because im not really sure what to do... If anyone can tell me the correct way to hit this shot... it would be appreciated. Or... should I be taking these on the rise.... OR slicing them back?

3.With a one handed backhand, should I expect to need to slice back most head-level or higher balls?

4. How much wrist movement should there be in my stroke. When I keep my wrist very firm throughout the stroke... I seem to hit with more power, and control. However, my natural tendency is to let the wrist accelerate through the ball and flop over at the end of the followthrough.

Sorry I have so many questions, but I just want to nail this stuff down before I continue to practice anything the wrong way.

Thanks in advance!

On the high balls I find it helpful to swing low to high with a closed racquet face.

Not saying its a good vid, but if a self taught hack can handle high balls, a hotshot college player can do better

And here at 1:12 in a match: