Racket Drop - Wrist position

[tuandaku]

Hi Tennis Community,

Probably I am overthinking or is this something I should be trying to fix? When I drop the racket just before the acceleration, my wrist is bent (laid back) while for the most pro players their wrist position is neutral/extended just before the racket acceleration as for myself I never reach this position. And if this is a problem, how do I fix this?

Thanks

https://imgur.com/hSYpQFX

https://imgur.com/6viCFvE

Unit turn

https://imgur.com/UhJk1Tp

Racket drop - wrist is in bent position

https://imgur.com/YcW7ZoK

Racket drop - wrist is in neutral position

 

[Funbun]

Your forehand grip is different from Dimitrov's.

 

[zoingy]

I don't think your wrist is a problem. (terminology nitpick: you have an extended wrist, and I'm guessing you're claiming that many pros have a neutral or flexed wrist).

I think more pros have a slightly extended wrist than a flexed wrist tbh. And I think the ones with a flexed wrist tend to have more inconsistent forehands.

That being said, I can think of two reasons you might want to have a neutral or flexed wrist. The first is that dynamically entering wrist extension when accelerating into the lag provides a bit more of a stretch reflex, provided you have the grip/swing/musculature that would benefit from it. Eastern grips tend to benefit more since they utilize that wrist extension stretch for power generation, while western grips don't benefit as much.

The second reason is that it takes a lot of effort to rotate the racquet around the hand in the takeback. That effort can negatively impact looseness. By having a neutral wrist & having a bit of ulnar deviation, you align the racquet with the forearm, reducing the effort required. But the better way to do it imo is to rotate the hand around the racquet instead. You can see Sinner doing this with his extended wrist.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Ulnar & Radial Deviation:

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

.

 

[Daniel Andrade]

I think 1. you have a grip where this shouldn't be a problem
2. Your FH looks good

 

[KingCarlitos]

If you increase you're racket headspeed then you can extend your wrist but if you can't generate enough power then extending your wrist will lead to the ball flopping into the net.

 

[Dragy]

If anything crucial with your FH, your elbow doesn’t go back enough in the backswing. Either “elbow the enemy” more like most male players, or pull whole arm back with elbow down like some other players, but you need that elbow to fall in plane with torso. Now you muscle the elbow forward where it needs to stay locked back with the torso (not dropped back behind though!)

I guess you might have some wilderness going on of trying to hit harder, or overall struggle to give the ball more pace?

 

[nyta2]

Hi Tennis Community,

Probably I am overthinking or is this something I should be trying to fix? When I drop the racket just before the acceleration, my wrist is bent (laid back) while for the most pro players their wrist position is neutral/extended just before the racket acceleration as for myself I never reach this position. And if this is a problem, how do I fix this?

Thanks

https://imgur.com/hSYpQFX

https://imgur.com/6viCFvE

Unit turn

https://imgur.com/UhJk1Tp

Racket drop - wrist is in bent position

https://imgur.com/YcW7ZoK

Racket drop - wrist is in neutral position

it's not something you need to fix...
the neutral wrist position (aka. "pat a small dog", "lay the racquet on a small table", etc...), allows for more lag, for a whippier/heavier fh... arguably not as consistent unless you have put in the reps to get the timing right.
i think the ultimate in whippiness is the jack sock/nick kyrgios fh, where he's pointing the racquet forward

 

[jz000]

Well that looks like a good rally.
If you want to increase pace, then yeah, you gotta change something.
Try bending your knees down aggressively and unload. Your arms should be the last to 'unload'.

Do this gradually. It's not swing harder, but with precision timed acceleration of legs, torso, arm, wrist, etc.
Your body should do most of the pace, while arm can help, increase it, or add spin.

 

[Power Player]

Looks great. For more power, just drive more off that back leg.