Random One-Handed Backhand Question

[Topspin Shot]

I'm a two-handed backhand player with a one-handed slice, but when I fool around in practice with a topspin one-hander, I find I hit it with a continental grip. I'm sure this is because when I hit my two-hander, my right hand is in a continental grip, so I'm mimicking the two-handed swing path with one hand. This one-hander is nowhere near as good a my two-hander (I have absolutely no desire to consider switching), but it has topspin, and I can rally with it consistently enough. Whenever I try an eastern backhand grip, I have to make a conscious effort to get the ball over the net whereas I can hit it naturally with a continental grip. I'm sure if I were to practice it, I would find an eastern backhand grip works better.

My question is whether any fellow two-handers experience the same thing when they try to hit a one-hander.

 

[FitzRoy]

Continental huh? Hmm. My experience is a little different. I can hit a very good ball with a one-hander if I'm just tossing it up to hit, IE no pace or spin and not much footwork needed to get in position, and no difficulties timing it. Some of the hardest struck balls I've ever hit have been doing that, much more pace and spin than my typical two-hander, although my two-hander is miles better in terms of actual tennis play.

But the grip on that one-hander is very far from what I hold on my 2h; on my 2h, my right hand is almost at eastern forehand, in fact it might actually be eastern forehand I dunno. And on those 1h backhands I'm talking about, I feel like it has to be a SW backhand grip - doesn't seem close enough to continental to be eastern.

With continental grip, if I take any kind of swing with one hander, the ball is going over the fence for sure.

 

[magnut]

continental one hander has a contact point further back. pretty much the same as two hander. For players that hit with an eastern grip who make contact more in front. ...if they try to hit at the same contact point with a continental....the face of the racquet on contact with face upwards hence they hit high and deep. some players flex the wrist to get the contact point out but its pretty hard on the wrist.

continental backhands are not that bad its just a bit different technique wise than an eastern. It takes more strength in the shoulders and forearms to generate topspin. You need to use the legs a bit more as well. i went from an eastern to a continental but it took a little while. Maybe 6 months before i felt competent with it. i still dont think it is quite as good as my eastern backhand was but its getting there. my returns are much, much better. If you have elbow or strength issues i wouldn't recommend it.

 

[thomasferrett]

continental one hander has a contact point further back. pretty much the same as two hander. For players that hit with an eastern grip who make contact more in front. ...if they try to hit at the same contact point with a continental....the face of the racquet on contact with face upwards hence they hit high and deep. some players flex the wrist to get the contact point out but its pretty hard on the wrist.

continental backhands are not that bad its just a bit different technique wise than an eastern. It takes more strength in the shoulders and forearms to generate topspin. You need to use the legs a bit more as well. i went from an eastern to a continental but it took a little while. Maybe 6 months before i felt competent with it. i still dont think it is quite as good as my eastern backhand was but its getting there. my returns are much, much better. If you have elbow or strength issues i wouldn't recommend it.

How do you handle high balls with this grip?

For continental backhand, when hitting high balls the wrist is usually flexed forward, but for semi-western backhand, the wrist is extended backwards.

Tommy Haas uses a weak eastern grip, and from what I can see he is really flexing the wrist forwards to close the racket face on contact. Looks uncomfortable but must work for him.

 

[rkelley]

I'm a two-handed backhand player with a one-handed slice, but when I fool around in practice with a topspin one-hander, I find I hit it with a continental grip. I'm sure this is because when I hit my two-hander, my right hand is in a continental grip, so I'm mimicking the two-handed swing path with one hand. This one-hander is nowhere near as good a my two-hander (I have absolutely no desire to consider switching), but it has topspin, and I can rally with it consistently enough. Whenever I try an eastern backhand grip, I have to make a conscious effort to get the ball over the net whereas I can hit it naturally with a continental grip. I'm sure if I were to practice it, I would find an eastern backhand grip works better.

My question is whether any fellow two-handers experience the same thing when they try to hit a one-hander.

Yes. With a cont. grip I can hit through the ball (maybe a bit of topspin) with a relaxed one handed backhand with reasonable form. I need a pretty slow ball, and low. It's great if I'm just dinking around with someone. If I go to an E. bh grip then I have to think about the racquet face angle and move the contact point out away from my body. If I'm messing around on the wall I can kind of get it happening sometimes and hit some pretty nice backhands with some great topspin, but I'd have to work at it for a long time to get it anywhere near the level of my two hander.

I think a great exercise for a two hander is to practice those very low pace shots, just stroking it over the net with proper form. With the two hander you can get into this thing where you do great with lots of incoming pace but you struggle when the ball has nothing on it and you have to generate your own pace.

 

[easywin]

I switched to a one handed backhand about 2 month ago and when I started mixing it up, I had the total opposite experience.
This propably has a lot to do with how you hit your 2HBH but since I was using my right hand (I'm a lefty) to push through the ball - trying to emulate Nalbandian - I just couldn't replicate my swing path and switched to a western grip without even considering a more conservative grip.

Right now I'm trying to go a bit more towards semi-western or 3/4 Western since I need to much setup time and swing very free on every stroke which is hard to do without amazing footwork - which I do not have

 

[LeeD]

Magnut figured it out.
Late contact point, conti topspin backhands work fine.
Old days, almost nobody hit with eastern backhand grips, but most can still hit with topspin. Talking pre '80's.

 

[magnut]

How do you handle high balls with this grip?

For continental backhand, when hitting high balls the wrist is usually flexed forward, but for semi-western backhand, the wrist is extended backwards.

Tommy Haas uses a weak eastern grip, and from what I can see he is really flexing the wrist forwards to close the racket face on contact. Looks uncomfortable but must work for him.

high balls i hit heavy and high back usually...this is if i am stuck in the back court. If i am inside the court or on the basline i either hit heavy high back or slice. You can hit through a high ball though. there are two ways to do it that I have found. both require stronger shoulders and forearms than your averave tennis player. You need to use you legs as much as possible as well. Heavy high balls are not easy on a two hander either. my two hander is as good if not better than my one and high balls are not easy there either. all shots have pros and cons. my original backhamd before changing was eastern and the high balls where easier to hit heavy spin back but flattening them out was still more difficult. once a ball is out of your strike zone its always going to be more difficult.

The trick is not letting the ball get high. If you do...You essentialy trying to hit an offensive ball from a defensive position when you try to blast a high ball with the backhand. Ussually your better off with a different shot selection, a little patience, and constructing a point. i would say for most people behind the baseline hitting a heavy high ball crosscourt with depth is a good play. If you inside the court or on the baseline trying to make things happen slice the hi ball and get the ball trajectory to level out in the point. Then your option open up more.

 

[oble]

I sometimes hit my 1hbh with continental grip without realising it until after I hit the shot, although it seems that it's usually on the lower shots, stretched shots and return of serve on the backhand side. My usual 1hbh grip is (supposedly) eastern backhand.

I also can't hit a 2hbh at all to save my life. It just feels weird :/

 

[thebuffman]

although i have never been a 2hbh hitter, i may be able to offer a little help. i use three grips during play, conti / east / sw depending on what i am looking to accomplish. the difference with the grips is contact point. continental is hit pretty much in plane with the body, eastern a little out front and sw is all the way out front with a fully extended arm locked at the elbow.

for your test, i recommend practicing with an eastern grip. start your backswing below the ball and hit through the ball. starting out, keep your body completely in a closed stance through the entire stoke, you should begin and finish facing the side fence. trust that the contact point and the grip will keep the ball in the court without you trying to manufacture it with too much grazing of the ball.

starting out, keep your arm straight and elbow locked through the entire stroke with your off hand holding the throat of the racquet. release the throat only after your stoke is moving forward. see how that works for you.

here is a video of me grooving my 1hbh. hopeful this visual will help round out my explanation.