Recent 4.0 Match. Any improvement?

[1HBHFTW]

See below for 2 recent matches. Videos include all points with either >4 shots or that ends with winner from either player (basically everything except DFs and unreturned, non-ace serves).

- I added weight to my racquet and have started swinging through my FHs more which I feel like that has improved that side a lot. The extra weight has resulted in a few more BH errors, but the trade off has been well worth it.
- Despite lots of ball machine practice, I still struggle at the net. I just relapse back into my bad habits during matchplay.

I'm J.P. in the videos. As always, would love any feedback!

Match 1 (W): Blue shirt first set. Opponent started off very slow then I took a turn, so most of good points start midway through 2nd set.

Match 2 (L): Green shirt first set. Very competitive until late. Early difference was the big points.. I only converted 20% of break points (2/10), compared with opponent who converted 67% (6/9). After he got up 3-1 in 2nd set he just ran away with it.

 

[Jonesy]

What grips you use on the FH and BH?

 

[1HBHFTW]

What grips you use on the FH and BH?

Usually SW both sides. Sometimes on defense I accidentally over rotate and end up in true western, which results in netted BHs or short, crushable FHs.

Every once in a while I'll shift a little more eastern if I'm going for a really aggressive shot.

 

[ChaelAZ]

See below for 2 recent matches. Videos include all points with either >4 shots or that ends with winner from either player (basically everything except DFs and unreturned, non-ace serves).

- I added weight to my racquet and have started swinging through my FHs more which I feel like that has improved that side a lot. The extra weight has resulted in a few more BH errors, but the trade off has been well worth it.
- Despite lots of ball machine practice, I still struggle at the net. I just relapse back into my bad habits during matchplay.

I'm J.P. in the videos. As always, would love any feedback!

Match 1 (W): Blue shirt first set. Opponent started off very slow then I took a turn, so most of good points start midway through 2nd set.

Match 2 (L): Green shirt first set. Very competitive until late. Early difference was the big points.. I only converted 20% of break points (2/10), compared with opponent who converted 67% (6/9). After he got up 3-1 in 2nd set he just ran away with it.

What is it you worked on?

 

[1HBHFTW]

What is it you worked on?

Since my thread a few months ago you mean? Main focuses have been

- Net game: Turning, split step, stepping in, firm arm, overheads. My ball machine volleys are much better, but in matches it’s like I immediately forget everything

- FH: loose wrist, following through, using legs more for power, keeping it deeper and being more aggressive. I still relapse back to leaning back and arm-swinging sometimes, but it used to be like that every shot and now I just go through phases.

 

[Jonesy]

Usually SW both sides. Sometimes on defense I accidentally over rotate and end up in true western, which results in netted BHs or short, crushable FHs.

Every once in a while I'll shift a little more eastern if I'm going for a really aggressive shot.

Put more intensity on your footwork and go flatter on the easier shots.

Too many shanks. Go slower on the FH swing and use your body more to enter the shot and add some weight to it.

Your BH loading time is huge, you need to make that shot a lot faster. Compact that loop or learn the PoMo BH.

Your net game needs work. I fixed my crappy volleys by cutting it. It is not pretty but it works.

 

[Dragy]

Opponent started off very slow

He seems to be most happy with your shots

 

[1HBHFTW]

Put more intensity on your footwork and go flatter on the easier shots.

Too many shanks. Go slower on the FH swing and use your body more to enter the shot and add some weight to it.

Your BH loading time is huge, you need to make that shot a lot faster. Compact that loop or learn the PoMo BH.

Your net game needs work. I fixed my crappy volleys by cutting it. It is not pretty but it works.

Good feedback, thanks! Can you clarify what you mean by "PoMo" and "cutting it"?

He seems to be most happy with your shots

Ha yes he's a very nice guy (actually both are)

 

[Jonesy]

Good feedback, thanks! Can you clarify what you mean by "PoMo" and "cutting it"?


Ha yes he's a very nice guy (actually both are)

What is "POMO"? @bigservesofthands @Shroud


"Cutting it" it is just adding a bit of slice spin to your volley, but not much, the idea is adding an element of control to your volley that you can adjust depending on the incoming ball.

 

[fundrazer]

Footwork + transition game needs work imo. Think a lot of it comes down to anticipating when offensive opportunity is going to come and knowing what you want to do on your next ball. I think you're slow to recognize this.

2nd video I'm watching a point -- I have at paused at 5:24 and you're standing in middle of baseline after opponent throws up a sort of lob. It lands like 3-4 feet inside the baseline and instead of taking it as a forehand you're backing up and taking a backhand. At the very least, you need to make this ball a forehand. Take it much earlier if you're comfortable doing so, but it needs to be a forehand imo.

 

[1HBHFTW]

Footwork + transition game needs work imo. Think a lot of it comes down to anticipating when offensive opportunity is going to come and knowing what you want to do on your next ball. I think you're slow to recognize this.

2nd video I'm watching a point -- I have at paused at 5:24 and you're standing in middle of baseline after opponent throws up a sort of lob. It lands like 3-4 feet inside the baseline and instead of taking it as a forehand you're backing up and taking a backhand. At the very least, you need to make this ball a forehand. Take it much earlier if you're comfortable doing so, but it needs to be a forehand imo.

Good points. I think a lot of my hesitation comes down to lack of confidence at the net. There are many points where I know I just put my opponent on defense and consciously decide to stay back because I'm nervous I'll botch the volley/overhead.

I also have a bad habit of running around my FH sometimes because until very recently my BH was my much stronger shot. I think I've closed that gap now but old habits die hard!

 

[eah123]

I remember your play from previous videos and I definitely notice many improvements, especially in forehand preparation and better approach shots.

Main issue I see is that your backhand prep is too late on normal pace and fast balls resulting in too many errors on that side. Late in the set you definitely get a bit tired or lose concentration which results in more forehand errors due to sometimes late prep or poor footwork, but this is something that is solved with better physical fitness / mental training rather than any change in technique.

 

[Pctopcool]

Good hitting in general! Just noticed you hit way more BH than FH, even on the deuce side. Even the best one hander in the world have better FH than their own BH.

 

[1HBHFTW]

I remember your play from previous videos and I definitely notice many improvements, especially in forehand preparation and better approach shots.

Main issue I see is that your backhand prep is too late on normal pace and fast balls resulting in too many errors on that side. Late in the set you definitely get a bit tired or lose concentration which results in more forehand errors due to sometimes late prep or poor footwork, but this is something that is solved with better physical fitness / mental training rather than any change in technique.

As always thanks for the feedback! My fitness always suffers in summer so I’m hoping to get back on track there soon.

 

[Rosstour]

Are you the guy I roasted about the BH grip? I feel like I've seen that grip before

 

[1HBHFTW]

Are you the guy I roasted about the BH grip? I feel like I've seen that grip before

Lol yep that was me

 

[Rosstour]

Lol yep that was me

I actually thought of that thread the other day during a recent match lol. You should be flattered

 

[1HBHFTW]

I actually thought of that thread the other day during a recent match lol. You should be flattered

Ha I am! I’ve actually tried to use that discussion as motivation when I’m returning sometimes. you gave me something to prove to myself lol

 

[Rosstour]

Ha I am! I’ve actually tried to use that discussion as motivation when I’m returning sometimes. you gave me something to prove to myself lol

As in, proving you can make that grip work? lulz

I thought of it after I smoked one of my Dad's droppers with a semi-Eastern 1HBH, wondering how I would have hit that shot if I was using the Western grip you employ

Not as hard, that's for sure. lol

 

[1HBHFTW]

As in, proving you can make that grip work? lulz

I thought of it after I smoked one of my Dad's droppers with a semi-Eastern 1HBH, wondering how I would have hit that shot if I was using the Western grip you employ

Not as hard, that's for sure. lol

Just proving it isn’t a liability against hard servers. No dispute that there are benefits to your semi-eastern, I just think for my game the benefits of a SW (angles like the ones in below) outweigh them

but no need to rehash the debate. I appreciated the feedback then and I do now. At the very least it’s served as a good reminder that I can’t be lazy when returning!

 

[user92626]

The guy named SC, does the C stand for Cuong? Looks like one of the guys I know.

 

[1HBHFTW]

The guy named SC, does the C stand for Cuong? Looks like one of the guys I know.

Not the same. Too bad, that would be a hell of a coincidence

 

[Jonesy]

Just proving it isn’t a liability against hard servers. No dispute that there are benefits to your semi-eastern, I just think for my game the benefits of a SW (angles like the ones in below) outweigh them

but no need to rehash the debate. I appreciated the feedback then and I do now. At the very least it’s served as a good reminder that I can’t be lazy when returning!

Your OHBH is perfectly sound. You will improve it even more over time.

If players with GOAT backhands like Henin and Kuerten did well with this grip then you should have no problem with it. The wrist is in a strong position with this grip compared to an eastern.

It is not a surprise at all that it was your best stroke before you improved your FH. It makes the one hander a lot easier and a weapon.

 

[FiddlerDog]

Are you looking for "like and subscribes" or are you looking to get better at tennis?
Posting only highlights is less than useless for improvement.

The inverse of this video is what actually matters for improvement.
Post everything you cut out of this video.

 

[Pass750]

Are you looking for "like and subscribes" or are you looking to get better at tennis?
Posting only highlights is less than useless for improvement.

The inverse of this video is what actually matters for improvement.
Post everything you cut out of this video.

Are you only posting because “you like the sound of your own voice”? There is one thing useless on this thread and it’s not any post by the OP.

 

[1HBHFTW]

Are you looking for "like and subscribes" or are you looking to get better at tennis?
Posting only highlights is less than useless for improvement.

The inverse of this video is what actually matters for improvement.
Post everything you cut out of this video.

I didn’t count second match, but first one of the 52 points (~1/3 of total) that are not included I won well over half of them. There is not much benefit to showing DFs and my opponent missing returns, but it takes a lot longer to export it and upload to YouTube and wastes any one’s time who is actually willing to watch and provide feedback.

FTR, I have uploaded full matches before. Feel free to go look back at my post history. i clearly don’t care about subscribers since I don’t even publish the videos so only people with the link can see them (ie only people here and my opponent who I send to)

 

[optic yellow]

See below for 2 recent matches. Videos include all points with either >4 shots or that ends with winner from either player (basically everything except DFs and unreturned, non-ace serves).

- I added weight to my racquet and have started swinging through my FHs more which I feel like that has improved that side a lot. The extra weight has resulted in a few more BH errors, but the trade off has been well worth it.
- Despite lots of ball machine practice, I still struggle at the net. I just relapse back into my bad habits during matchplay.

I'm J.P. in the videos. As always, would love any feedback!

Match 1 (W): Blue shirt first set. Opponent started off very slow then I took a turn, so most of good points start midway through 2nd set.

Match 2 (L): Green shirt first set. Very competitive until late. Early difference was the big points.. I only converted 20% of break points (2/10), compared with opponent who converted 67% (6/9). After he got up 3-1 in 2nd set he just ran away with it.

That point at 1-2 0-0 can't believe he tried TS FH CC instead of sending it flat DTL.

 

[1HBHFTW]

That point at 1-2 0-0 can't believe he tried TS FH CC instead of sending it flat DTL.

True. Probably thought I’d be sprinting over but in hindsight that wouldn’t have mattered

 

[optic yellow]

True. Probably thought I’d be sprinting over but in hindsight that wouldn’t have mattered

Yeah no way you would ever have gotten to a solidly hit ball there.