Safin's backhand grip?!?

[Shyyre]

I was watching him play Murray a bit yesterday... i could have sworn whenever safin would hit a backhand his hands were split... not touching each other... has anyone else noticed this? it could just be my eyes playing tricks on me, but i cuold have sworn..

someone started a thread last week about this split grip on a backhand, but i can't remember who now (no disrespect, i acidentally deleted all my subscriptions... D'OH!)... anyway, it's an interesting point.

i wonder if safin gets his power froma split grip? does it also explain his ridiculiously high amount of unforced errors when he's not "on" because there is a smaller margin of error?

 

[panatta]

I never noticed that. I'm studying Nadal and Safin's grip for improving my 2H BH. I wonder if Nadal, who uses an extreme western grip for his forehand, uses a similar or almost a western grip for his backhand too.
What I can say is that both finish their swing with their non-dominant hand (left hand for Safin) lower than the other 2H BH players I've seen. For example Agassi finishes his swing with the racquet which goes above his right ear. It seems like Safin and Nadal play the backhand like it was more a left (right for Nadal) two handed forehand.

 

[safin_protege]

It seems like Safin and Nadal play the backhand like it was more a left (right for Nadal) two handed forehand.

Safin drives his backhand with his left hand, which most other pros do too.

Safin's backhand is hard to replicate because he is so strong and has a short take-back and follow-through, like panatta said. He also uses his swing and not wrists to generate topspin. If you noticed, during his take-back the racquet is pointed upwards, not downwards like someone like Coria. So with the wrists firm, he generates all power and spin with his swing, which is short as I mentioned before.

 

[POGO]

Here is an article explaining/showing Safin's backhand and what grip he uses.
http://www.tennisserver.com/turbo/turbo_01_02.html

In this shot, we see Marat Safin as he prepares for the two handed backhand. His dominant hand (right hand) is in the eastern forehand grip. As a result, he must bend his wrist and make contact with the ball a bit behind his front shoulder. He hits the ball as one might throw a sack of potatoes over one’s shoulder. Still, his left arm/hand (non-dominant side) are doing most of the work.

Both his hands, use eastern grips.