Simple question on one-handed backhand grips. Never done it before.

[fuzzybabybunny]

Just for giggles I'd like to experiment with a one-handed backhand. I've always played with a 2HBH and I'm not too sure how the 1HBH swing should feel like.

My normal forehand grip is between a semi-western (index knuckle on bevel 4) and western (index knuckle on bevel 5).

Correct me if I'm wrong... but it seems that I don't necessarily have to change my forehand grip at all to hit a 1HBH?

And when I hit the 1HBH, it feels like I'm driving with the heel of my hand (the part along the same edge as the pinky finger), which is good and feels stable.

I always thought that a 1HBH would feel like you're driving with the back of your hand, as if you were backslapping someone on the face with the back of your hand, but doing it this way requires changing the grip to an eastern or continental forehand grip and places a lot of strain on the wrist on impact.

 

[dsb]

Something like this?

 

[TennisDawg]

Just for giggles I'd like to experiment with a one-handed backhand. I've always played with a 2HBH and I'm not too sure how the 1HBH swing should feel like.

My normal forehand grip is between a semi-western (index knuckle on bevel 4) and western (index knuckle on bevel 5).

Correct me if I'm wrong... but it seems that I don't necessarily have to change my forehand grip at all to hit a 1HBH?

And when I hit the 1HBH, it feels like I'm driving with the heel of my hand (the part along the same edge as the pinky finger), which is good and feels stable.

I always thought that a 1HBH would feel like you're driving with the back of your hand, as if you were backslapping someone on the face with the back of your hand, but doing it this way requires changing the grip to an eastern or continental forehand grip and places a lot of strain on the wrist on impact.

Interesting, I’m going to try this.It would really help on the return of service as shown by the video of Almagro below. I use an eastern FH grip and would have to change to a semi-western. It would be worth it on the ROS though because it eliminates a grip change, unless you’re going for a slice backhand.

 

[Big Bagel]

Just for giggles I'd like to experiment with a one-handed backhand. I've always played with a 2HBH and I'm not too sure how the 1HBH swing should feel like.

My normal forehand grip is between a semi-western (index knuckle on bevel 4) and western (index knuckle on bevel 5).

Correct me if I'm wrong... but it seems that I don't necessarily have to change my forehand grip at all to hit a 1HBH?

And when I hit the 1HBH, it feels like I'm driving with the heel of my hand (the part along the same edge as the pinky finger), which is good and feels stable.

I always thought that a 1HBH would feel like you're driving with the back of your hand, as if you were backslapping someone on the face with the back of your hand, but doing it this way requires changing the grip to an eastern or continental forehand grip and places a lot of strain on the wrist on impact.

If you use a full western forehand grip, then you don't have to change grips, because it is the same as an eastern backhand grip, which is the most common one-handed backhand grip for topspin drives. You are correct, it's not like slapping someone with the back of your hand. You should actually feel like you're giving gas to a motorcycle, where you actually lean your wrist back so the bulk of your hand is either on top of or behind the racquet when it makes contact with the ball. You do need to make sure that you contact the ball farther in front of you than you would for a two-handed backhand.

 

[Chas Tennis]

It is good to start research by searching for pictures of the tennis stroke.
Search: pictures close up one hand backhand
https://www.google.com/search?q=pic...HdAhXCj1QKHRj8DtMQsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=845&bih=497

The Eastern backhand grip is often used. Maybe if you turn over a Western forehand you might get something that looks like an Eastern Backhand but that would be hitting the other side of the string face and with the hand switched to on top. ?? I may be getting confused. The hand is not behind the racket but on top of it. Start with a standard Eastern Backhand and modify after the stroke is working. See pictures.

Also, tennis researcher D. Knudson has said that there may be a relation between the wrist angle and Tennis Elbow. Extended wrist is safer and flexed may not be safe regarding TE injury. Look at the pictures above and high speed videos and see how many players have their wrists flexed and how many extended near impact. Flexing the wrist stretches the muscle tendons in the location of TE. Another more recent publication relates TE to off center ball hits on the racket face. Learn what TE is. Search: Tennis Elbow pictures

Thread on the one hand backhand.

I studied the top one hand backhands of Wawrinka, Justine Henin and Gasquet. They have some features in common. Not intended as complete instructions.

1) the chest and the upper arm are in contact during the start of the forward motion of the stroke. Arm appears straight. This implies that the upper body turn is initially accelerating the upper arm and racket and not the weaker shoulder muscles. But shoulder muscles are used before impact.
2) they bring down the racket with a rapid and distinct motion with the off hand that appears to adjust the height of the racket head and also causes internal shoulder rotation that stretches external shoulder rotation muscles. These stretched ESR muscles may then be used to raise the racket head before impact for added top spin.

This thread has details of the above points and video analyses. Read about post #50 to end of the thread.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...and-waht-force-to-start-forward-swing.462997/

Study Justine Henin's technique as a model one hand backhand. Compare it to Gasquet and Wawrinka, all three have very similar techniques. Look for the chest to be pressed on the upper arm and the rapid rotation down by the off arm of the near straight arm with racket.

This technique can increase pace and probably will increase stress on the tendons of the forearm that are injured in Tennis Elbow. One published cause, thought to lead to TE, is off center racket impacts. Another cause has been attributed to the wrist angle being flexed instead of extended. If you look at pictures of many high level one hand backhands usually the wrist joint is extended. Stop tennis and stress immediately if you get arm pain.

 

[Chas Tennis]

Discussion on the one hand backhand grips
http://adventuresintennis.com/the-one-handed-backhand-grip-hammer-vs-pistol/

I have posted before saying that pros use a grip that ends around the little finger. Many websites indicate the butt of the racket ends around the fat pad. I can't find that supported in pictures of ATP one hand backhands or most other strokes.

 

[TennisDawg]

Interesting, I’m going to try this.It would really help on the return of service as shown by the video of Almagro below. I use an eastern FH grip and would have to change to a semi-western. It would be worth it on the ROS though because it eliminates a grip change, unless you’re going for a slice backhand.

I tried this today and hitting a one hander with the grip would take a lot of practice at least for me.

 

[Shroud]

I tried this today and hitting a one hander with the grip would take a lot of practice at least for me.

If its a sw fh grip you need to adjust the swing path because the racquet is now more closed focus on topspin and finishing higher and not driving through the ball as much. If the ball is hitting the ground on your side of the court then you need to swing with a higher path best to start with drop feeds

Imho if I can do it everyone can with practice

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

If its a sw fh grip you need to adjust the swing path because the racquet is now more closed focus on topspin and finishing higher and not driving through the ball as much. If the ball is hitting the ground on your side of the court then you need to swing with a higher path best to start with drop feeds

Imho if I can do it everyone can with practice

Interesting.

If I have a full western forehand grip I can use the same grip on a 1HBH and drive through the ball more compared to if I have a semi-western forehand grip, right.

I have a semi-western forehand. I could just rotate my grip one bevel over (to the full western forehand grip) which would allow me to drive a 1HBH more, correct?

What has always confused me is that there are different systems and names for identifying the 1HBH grips, but to me wouldn't it be simpler to identify 1HBH grips by their forehand grip positions?

 

[TennisDawg]

I tried this today and hitting a one hander with the grip would take a lot of practice at least for me.

Interesting.

If I have a full western forehand grip I can use the same grip on a 1HBH and drive through the ball more compared to if I have a semi-western forehand grip, right.

I have a semi-western forehand. I could just rotate my grip one bevel over (to the full western forehand grip) which would allow me to drive a 1HBH more, correct?

What has always confused me is that there are different systems and names for identifying the 1HBH grips, but to me wouldn't it be simpler to identify 1HBH grips by their forehand grip positions?

Yes, it can be confusing but yes if you can hit ok with a full western grip on your forehand then the eastern bh grip makes sense.

 

[Shroud]

Interesting.

If I have a full western forehand grip I can use the same grip on a 1HBH and drive through the ball more compared to if I have a semi-western forehand grip, right.

I have a semi-western forehand. I could just rotate my grip one bevel over (to the full western forehand grip) which would allow me to drive a 1HBH more, correct?

What has always confused me is that there are different systems and names for identifying the 1HBH grips, but to me wouldn't it be simpler to identify 1HBH grips by their forehand grip positions?

Yes. Pick your poison. I have hit both ways in the past and sw is better on both wings but bh with western fh is flatter and faster.

 

[TennisDawg]

If its a sw fh grip you need to adjust the swing path because the racquet is now more closed focus on topspin and finishing higher and not driving through the ball as much. If the ball is hitting the ground on your side of the court then you need to swing with a higher path best to start with drop feeds

Imho if I can do it everyone can with practice

Yup that’s what’s happening. I’ll keep trying. Because of the grip change I tend to mostly hit slice on my backhand return. It would be great to eliminate the grip change and hit topspin backhand return.

 

[Shroud]

Yup that’s what’s happening. I’ll keep trying. Because of the grip change I tend to mostly hit slice on my backhand return. It would be great to eliminate the grip change and hit topspin backhand return.

Ok. The contact point is a bit higher too. Keep at it and fwiw sw grip makes high bhs easier.

Hopefully this helps as it shows an old slow guy can do it. Fwiw the guy in white is going to 4.0 nationals:

 

[Voytek Bunia]

I love my 1hbh.

Eastern fh
Continental 1hdh

Occasionally throw in the 2hbh.

Continental right hand
Eastern left hand