Two Handed Backhand Down the Line

M

muas1

New User
Does anyone have any tips on how to improve a two handed backhand shot down the line? I'm a 4.0+ player and have a solid two handed backhand to center or cross-court with a bit of topspin on it but I still struggle with depth, speed and placement on the same shot down the line during rallies, usually sacrificing pace to keep the shot in. Recently I've tried to focus more on allowing my left hand to lead the stroke (I'm right handed) but that doesn't seem to be the whole equation. I'd ultimately like to convert some of the down the line shots into winners as I often can have my opponent off the court due to my strong forehand. While there seems to be a lot of info on hitting a basic backhand there isn't much out there on what to do differently when hitting one down the line.

Best Regards,
Chris
 
Take it a TINY bit later than you would a normal middle or cross court hit backhand. helps a lot.

be sure your dominant hand shoulder is turned completely towards the net as well.

it's all about personal preference and feel for dtl shots
 
Picture your strikezone for CC, then make it later for DTL.
Practice with identical footwork.
 
You still want to hit the outside of the ball even though you're taking it later in your strikezone. That way if you miss the shot, it'll still find the court. Also remember to put more air underneath the ball and use added spin. Try not to think about taking less work off of the ball, while attempting to hit a heavier ball nice and high over the net.

The key to any two handed backhand, CC or DTL, is solid footork coupled with left hand dominance.

Also, try and hit some backhands inside out. You'll get a great feel for striking the ball deeper in your strikezone.
 
Takes a lot of practice, but is one of the most lethal shots in club level tennis. Closed stance and step in the direction of where you want it with your lead foot as well.
 
Thanks for the pointers, sounds like the general consensus is to take the ball a little later in the strike zone. I feel awkward when hitting it sometimes which is probably due to being too eager and hitting it too soon then trying to muscle the ball into a straight line.

I'm sure my footwork also needs some attention as Quikj & Power Player suggested as occasionally I do feel jammed on the backhand side especially on DTL shots.

I appreciate all the suggestions and I'll try to incorporate them into my matches this weekend. It will feel strange to hit inside out backhands being that I generally favor my forehand and run around my backhand at times but it sounds like a good way to get a feel for things and mix things up if I'm playing a weaker opponent. It seems like its going to take a while to master but I agree with Power Player that I've seen point after point in my game where this could be a major weapon to at-least throw opponents off guard & setup for a good volley at the club level (consistent DTL slice is a lost cause at the moment).
 
Lots of good players, not pros, use the slice DTL for consistency, curving the ball towards the sidelines to make the opponent run the extra step.
JimmyConnors was an example of a 2hbh who did that, but maybe the only 2hbh.
Most 2hbh guys use the 1hbh slice with conti grip for DTL groundies. Of course, their favored topspin IF they can hit it.
 
Adding to the tips jar, try keeping your left wrist firm, so that you can get power and a bit more control on the ball.
 
Make sure to get a full shoulder turn, hit it a little later, and don't hesitate to use plenty of topspin, as the net is higher down the line. I think it is best to use this shot when you are balanced and not rushed. If you don't feel comfortable, take it cross court again and try to get your footwork going early on the next shot.
 
I do hit my backhand slice with a conti grip but for some reason I usually don't think to hit the slice DTL unless I'm already in the far left hand side of the court and end up usually dumping it into the net or doubles alley. At that point I have no way to "curve" the shot. I think taking a little later in the swing zone might help a little with the slice and also trying it when I'm located closer to the center of the court so i have more margin for error.

I've grown accustomed to hitting with mid racquets (ie. prestige tour mid) to rein in the power on my forehand and give me pinpoint accuracy but I think the small sweet spot isn't doing me any good on my backhand side. I've since moved to the Redondo 98 and I'm seeing some improvements with the topspin & slice backhand just given the increased racquet head size.
 
No reason ever to "curve" your sliced backhand. The slow moving ball allows gravity to do the "curving" for you. And with easier height over netcord control, the slice 1hbh can be hit lower over the net more often and more consistently than most 2hbh topspin shots.
 
Stay low..make sure you don't get too excited and stand up during your swing. Like everyone else says, hit it a little later than you would a cross court shot.
 
muas1 said:
I do hit my backhand slice with a conti grip but for some reason I usually don't think to hit the slice DTL unless I'm already in the far left hand side of the court and end up usually dumping it into the net or doubles alley. At that point I have no way to "curve" the shot. I think taking a little later in the swing zone might help a little with the slice and also trying it when I'm located closer to the center of the court so i have more margin for error.

I've grown accustomed to hitting with mid racquets (ie. prestige tour mid) to rein in the power on my forehand and give me pinpoint accuracy but I think the small sweet spot isn't doing me any good on my backhand side. I've since moved to the Redondo 98 and I'm seeing some improvements with the topspin & slice backhand just given the increased racquet head size.
Click to expand...

The DTL slice was tough for me at first, but it has become quite effective. I take it late and I come across the ball on the finish. You don't want to brush the ball on a slice, but the finish should be coming across your body a little. It will kick the ball off to the left a little after the bounce, which makes it even tougher to get to if the opponent is out of position.

I grasped it better from watching Safin do it in his warmups.
 
DTL slice is good good especially against club players who aren't that good at picking up low balls. good shot also to approach net on against these same players.

yet a topspin backhand down the line hit hard with authority is a deadly weapon.

even an inside-out backhand is a wicked shot to hit, lot's of people won't expect someone can hit one comfortably at the rec level.

i love hearing that "agh!" people blurt out when that ball flies off my racket.
 
Um cut the ball off sooner by going diaganly towards the ball and strike it down the line. Or if it's a cross court to your backhand- footowork- load and hit early(out in front). This is what I do. visually if your racquet hits the ball online with the sideline this will be the path of the ball (hence out in front)
 
I really would give a shot to turning a bit all your body, that would be using your footwork. If you are on an advantageous position then you have nothing to loose, and its easier to wrong foot the oponent changing the direction of the ball cc if you are this way, than changing the direction dtl with "regular" stance.
 
this is my favorite shot now. whenever i need a point and i get the ball on my backhand side, i drive it down the line. even in doubles, when there's a net player, i can usually pass him down the alley with my backhand. how do i do it?

- use a closed stance (however, an open or semi-open stance may also work as long as you are able to fully turn your torso)
- early preparation with the racket (i have a looped backswing so i have to really be fast with this)
- full shoulder turn
- power comes from the mainly from the left hand and the control comes mainly from the right.
- i feel like my left hand is the one that positions the racket face to line up the ball down the line before contact, then as it accelerates the racket head through the contact point, my right hand takes over guiding the ball up the line, and it continues to a complete follow through.
- follow through is long and over the right shoulder if i'm trying to generate my own power, but if i'm using my opponent's pace, the follow through might end up just a little past the direction of the ball

and most of all: you got to believe that you are gonna make it!

practice it and use it in your matches. don't be afraid! good luck!
 
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Power Player said:
Takes a lot of practice, but is one of the most lethal shots in club level tennis. Closed stance and step in the direction of where you want it with your lead foot as well.
Click to expand...

this is a good post. I have had more success with this shot lately, and it is because I focus on really closing my stance and aligning my shoulders and legs with the direction I want to hit the ball

Also, some nice advice here on still hitting the outside of the ball and using more spin to give you better margin for error. Even if the shot is a little higher and further from the line, you still make your opponent play another shot in the rally.
 
Honestly its not a very important shot to have except for mixing up put away balls, especially if your a righty since it goes to the righty forehand. Sure its an unexpected shot but in general you get a lot more consistency, spin, power and angle easier hitting cross court. I use the DTL when it feels natural to hit like when it already seems like i will be late its much easier to blast it. When you are taking a cross court shot and think i want to hit this BH DTL its usually in the end of the match going to cost you more points than it gains.

Of course if you can develop a really good one it can be a weapon but I think of it as more of a specialty shot like a drop shot/lob/slice than a shot everyone needs to know how to use effectively. I would practice hitting down the line on short balls and not spend time trying to learn how to hit it in the middle of a rally.
 
^^^^^^^ I tend to agree, but it's an important shot to have on passing shots and as a return in doubles
 
racket-e said:
Honestly its not a very important shot to have except for mixing up put away balls, especially if your a righty since it goes to the righty forehand. Sure its an unexpected shot but in general you get a lot more consistency, spin, power and angle easier hitting cross court. I use the DTL when it feels natural to hit like when it already seems like i will be late its much easier to blast it. When you are taking a cross court shot and think i want to hit this BH DTL its usually in the end of the match going to cost you more points than it gains.

Of course if you can develop a really good one it can be a weapon but I think of it as more of a specialty shot like a drop shot/lob/slice than a shot everyone needs to know how to use effectively. I would practice hitting down the line on short balls and not spend time trying to learn how to hit it in the middle of a rally.
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stopped reading after bold.

the backhand down the line is very necessary to have a complete arsenal of baseline shots. The inside out backhand is very important as well.

It is not just a specialty shot at all.

You SHOULD spend the time learning how to do it in the middle of a rally.

What if your opponent hits a DEEP (not short) ball to your backhand as an approach and he's going to obviously expect a crosscourt return...

Could cost you a few points to not have a DTL backhand ready.
 
I also agree it's a MUST shot to have in your arsenal at any level. This shot is deadly against guys who like to hit a lot of inside out forehands.

Early preparation and footwork is key to this shot!
 
haha..wow. I love playing people without a DTL backhand, It is so easy to cheat and expose that part of their game, especially over a 3 setter when you figure it out. You could drop the 1st set, and win 2 straight once you figure it out. I am also not sure how anyone could say it is not important. Going DTL is super important on both wings, not only for putaways, but for approaching the net.
 
After just posting on the "just hit the ball" thread and voting against it, I have to say I just think of where I want the ball to go and let my body take care of it. I have noticed that when I succeed with a good DTL, I put a lot of body into it and "lean" into the ball. Definitely not a nonchalant swing.
 
thug the bunny said:
After just posting on the "just hit the ball" thread and voting against it, I have to say I just think of where I want the ball to go and let my body take care of it. I have noticed that when I succeed with a good DTL, I put a lot of body into it and "lean" into the ball. Definitely not a nonchalant swing.
Click to expand...

yesssir a good hard lean into the ball feels wonderful on the dtl bh.

djokovic, andre, berdych and nalbandian are some players to mention who do this wonderfully i can think of off the top of my head
 
So I gave all the tips (or as many as I could remember) a try in a few matches this weekend. Hitting a little later in the strike zone helped a bit but what I think really helped me the most was just getting my backhand fundamentals shored up. I forced myself to get into a closed stance each shot and really rotated through with my torso & rear leg while stepping in with my front leg. This seemed to help me both DTL and CC as I was hitting some really sick CC winners that I wouldn't normally pull off and increased my DTL accuracy by about 10-15%. I think for me the DTL shot exposes bad form much more than CC which is why I felt more uneasy hitting the DTL previously. I still have to work on depth & pace but I think the tips in this post really helped the stroke feel more fluid for me. I agree with others that the DTL backhand is a must have stroke. I obviously don't think you have to use it every point, but I play a lot of lefties, it's very effective as a passing shot, I'll use it more and more as an approach shot as I develop the stroke and there are some times when the opponent is on the other side of the court where it's the best choice for a winner from the baseline.
 
muas1 said:
Does anyone have any tips on how to improve a two handed backhand shot down the line? I'm a 4.0+ player and have a solid two handed backhand to center or cross-court with a bit of topspin on it but I still struggle with depth, speed and placement on the same shot down the line during rallies, usually sacrificing pace to keep the shot in. Recently I've tried to focus more on allowing my left hand to lead the stroke (I'm right handed) but that doesn't seem to be the whole equation. I'd ultimately like to convert some of the down the line shots into winners as I often can have my opponent off the court due to my strong forehand. While there seems to be a lot of info on hitting a basic backhand there isn't much out there on what to do differently when hitting one down the line.

Best Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...
idk why but 2hbh DTL ended up being one of my favorite shots. 3 major things for me:
  1. Shoulder turn. Watch a lot of slomo pro players hitting backhands. Shoulder turn really helps me think about directing the ball where I want it to go and push my momentum forward. pointing slightly down helps me coil a bit for a better follow through.
  2. Footwork. Get in position so you have the space for a proper shoulder turn. If you are forced to hit open stance, be aware of your body control as a slight hop out can still provide you with proper momentum shift to propel the ball.
  3. Follow through. 2hbh is often a compact stroke, so follow through is sometimes cut short, but remember to swing all the way through for power and depth
If you have no trouble with center or CC backhands, I suspect your issue is partly because when you want to hit DTL, you're having trouble redirecting your opponent's ball? The 3 things should help there too, you have to be committed and confident in directing the ball, but a lot of it just practice to get the feeling of redirection or taking the ball early or not exactly in your preferred strike zone. You won't get better at a shot you never use!

Also this might be an unpopular opinion, but I think the whole left hand (non-dominant) focus is a bit of a coaching myth that popularized because it sounds smart, but it ends up tripping up amateurs mentally. even a lot of the pros say the key to a good 2hbh is having a good lefty forehand, but if you ever see them play with their left hand, it's not great, they're definitely not spending much time, if any at all, on hitting lefty forehands. i feel as long as you don't have some kind of imbalanced tendency (like pulling too much with your right arm and lurching the swing), you are fine...it's two handed for a reason, you get to use strength from both arms, and i think when people are told it should come from X arm the other arm just kind of hangs along for the ride.
 
muas1 said:
So I gave all the tips (or as many as I could remember) a try in a few matches this weekend. Hitting a little later in the strike zone helped a bit but what I think really helped me the most was just getting my backhand fundamentals shored up. I forced myself to get into a closed stance each shot and really rotated through with my torso & rear leg while stepping in with my front leg. This seemed to help me both DTL and CC as I was hitting some really sick CC winners that I wouldn't normally pull off and increased my DTL accuracy by about 10-15%. I think for me the DTL shot exposes bad form much more than CC which is why I felt more uneasy hitting the DTL previously. I still have to work on depth & pace but I think the tips in this post really helped the stroke feel more fluid for me. I agree with others that the DTL backhand is a must have stroke. I obviously don't think you have to use it every point, but I play a lot of lefties, it's very effective as a passing shot, I'll use it more and more as an approach shot as I develop the stroke and there are some times when the opponent is on the other side of the court where it's the best choice for a winner from the baseline.
Click to expand...
If you can get a ball machine or some one to feed you, setup a bit to the left so the that down the line is the doubles alley. Use those lines to follow through as long as you can with the racquet moving straight down the doubles line. It will guide your follow through and give you a target to hit to. Do that a bit and I bet you get the hang of it.
 
Good tip I got from my coach recently is to aim two racquet lengths inside the line (towards the centre mark from the doubles alley). The chances of hitting the DTL slightly too late are very high, so I've found this helps me to hit it more aggressively and with more margin.

And even if I hit it slightly later than is ideal, it's more likely to go in. Trying to make every DTL a line-painting-laser tends to result in lots of balls landing in the doubles alley in my experience.
 
Really stepping into the ball (as in literally stepping forward and into the ball with your right leg even if just a tiny step, then with the left leg coming through during/after the follow-through) with bent knees and committing to the shot 110% will help.

Source: I am a righty who play with mostly lefties; I would get curbstomped without a solid backhand.

You can also add some variety by hitting inside-in forehands as well.
 
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