What a pain! One handed backhand

Curious

G.O.A.T.
Because you read the incoming ball wrong then hit it off your back foot.
Weight seems to be distributed equally on both feet and I’m rising on toes of both. Contact both too high and away laterally? Should I have moved back a little to hit the ball while it was going down?
 

ballmachineguy

Hall of Fame
Why do you think it is appropriate to get on your toes? At that point, you likely have every muscle in your body contracted and can only wave at the ball. You have to learn to set up with a wide, planted base that allows for a relaxed upper body to punish the ball.
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
fwiw on that ball it would have been better to move forward IMHO instead of back. But if you are going back then go back more than you did.
 
Ok how do you see equipment changes in tennis going forward?
It's down to $$$$$'s

As long as those in charge think more is better and that endless same same baseline bash is more interesting than a clash of styles then tennis is in trouble and going down that angles route.

There is starting to be some resistance to the samey trash with commentators and if the powers that be really want to shorten matche times then the fix is speed up the game, not the dumb ass tinkering suggestions like fast four, 1 serve, play lets...
 
How did I end up with this weird weak shot? What went wrong? Started like an easy backhand.


If you're not going to move forward or back and are choosing to play a ball at that height then you need to open up, staying side on is not helping you here.
Swing more level and across and playing a flatter ball that will curve left in the air as a consequence of your more level and across swing.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
This must be why 1hbh is a weakness compared to 2hbh. When you end up with an unexpected contact point it’s good to have a second hand to stabilise things. And this happens a lot at lower levels. With an optimal contact point I don’t think 2hbh has anything superior.
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
This must be why 1hbh is a weakness compared to 2hbh. When you end up with an unexpected contact point it’s good to have a second hand to stabilise things. And this happens a lot at lower levels. With an optimal contact point I don’t think 2hbh has anything superior.
There is something to be said for some weight on the racquet especially as a 1 hander.

Personally I have a hard time with the sentiment in your post even if it might be correct. I never got the “move your body to get the optimum contact point” so I pretty much hit bhs wherever they are low high etc. even rec players can do ok.

Wheelchair players hit tons of high and low one handers with “questionable” contact points and do great. Maybe @Ash smith can correct me if needed. Pretty sure they all hit sw grip and don’t change grips between fh and bh

 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
I never got the “move your body to get the optimum contact point” so I pretty much hit bhs wherever they are low high etc. even rec players can do ok.
May not be for you but it’s a struggle for me. Asked Jolly this question recently.
Definitely worth working on. I guess we have to accept that we’ll never be in the right position very often.

Jolly, you’re in a nonideal position or imbalanced yet you can get your racket on the ball, what should you focus on to still be able to make the shot (preferably deep)? I see a huge number of errors in that sort of situations in rec tennis.

Fight for posture with your legs and hold the upper body as still as possible.

Open the racquet face and concentrate on hitting the middle of the stringbed.

Swing from the shoulder if at all possible and only use the hand/wrist in an absolute emergency situation.

As your level raises you will be able to start swinging sooner with your modified stroke and plan out your recovery as soon as you realize you won't be able to hit a normal shot.
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
May not be for you but it’s a struggle for me. Asked Jolly this question recently.
Definitely worth working on. I guess we have to accept that we’ll never be in the right position very often.
Mats Wilander once said that Agassi was not playing tennis. He was just hugging the baseline and hitting half volleys. The way he said it implied how talented agassi was…

Anyhow good luck getting in perfect position returning serves…
 

Dragy

Legend
This must be why 1hbh is a weakness compared to 2hbh. When you end up with an unexpected contact point it’s good to have a second hand to stabilise things. And this happens a lot at lower levels. With an optimal contact point I don’t think 2hbh has anything superior.
In the situation in your video you tried to “slap” or “whip” the racquet at the ball while it was too close to you, and a bit past you, not too far from you.

To me it’s obviously an anticipation/read issue, or just unlucky bounce, it happens :confused:

Overall on high uncomfortable BHs you have little time to prepare:
- load your legs to get something out of rotation, not just arm
- brace up to deliver in short time, because you don’t have room to smoothly accelerate
- arm everything you lack from torso, but remember you are limited, don’t go for much; and arm, not wrist — straight, from the shoulder
- keep wrist laid back, open up more, meet ball in front, pull across instead of trying to whip it

Thiem is a good model, toned down to your physical ability of course. You can at least produce deep moonball in any such situation.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
In the situation in your video you tried to “slap” or “whip” the racquet at the ball while it was too close to you, and a bit past you, not too far from you.

To me it’s obviously an anticipation/read issue, or just unlucky bounce, it happens :confused:

Overall on high uncomfortable BHs you have little time to prepare:
- load your legs to get something out of rotation, not just arm
- brace up to deliver in short time, because you don’t have room to smoothly accelerate
- arm everything you lack from torso, but remember you are limited, don’t go for much; and arm, not wrist — straight, from the shoulder
- keep wrist laid back, open up more, meet ball in front, pull across instead of trying to whip it

Thiem is a good model, toned down to your physical ability of course. You can at least produce deep moonball in any such situation.
I think the single best thing you can do in a sudden unexpected situation like that is to firm the wrist up and keep it cocked, swing through the ball as much as possible and use the shoulder mostly as Jolly said to avoid anything wobbly with the hand and wrist. And focus mentally just to make the shot and don’t go for anything crazy.
 
I think the single best thing you can do in a sudden unexpected situation like that is to firm the wrist up and keep it cocked, swing through the ball as much as possible and use the shoulder mostly as Jolly said to avoid anything wobbly with the hand and wrist. And focus mentally just to make the shot and don’t go for anything crazy.
So 1hbh return of serve option for sudden unexpected I can get.

I might argue when it's bouncing high like that you should have the time for other options.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
So 1hbh return of serve option for sudden unexpected I can get.

I might argue when it's bouncing high like that you should have the time for other options.
Like you said before. That’s a good option.

If you're not going to move forward or back and are choosing to play a ball at that height then you need to open up, staying side on is not helping you here.
Swing more level and across and playing a flatter ball that will curve left in the air as a consequence of your more level and across swing.
 

Rosstour

G.O.A.T.
Great thread!
Been away from tennis for 10 years and now my son is into it and forcing me to play again
For some reason I play all my life with two handed backhanded and now after I injuries and other sports participation.Now coming back I have play with 1 handed backhand it just feels more naturally. Not sure why. I do notice that two handed BH I prefer to pick up the ball on the rise
The 1HB is more of a patient wait rhythm preference to hit off the apex on the bounce and it’s easier on a moon ball that bounce high to the shoulder height
2hander probably more effectively against a flatter fast ball that I can pick up quickly off the rise

1H works great on the rise too. Much easier to hit when I'm just deflecting it back as opposed to waiting and setting up
 

Dragy

Legend
Let’s focus on the correct one.
In my opinion, most basic OHBH swing includes shoulder horizontal abduction, abduction (though to a much lesser degree) and external shoulder rotation as major shoulder socket actions.

I like your focus on horizontal abduction though, particularly on lower balls — need to tilt the spine leaning over the front foot, so that horizontal abduction produces enough of rising path for the hand.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
In my opinion, most basic OHBH swing includes shoulder horizontal abduction, abduction (though to a much lesser degree) and external shoulder rotation as major shoulder socket actions.

I like your focus on horizontal abduction though, particularly on lower balls — need to tilt the spine leaning over the front foot, so that horizontal abduction produces enough of rising path for the hand.
I was thinking differently. The main action is abduction. Horizontal abduction ruins rec one handers!
 

Dragy

Legend
Horizontal abduction ruins rec one handers!
Well, again, million ways of ruining rec one handers…

You need to explain it more in detail. There’s obviously horizontal abduction in good OHBH, and range of motion is from “chest press” (ha-ha) all the way to hyper-extended pec into the follow-through. So I feel puzzled what you mean.

I would actually avoid “raising the arm” too much, which is abduction. Arm finishes level with shoulders:

wawrinka_backhand.jpg
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
Well, again, million ways of ruining rec one handers…

You need to explain it more in detail. There’s obviously horizontal abduction in good OHBH, and range of motion is from “chest press” (ha-ha) all the way to hyper-extended pec into the follow-through. So I feel puzzled what you mean.

I would actually avoid “raising the arm” too much, which is abduction. Arm finishes level with shoulders:

wawrinka_backhand.jpg
Try to abduct the shoulder only next time you hit and let me know. Resist the horizontal stuff and rotation completely.
 

Dragy

Legend
Try to abduct the shoulder only next time you hit and let me know. Resist the horizontal stuff and rotation completely.
I won't, sry. Doesn't sound safe to me.

I'm also quite settled with my OHBH, it was working good, at least for balls in the strikezone. Rallying, returning, passing, redirecting - all good. That's why I switched to 2HBH :-D and fully committed, not going to derail my work.
 

zill

Legend
I won't, sry. Doesn't sound safe to me.

I'm also quite settled with my OHBH, it was working good, at least for balls in the strikezone. Rallying, returning, passing, redirecting - all good. That's why I switched to 2HBH :-D and fully committed, not going to derail my work.
Did my switch inspire yours at all?
 

Dragy

Legend
This could help your experiment, Dragy.


I hope she's trying to address overrotation issue rather than hits the way she demonstrates in actual play... But I believe we have solved this earlier: the overrotation happens because of lack of coil in the first place. You cannot hit great OHBHs without hips and torso uncoiling.

I also don't get why you use this video to support your point, she obviously has full range of horizontal abduction in her, mostly arm, swing...
 
Last edited:

Dragy

Legend
Did my switch inspire yours at all?
I just wanted to learn it for quite some time. I also like the left arm involvement idea in general, don't wanna play with right arm exclusively for the whole life (and not going lefty any time soon).

Final push was from OHBH dying on Tour, obviously! :-D And overall seeing literally zero advantages of OHBH: 2HBH guys have just enough pace and spin, although I admit it comes with more effort, whole body use. But I like it.

Your switch - well, you overall clearly improved since your early videos, that's inspiring. Not just BH.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
I hope she's trying to address overrotation issue rather than hits the way she demonstrates in actual play... But I believe we have solved this earlier: the overrotation happens because of lack of coil in the first place. You cannot hit great OHBHs without hips and torso uncoiling.

I also don't get why you use this video to support your point, she obviously has full range of horizontal abduction in her, mostly arm, swing...
You’re missing something big.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
Anyway focusing on pure abduction may be the best thing you can do to hit a good one hander. The next supporting evidence will be my hitting video tomorrow.
 
Top