What to do if your backhand is better than your forehand?

[Golden Retriever]

My backhand is better than my forehand. Sure it doesn't have as much power especially on high balls but it is more accurate and less error prone. I can hit better angles with my backhand and it has more varieties (slice or drive). Also since most people have a better forehand than backhand, a better backhand should be a real advantage. However, to my dismay, I find that against most players, the ball usually goes to my forehand and I can hardly take advantage of my backhand. I think it is just natural for righthanders to hit to his left, thus my forehand. What should I do to make the most out of my backhand? Please don't tell me to run around my forehand to hit a backhand, it is not THAT good.

 

[Mikael]

Are you saying you're not seeing enough backhands because the other guy hits his forehands crosscourt all the time? That's what I understood. Well why don't you hit more balls to his backhand. If all goes normally he'll hit them crosscourt thus making your own backhand come into play.

 

[sanitarium]

everyone has a wing they favour, that they're more naturally fluent with.

For me, as well it's my backhand - but the irony is i'm a lefty so I often get forehand vs backhand rallies, where to their surprise I can step it and put it DTL.

I'm almost near as comfortable with my forehand as my back, due to many many hours of practice and matches, and I can hit faster on my forehand - but if a shot will fail during a match it'll probably be a forehand error, hitting it long (going for too much)

 

[TwistServe]

Does that mean if you play a lefty, than you're in good position because he'll hit to your backhand more?

 

[Rickson]

Practice your forehand until it becomes just as strong or stronger than your backhand. Don't tell yourself that your backhand is your better stroke or you'll choke on your forehand side. Tell yourself you can hit on either wing and that your forehand is just as effective, think positive.

 

[Golden Retriever]

Does that mean if you play a lefty, than you're in good position because he'll hit to your backhand more?

Maybe, but there isn't a lot of lefties for me to play with.

 

[Kobble]

This is easy. Just hit a forehand to pull him wider than he already is, and then hit a routine(safe) backhand drive to the right if he hits it down the center, or a forehand down the line if he goes cross court again. Now you can get into a backhand rally.

 

[JohnThomas1]

Hmmmmmmm, i'd serve wide in the duece court, the return will probably go to your forehand but if you hit it down the line he practically has to hit to your backhand and you can go from there. Maybe even wrong foot him as he tries to recover. Learn a good wide serve in the ad, possibly a kicker and you will see a lot of backhands next shot. In rallies i think the more balls you get to the opponents backhand the more you will recieve back due to the crosscourt being a safer more natural shot. The big thing as others have mentioned tho is keep working on that forehand

 

[jun]

work on angle, and down the line, I might suggest. THat way you can be even mroe agressive with your backhand.

But you need to make your forehand solid as well. Evenf pros who have better backhands than forehand will sometimes run around backhand and hit inside out forehand.

 

[Frank Silbermann]

Practice your forehand until it becomes just as strong or stronger than your backhand. Don't tell yourself that your backhand is your better stroke or you'll choke on your forehand side. Tell yourself you can hit on either wing and that your forehand is just as effective, think positive.

In Paul Metzler's book, _Advanced Tennis_ he says that if you have a good backhand then you have the ability to develop an even better forehand. He suggested that anyone who was stronger on the backhand side (i.e., not merely a backhand slice that's more accurate and more consistent) must have some forehand stroking defect.