What type of backhand is best to hit against Nadal's forehand on clay?

[tennis_hack]

Poll is up, vote if you please.

By the way, you have to balance up the effectiveness of each of these strokes with how risky it is to play them. It is all well and good saying 'take the ball early to take time away from Nadal' - but is is extremely difficult to take the ball early with the amount of spin Nadal puts on the ball, and he may purposely hit short, leaving you in no-man's land performing your half-volleys.

We're also assuming you're hitting a neutral rally ball, either looking to go on the slight offensive, or stay neutral and not defensive.

The only person I've seen to take a really high Nadal forehand on the backhand (talking about above head height) and smash it sort of downwards and flat for an effective shot was Gulbis in Rome of 2013. Djokovic cannot be nearly as offensive when the ball gets that high on his backhand - Djokovic instead has to rely on taking it early.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Flat and deep to draw the shorter ball.


OK, I can see the poll options now. I don't think it matters other than it depends on the specific situation in the rally. If Nadal is responding with a CC forehand where he was taken out very wide an early hit can wrong-foot him. If he's more central, then striking at a more comfortable point after the bounce (which will vary a bit from player to player) flat, hard and deep can draw the shorter ball. If you take the ball at the apex then you can draw Nadal wider with a great angle to then set up tactics.


In short, there is no correct answer other than the whole array depending on circumstance -- matter of point construction. As such, I didn't vote.

 

[Attila_the_gorilla]

A 4.0 backhand minimum. Someone better tell Roger.

 

[tennis_hack]

Flat and deep to draw the shorter ball.


OK, I can see the poll options now. I don't think it matters other than it depends on the specific situation in the rally. If Nadal is responding with a CC forehand where he was taken out very wide an early hit can wrong-foot him. If he's more central, then striking at a more comfortable point after the bounce (which will vary a bit from player to player) flat, hard and deep can draw the shorter ball. If you take the ball at the apex then you can draw Nadal wider with a great angle to then set up tactics.


In short, there is no correct answer other than the whole array depending on circumstance -- matter of point construction. As such, I didn't vote.

So one should never respond to his heavy topspin cc forehand with heavy topspin from the backhand? Always flat?

 

[winstonlim8]

Why not a slice skidder to keep the ball low below his knees? That would be easier to hit, wouldn't it? After all, as someone with rather famous balls once said, "Even beginners can do it" or something to that effect. So it should be a cinch for a 7.0 pro, no?

 

[Wynter]

Keep sending it to his backhand.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

So one should never respond to his heavy topspin cc forehand with heavy topspin from the backhand? Always flat?

Flat and deep to draw the shorter ball.


OK, I can see the poll options now. I don't think it matters other than it depends on the specific situation in the rally. If Nadal is responding with a CC forehand where he was taken out very wide an early hit can wrong-foot him. If he's more central, then striking at a more comfortable point after the bounce (which will vary a bit from player to player) flat, hard and deep can draw the shorter ball. If you take the ball at the apex then you can draw Nadal wider with a great angle to then set up tactics.


In short, there is no correct answer other than the whole array depending on circumstance -- matter of point construction. As such, I didn't vote.

Ergo, all options.

 

[Legend of Borg]

Just hit winners against him ez pz.

 

[merlinpinpin]

Just hit a winner every time, doesn't matter how you strike the ball. :mrgreen:

Even when facing the clay boogeyman of your times, if you paint the lines during the whole match, you've got a good chance to win, especially if you've got a big serve. Just ask Michael Stich.

 

[Start da Game]

no, flat backhands straight back to his forehand won't do anything against that greatest forehand ever......what would do are the short slices to his backhand......just stay away from that forehand as much as you can......

 

[abmk]

no, flat backhands straight back to his forehand won't do anything against that greatest forehand ever......what would do are the short slices to his backhand......just stay away from that forehand as much as you can......

actually that would be about the dumbest idea. He just moves sideways and hits I/O winners off those slices with his fh ..

either hit flat & hard to his fh (amply proof of bug hitting succeeding this way) or consistently heavy ball to his bh ( as djokovic has shown )

 

[Start da Game]

actually that would be about the dumbest idea. He just moves sideways and hits I/O winners off those slices with his fh ..

either hit flat & hard to his fh (amply proof of bug hitting succeeding this way) or consistently heavy ball to his bh ( as djokovic has shown )

i said short slices, not deep slices......deep slices would be punished like you said he is a master at it, he can recover from any position from behind the baseline......but with short slices there is a good possibility you could draw him a little forward into no mans land and get him out of position for the next ball......

 

[MasterZeb]

So one should never respond to his heavy topspin cc forehand with heavy topspin from the backhand? Always flat?

If you put heavy spin in the ball, the ball will come to nadals forehand about head height, so it would cause nadal to pit even more spin on the ball, so it would basically become a slow who can up the most spin on the ball rally, which we all know will be in favour to nadal, whoever the player, (unless federer runs around the hit a down the line forehand). That's the only exception

 

[The_Begum_of_Bhopal]

Hard, flat and deep cc to elicit the shorter reply, thus opening up the backhand.

 

[mtshishimbi]

As a natural right hander, Nadal's forehand has evolved to use, possibly over-use, the reverse forehand. I believe this is because he has trouble with pace into the backhand. Players that have given him trouble in the past have been able to hit hard flat cross-court backhands, as well as hard flat inside-out forehands, both into the forehand.

Over time he's gotten better and better at handling it, but I still believe that innately that is the shot he has the most trouble with, so of the options given, the best shot is stepping in and hitting it flat to the forehand.

Of course, that is much easier said than done. The other option is the inside out forehand, which Federer used to use a lot when he had the better of Nadal (5 out of the 8th through 14th matches they played). These days, his forehand doesn't penetrate enough to do that effectively, so the only ones who can attack his forehand are those who hit hard flat cross court backhands.

I can't think of a lefty on tour that gives Nadal any trouble.

 

[mtshishimbi]

...I believe this is because he has trouble with pace into the backhand....

Sorry, that should read, "I believe this is because he has trouble with pace into the forehand..."

 

[Backspin1183]

It doesn't matter whose backhand you bring to RG. You need to have the heart of a lion to beat Nadal at RG.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Just whack it as hard as possible and hope for the best!

 

[coolschreiber]

OP why are you obsessed with backhands? .... I see every thread you start has to do with a 1hbh lol.