Why doesn't Nadal hit a one-handed right handed forehand as well?

tennis_hack

tennis_hack

Banned
Nadal's backhand is kinda a weaker shot for Top 4 standards, though it really shouldn't be seeing as he is right handed naturally.

So why doesn't Nadal play with one-handed forehands off of both wings? His right handed forehand could potentially be even better than his left-handed forehand!!

It seems like a no-brainer to me...?
 
tennis_hack said:
Nadal's backhand is kinda a weaker shot for Top 4 standards, though it really shouldn't be seeing as he is right handed naturally.

So why doesn't Nadal play with one-handed forehands off of both wings? His right handed forehand could potentially be even better than his left-handed forehand!!

It seems like a no-brainer to me...?
Click to expand...

Or Better why doesn't he play holding two-racquets ( one in each hand ) , he already has the crab-like movement , oh why oh why not ? :twisted:
 
because he would be choking up with his right hand, which would make for a weak forehand.

Or he would have to change grips by moving his right hand down the handle, which would take too long (and vice versa when switching to his left forehand).
 
There was a match at the 2001 US Open between Monica Seles and Evgenia Kulikovskaya. Kulikovskaya hit one-handed forehands on both her left and right hand sides. Seles constantly exploited Kulikovskaya's need to switch grips to hit the forehand on a different side. In the men's game, it would be even more merciless.
 
Mustard said:
There was a match at the 2001 US Open between Monica Seles and Evgenia Kulikovskaya. Kulikovskaya hit one-handed forehands on both her left and right hand sides. Seles constantly exploited Kulikovskaya's need to switch grips to hit the forehand on a different side. In the men's game, it would be even more merciless.
Click to expand...

That's a weird one, a player with two hands on both sides against a player who switches hands!
 
tennis_hack said:
Nadal's backhand is kinda a weaker shot for Top 4 standards, though it really shouldn't be seeing as he is right handed naturally..
Click to expand...
Um, because he's left handed?

I know, I know... the retards are going to jump in here and say he's right-handed. Well, so far as tennis goes, he's not. This whole Rafa is a righty nonsense is just that when it comes to tennis: nonsense. His right-handed forehand would probably be as good as the average 4.0 player.
 
Bobby Jr said:
Um, because he's left handed?

I know, I know... the retards are going to jump in here and say he's right-handed. Well, so far as tennis goes, he's not. This whole Rafa is a righty nonsense is just that when it comes to tennis: nonsense. His right-handed forehand would probably be as good as the average 4.0 player.
Click to expand...

Doubt it. If he did switch to a one handed forehand it would a solid shot that would improve over time. The issue, as stated by another poster, would be not having time to switch hand positions from left hand on the bottom to right hand on the bottom, and vice versa.

If players can excel with their non dominant hands, they can with their dominant hand as well.

There's a thread here somewhere about Arnaud Clement winning a money tournament in France playing with his left hand while he was out with an injury to his right.
 
tennis_hack said:
Nadal's backhand is kinda a weaker shot for Top 4 standards, though it really shouldn't be seeing as he is right handed naturally.

So why doesn't Nadal play with one-handed forehands off of both wings? His right handed forehand could potentially be even better than his left-handed forehand!!

It seems like a no-brainer to me...?
Click to expand...

Lol that was a good joke, man.
 
Because nobody trying to hit two forehands will ever, ever, EVER be successful in professional tennis, especially not on the men's tour. A few years ago a local coach came back from a large coaching conference and started regaling us with tales of the future of the game, including his opinion that the double-forehand approach will one day become dominant. And that was the exact moment that I realized that neither he, nor anyone who bothers to go to those sorts of conferences, knew a single thing about tennis.
 
I'm no pro, but I play with either hands. I can do all shots equally as comfortable with either hand. Slices, topspin, ect...doesn't matter.

Once you get the hang of it, switching hands doesn't take any time at all. Just think about how often your other hand is near the racquet before you swing.

It's just a matter of keeping the motion fluid, and perfecting the toss in time with your steps, and other movements. Sounds weird, but it happens very naturally now. As natural and fast as deciding on a backhand or forehand.

Shots aimed at my body I just use whichever hand Im holding it with already like you guys would. Reaching shots I switch as I step or run. You wont notice me actually switch, you just notice my follow through.

Pros could do it, but they would have to be able to play on each side, then start playing on each side like this from day one like I did. It's a mix of luck and practice.
 
Doesn't sharapova hit a lefty forrhand only when trying to play extreme defence? If she can find the time to switch hands then, she can def find time to switch in a neutral rally
 
This cannot work without a racquet with two handles and to this point nobody has ever come up with a frame that worked well enough. Will it ever happen? Someday maybe, if so the game would change quite a bit as you would also see ambidextrous serving which would be pretty wicked.
 
Honestly, it's never going to happen. It doesn't matter how ambidextrous or smooth you are, with the importance of the placement of each shot, and one's ability to react almost without thinking at the top level of the game means that switching hands is going to be too cumbersome because there just isn't enough time to think about it. It's not the physical speed of the game per se, which isn't that much higher than at say, the 5.5-6.0 level, it's just how important every single shot is. Being a quarter second late with your preparation and hitting the ball ever so slightly behind, at that level, means the point is likely done for you within the next 3-5 shots. At best. Sure, you can get away with it in the recreational ranks, maybe, if you're very, very ambidextrous, but that's it.

The only way ambidextrous ability will ever be feasible at that level is if someone learns to be equally accurate and powerful serving with both hands. Otherwise it won't matter.

Side note: I once played against a guy in Div 1 who played right handed and served left. It threw me for a loop, and he was one in a million, but it was definitely an interesting experience.
 
I eat with a fork in my right hand. But Im right handed. If I try to eat with a fork in left hand it just wont be as easy cos Ive done it my whole life.

People need to realise tennis shots are not exclusive to a player's handedness.

All double handed backhands are actually left handed forehands - if played correctly, the right hand doesnt do much. Yet there are many right handed players with brilliant two handed backhands.
 
Those that are saying there wouldn't be enough time, are kind of wrong. There is enough time.

Not enough time to switch on EVERY shot that would just so happen to come to the other hand.

More than enough time to do it when you CHOOSE to.

My shots are equally as hard with each hand. But it's something I've always done. I don't need to think about switching, I've perfected when to switch, and when not to. When to just play lefty, and when to just play righty.

A pro has more than enough time. Especially Nadal.

When he plays baseline shots with his left, and then has to run over to hit it with a two handed backhand, all he would have to do is not use one hand.

The only problem would be the grip he chooses. Since he is planning on going back to his left hand, he doesn't use his right hand on the lower part of his grip on two handed BH.

If he WANTED to, he could grab it lower on the grip for the right hand, and just use his right hand again for the next shot if there wasn't enough time to choose.

But i'm talking a choice, and not a habit. If you have a habit of needing to switch you would lose. If you can choose when you want to do it, it's an advantage.

Nadal approaching net could hit a big forehand LH FH cross court and it would be a winner, we've seen him do that. Imagine if he had the time to run to the net, switch hands, but it's on the AD side, and uses a powerful RH FH crosscourt.

You guys should try it at least once, even if you can't swing right. Just see if you had enough time to switch on at least ONE shot. I bet you will notice you have lots of time on SOME shots, it's just hard to execute for you.
 
Bobby Jr said:
Um, because he's left handed?

I know, I know... the retards are going to jump in here and say he's right-handed. Well, so far as tennis goes, he's not. This whole Rafa is a righty nonsense is just that when it comes to tennis: nonsense. His right-handed forehand would probably be as good as the average 4.0 player.
Click to expand...

Have you seen him hit a right handed forehand? Seems like there was a video floating around youtube showing him hitting some right handed forehands. While not as good as his left handed forehands, they were much better than any 4.0
 
LeftyRighty said:
Those that are saying there wouldn't be enough time, are kind of wrong. There is enough time.

Not enough time to switch on EVERY shot that would just so happen to come to the other hand.

More than enough time to do it when you CHOOSE to.

My shots are equally as hard with each hand. But it's something I've always done. I don't need to think about switching, I've perfected when to switch, and when not to. When to just play lefty, and when to just play righty.

A pro has more than enough time. Especially Nadal.

When he plays baseline shots with his left, and then has to run over to hit it with a two handed backhand, all he would have to do is not use one hand.

The only problem would be the grip he chooses. Since he is planning on going back to his left hand, he doesn't use his right hand on the lower part of his grip on two handed BH.

If he WANTED to, he could grab it lower on the grip for the right hand, and just use his right hand again for the next shot if there wasn't enough time to choose.

But i'm talking a choice, and not a habit. If you have a habit of needing to switch you would lose. If you can choose when you want to do it, it's an advantage.

Nadal approaching net could hit a big forehand LH FH cross court and it would be a winner, we've seen him do that. Imagine if he had the time to run to the net, switch hands, but it's on the AD side, and uses a powerful RH FH crosscourt.

You guys should try it at least once, even if you can't swing right. Just see if you had enough time to switch on at least ONE shot. I bet you will notice you have lots of time on SOME shots, it's just hard to execute for you.
Click to expand...
I sincerely hope this isn't advice that you give out particularly freely. At that level, no, there is not enough time. And in the few instances that there is, you're still looking at a ball where you're far better off setting up properly and hitting a backhand than you are hitting an off-hand forehand.
 
LeftyRighty said:
I'm no pro, but I play with either hands. I can do all shots equally as comfortable with either hand. Slices, topspin, ect...doesn't matter.

Once you get the hang of it, switching hands doesn't take any time at all. Just think about how often your other hand is near the racquet before you swing.

It's just a matter of keeping the motion fluid, and perfecting the toss in time with your steps, and other movements. Sounds weird, but it happens very naturally now. As natural and fast as deciding on a backhand or forehand.

Shots aimed at my body I just use whichever hand Im holding it with already like you guys would. Reaching shots I switch as I step or run. You wont notice me actually switch, you just notice my follow through.

Pros could do it, but they would have to be able to play on each side, then start playing on each side like this from day one like I did. It's a mix of luck and practice.
Click to expand...

I'm going to try this tonight. My backhand is a travesty so anything would be an improvement
 
beltsman said:
Because Uncle Toni didn't program him that way
Click to expand...

Nice, he used JAVA! Here's some of Toni's Code! I'll try a quick fix, let me see...

class RafaelNadal extends Pusher implements Vamos, ButtPicking, TennisOCD {

@Override
public void backhand (int rpm, boolean isOneHanded) {

//MY FIX STARTS HERE
this.isOneHanded=true;
super.twoForehands();
//MY FIX ENDS HERE

}
}
Click to expand...
 
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In a few year's time, this may become the new trend in tennis. If Nadal could master left-handed forehand as a natural right hander, I guess others can do something similar. Maybe you can teach little kids to play left and right handed forehand. That way, they won't have learn backhand. If they can play forehand both sides, I think that will be an enormous advantage. Maybe that's the next major evolution and a player pioneering that may win 20+ slams, who knows?
 
chjtennis said:
In a few year's time, this may become the new trend in tennis. If Nadal could master left-handed forehand as a natural right hander, I guess others can do something similar. Maybe you can teach little kids to play left and right handed forehand. That way, they won't have learn backhand. If they can play forehand both sides, I think that will be an enormous advantage. Maybe that's the next major evolution and a player pioneering that may win 20+ slams, who knows?
Click to expand...

Rafa isn't the first non natural handed player. Players would have to worry about changing hands with the racket and dealing with getting the grip correct. Fractions of time, don't see it happening.
 
bullfan said:
Rafa isn't the first non natural handed player. Players would have to worry about changing hands with the racket and dealing with getting the grip correct. Fractions of time, don't see it happening.
Click to expand...

I think what you are saying is true, but I also think there are many young ones out there who can make that change smoothly. You have to change your grip for backhand and forehand anyway, so I don't think that is such a huge problem that can't be overcome.
 
larlarbd said:
Or Better why doesn't he play holding two-racquets ( one in each hand ) , he already has the crab-like movement , oh why oh why not ? :twisted:
Click to expand...
You know that answer to that, naughty chap. He needs a free hand for ..... fist-pumping and vamosing etc.
 
The future may be learning both left and right handed forehands and learning left and right handed backhands. Nadal has proven that it's possible to learn an effective non-dominant hand serve. I also see the advantage of learning both a one and two handed backhand. I don't know why players are told to choose one or the other. Learn all these strokes and then you have a truly complete player.
 
Beacon Hill said:
The future may be learning both left and right handed forehands and learning left and right handed backhands. Nadal has proven that it's possible to learn an effective non-dominant hand serve. I also see the advantage of learning both a one and two handed backhand. I don't know why players are told to choose one or the other. Learn all these strokes and then you have a truly complete player.
Click to expand...

If a player has forehands from both hands, I don't see any point learning backhand at all. I think forehand has all the advantages over the backhand - you can hit hard, you can reach and cover more distance, and maybe you don't need to slice at all. The only thing would be volley, but the way current tennis environment is going, maybe the players won't have to volley all that much any way. Also, you can just learn how to volley backhand. Serving would be even bigger advantage because if you can serve with both hands, you can always try and serve out wide from both sides and that will drive your opponents nuts.
 
Bobby Jr said:
Um, because he's left handed?

I know, I know... the ******s are going to jump in here and say he's right-handed. Well, so far as tennis goes, he's not. This whole Rafa is a righty nonsense is just that when it comes to tennis: nonsense. His right-handed forehand would probably be as good as the average 4.0 player.
Click to expand...

Agree with you on this one, and furthermore I don't even think Rafa is a natural righty.

Rafa plays snooker/pool left handed. He fist pumps with his left hand. A natural right hander would be doing these things with his right hand.
 
Mustard said:
There was a match at the 2001 US Open between Monica Seles and Evgenia Kulikovskaya. Kulikovskaya hit one-handed forehands on both her left and right hand sides. Seles constantly exploited Kulikovskaya's need to switch grips to hit the forehand on a different side. In the men's game, it would be even more merciless.
Click to expand...

There is some footage of Kulikovskaya here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEuTjl1Wiao

She looks like a natural left-hander with an awkward looking right-handed forehand. When she hits slice on the right-handed forehand side she does a weird left-handed 2-handed backward slice - a very ugly shot.
 
cjs said:
Agree with you on this one, and furthermore I don't even think Rafa is a natural righty...
Click to expand...
He seems to do many things left-handed except writing. You can tell by the fact he wears his watch on his right wrist.

He even kicks mainly left-footed and carries bags on his right shoulder - both clear lefty traits.
 
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Bobby Jr said:
He seems to do many things right-handed except writing. You can tell by the fact he wears his watch on his right wrist.

He even kicks mainly left-footed.
Click to expand...

typo? as far as I'm aware he writes right-handed. And I'm lefty, and wear watch on right hand.
 
Rafa was taught at a young age how to play left handed. That must have developed his right side brain which in turn would've made his left-handed activities more natural.
 
Nonsense. Nadal learnt to play both hands both sides because he was too small to hit over net. When time came he found left slightly easier than right so went with it.

This arguement could be said for fed who would handle high backhand shot better if used his left.

Ultimately practically every pro has stronger FH than BH yet never been a top player using 2 FH's .... that tells ya all ya need to know.
 
degrease said:
Nonsense. Nadal learnt to play both hands both sides because he was too small to hit over net. When time came he found left slightly easier than right so went with it.

This arguement could be said for fed who would handle high backhand shot better if used his left.

Ultimately practically every pro has stronger FH than BH yet never been a top player using 2 FH's .... that tells ya all ya need to know.
Click to expand...

that's short sighted isn't it? If everyone had your attitude, there would be no innovation in any sector.

We could look back to the 1960's and say that practically no successful players used a 2hbh, so that tells you everything you need to know about the future of that shot... except it didn't.

Personally, I hope that two one-handed forehands does not become the norm in future (cuz I love me my backhands), but I wouldn't count it out solely based on looking what pro's are using now.
 
cjs said:
Agree with you on this one, and furthermore I don't even think Rafa is a natural righty.

Rafa plays snooker/pool left handed. He fist pumps with his left hand. A natural right hander would be doing these things with his right hand.
Click to expand...

i can't imagine anything more telling of one's handedness, than the writing hand.
 
tennis_hack said:
that's short sighted isn't it? If everyone had your attitude, there would be no innovation in any sector.

We could look back to the 1960's and say that practically no successful players used a 2hbh, so that tells you everything you need to know about the future of that shot... except it didn't.

Personally, I hope that two one-handed forehands does not become the norm in future (cuz I love me my backhands), but I wouldn't count it out solely based on looking what pro's are using now.
Click to expand...

i think its about the marginal cost vs marginal return. the investment to develop an off-handed forehand is way higher than to just improve a double handed backhand. the returns might be high, but i doubt the ROI will be sufficient.

a tennis pro wannabe needs to reach a high level very fast and early so he/she can compete on the junior tours. it doesn't sound like a sound developmental strategy to invest so much on an off-handed forehand when it is faster and easier to just push on the double handed backhand.
 
sunof tennis said:
Have you seen him hit a right handed forehand? Seems like there was a video floating around youtube showing him hitting some right handed forehands. While not as good as his left handed forehands, they were much better than any 4.0
Click to expand...

Most certainly they are!
The serve: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o_v7rqmZiU
The forehand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kupMonfoI44

As for time, yes, there would be time on some shots. But don't forget that the pro game is played a LOT faster than the weekend hackers game.
 
President said:
If anyone could pull this off, it would be Rafael "The Impossible" Nadal!
Click to expand...

if anyone could pull it off, someone would have pulled it off.

whatever advantage you might gain is more than offset by the disadvantage of having to constant make conscious decisions during reflex situations. it's a dumb idea.
 
objectivity said:
i can't imagine anything more telling of one's handedness, than the writing hand.
Click to expand...

Incorrect.

Many left handed people were, and still are, forced to write with the right hand at school.

My father is one of them (left handed, but forced to write right handed). At my school they started trying to force me to write right handed also but my parents intervened and stopped it so I write with my left hand.
 
cjs said:
Incorrect.

Many left handed people were, and still are, forced to write with the right hand at school.

My father is one of them (left handed, but forced to write right handed). At my school they started trying to force me to write right handed also but my parents intervened and stopped it so I write with my left hand.
Click to expand...

alright, the "natural" writing hand then. i.e. free of artificial forces like crazy parents. as far as we have read / seen / heard, nadal's natural writing hand is and has always been the right hand.
 
tennis_hack said:
that's short sighted isn't it? If everyone had your attitude, there would be no innovation in any sector.

We could look back to the 1960's and say that practically no successful players used a 2hbh, so that tells you everything you need to know about the future of that shot... except it didn't.

Personally, I hope that two one-handed forehands does not become the norm in future (cuz I love me my backhands), but I wouldn't count it out solely based on looking what pro's are using now.
Click to expand...


It's not short sighted at all. It isn't as if noone had ever thought of it. I imagine we have all considered, even if momentarily, about use forehand on both sides yet it hasnt even been successful at a high level.
 
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