Why not a two-hander for an all court game?

[Ben42]

I’ve pretty much always hit a one-hand backhand, and have always had an all court game, leaning toward S&V. I hit probably 90% slice backhands because my top-spin has just never been solid, especially under pressure.

Over the summer I really put in a effort to come over the ball more and my topspin one-hander got much better, but I had real problems in my game because now I had to use three grips (continental, sw forehand, and now an Eastern bh) instead of two (conti, sw). I used to hit everything except forehand top with a continental grip: slice bh, volleys, serves, approaches and overheads. I can switch between conti and my sw forehand grip without any problems and without thinking at all. I can’t seem to get that with a more eastern bh grip.

I kept getting stuck with the wrong grip. I couldn’t adjust to a bad bounce on the baseline, or to a good volley from a bh pass I’d just struck.

My solution: two-hands, conti/sw backhand!

Now I can hit a firmer approach and not be rushed into making a grip change because there is no grip change. If I get a bad bounce at the baseline I can just drop the second hand and hit a slice. I don’t know why I waited so long.

Actually I do know why I waited so long. I waited because I was always told you can’t S&V effectively with a two-hander. All the best all-courters use a one-hander. Pete used to have a great two-hander and changed so he could S&V. Etc, etc, etc…

Guess I’m just wondering if most people still believe you can’t S&V well with a two-hander, or if there are others like me for whom it works?

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I think it is a great idea.

 

[Defcon]

What is your rating? I use a a1h-bh and frequently find myself switching between 3 or 4 grips - sw / eastern for fh, continental for volley/server/overhead/eastern for bh.

I am a 4.5 and I used to have the same problems you describe. However I found out that at least in my case, if you practive enough it soon becomes second nature and my hands switch the grip without me even being aware of it.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

If you are single handed on the backhand side, the following grip combinations are used (the one you mentioned).

Serve: Continental

Forehand: Any admissible forehand grip

Backhand: Eastern BH.

You did not have much success with the 1-handed topspin BH because you used continental grip which is good for slices, volleys, smashes, etc, but not good for single handed topspin drives.

For the 2-handed BH, the grip combination is:

Right hand: Continental or Eastern BH grip

Left hand: Any admissible forehand grip!

The benefit of this combination is that you pretty much use two grips:

Continental for the serve;

Any admissible grip for the Forehand;

Continental and forehand for the 2HBH.

Since you already have an effective slice BH because of your previous continental grip for the BH, the double handed BH is good for you since your single handed slice approach shots will blend very well in your overall game plan to make you an "all-court" player. Congratulations!

For this very reason, I have been suggesting that the double-handed BH players should also develop single-handed slice backhand shot so that they become "all-court players", so that single handed BH slices are used in the following situations:

-- on wide/stretch balls which are difficult to return with double handed BH, this also includes return of serve in certain situations;

-- As a chip and charge tactic as opposed to rip and charge tactic used with double-handed backhand! Yes, in some cases you can use the "rip and charge" tactic!

-- As a change of pace tactic;

-- As an emergency shot;

-- As an approach shot followed by single-handed volley.

-- Any shot which cannot be returned with double hander because of reach and/or recovery considerations (single handed BH gives you more wing span, thus more reach).

Drill 1:

Have a friend feeds you balls from a basket:

-- Hit double handed BH six balls

-- Hit single handed slice BHs six balls

Hit about 200 balls this way:

Drill 2:

-- Hit one ball with double handed topspin backhand; followed by 1 ball with single handed slice backhand ..quick transition from topspin to underspin .. drill continues.

Drill 3:

Have a partner feed you following balls:

-- 1 to your FH; you hit topspin forehand cross court

-- 1 to your backhand; you hit BH topspin cross court or down the line.

-- 1 short/easy/low ball to your BH: You execute slice BH down the line;

-- 1 volley to your BH: You volley cross court .. drill continues.

Drill 4:

With a partner, establish a backhand to backhand topspin cross-court rally. On an easier short ball, execute a slice backhand approach down the line and close in for a volley in the open court.

Start a rally on a single court .. topspin forehand and backhand rally. Whenever you find a short ball to your BH, use slice BH down the line and close in for a volley in the open court.

Drill 5:

Mirror drill number 4, but this time start the rally with serve and return of serve!

The idea is through systematic and logical drill plan, you want to integrate slice with your topspin shots. And no body does it better than the Federer Express!

Follow the above drill plan and you will be famous by next Friday!

 

[jediknightdan]

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