The good news is that there are a few things we can learn from the best players who have great one-handed backhands. Tomaz Mencinger is a professional tennis coach currently living in Slovenia and offering private lessons to passionate players of all levels. Our team conducted extensive research to help you perfect the art of the two-handed backhand technique in just six easy steps. As in the forehand, you should be able to almost kiss your bicep at the end of the shot. A final glaring benefit is the diminished injury potential to shoulders and wrists. If you are a one-hander, your ability to deal with the high ball will be influenced to some degree by the grip variation you use on your topspin drive. Learning the art of volleying can improve overall tennis skills and make it easier to hit high balls. The best word I can use to describe a two-handed backhand is stability. A high backhand is a challenging shot to master but can benefit your overall game once perfected. One good example of executing the counter-hit on a high backhand is Novak Djokovics two-handed backhand, which has been termed effective by many experts. Either way make sure your hands are together. As you advancefrom intermediate to advanced levels you will notice a key to your transformationis ball depth, placement and height over the net. Think more of a path of the racquet where you start the swing from below the below to above the ball and let your hand and forearm find the right combination of firmness and relaxation through repetition. It also wont have enough spin, so it wont bounce rapidly off the ground and it will be easy to time. I like sports and I am very interesting to write about sports. At waist height, the racquet continues in a forward and upward path after the contact. The backhand is, ultimately, a crucial tool to have in your arsenal. First, the grip: The most commonly used grips are the Continental for your dominant hand and an Eastern forehand grip for your non . What can you do to start playing this difficult shot more comfortably and confidently? Thanks Tomaz, I wanted to add a few when you have the time in addition to the one where I asked for an ideal tennis backhand contact point, after doing the ideal tennis forehand contact point. For the majority of players, these disadvantages arent a huge loss. And then with underspin (often referred to as a slice), it's more the opposite - 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock. A lot of traditional tennis coaches will have to push []Read More, Youll be able to get full extension on your swing, have the, An Advanced Forehand Tip (BE LIKE NADAL) | TENNIS FOREHAND, How To Get Proper Leg Drive On Your Tennis Serve, How To Get More Power On Your Tennis Forehand, How To Adapt From A Slow Court To A Fast Court, Tennis Forehand I 5 Steps To Hit A Perfect Forehand, The Ultimate Tip to Improve Your Tennis Drop Shot Technique, How To Master Your Tennis Backhand Slice Technique. The other usual mistake is hitting the ball back up. Tennis Forehand I 5 Steps To Hit A Perfect Forehand How would you like to learn a five-step formula to hit a perfect forehand like a professional tennis player? . To learn more about improving your tennis skills, check out our post on tennis tips. This will cause you to make more off-center hits and lose control. Place your right hand below your left hand. Ready to take it to the next level with your tennis? So yes, you will hit a high ball with some side spin. After a few repetitions, you will know how it should feel when hitting a high ball to your backhand or forehand side. It seems thats what youre doing when you come across it horizontally. Forehand, Groundstrokes, One-Handed Backhand. What are the technical differences between these great two-handers? Finish this entire process before worrying about transitioning into the next shot. Use a one-handed backhand grip, such as the Eastern or Semi-Western grip. This technique will let you control the trajectory of the ball better. Another advantage is the fact that it doesnt require a huge backswing to produce pace on the ball. We will share tips and techniques to help you master the high backhand, common mistakes to avoid, and how to hit high balls in tennis. How do you hit a two handed backhand on high balls? In tennis, the backhand shot is made with the back of the hand moving toward the stroke. Mastering the high backhand in tennis can be challenging for many players. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. This racquet path will create an upward force to the ball when you make contact, and youll only be able to hit the ball back up. Thank you a lot. DESTROY High Balls With Your Two Handed Backhand! - YouTube When youre pulling across the ball, two things are different than usual: Not having a horizontal racquet at contact and applying side spin to the ball are sometimes things that bother a lot of club players, so you may need to hit some nice, slow balls in order to get the hang of it. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something, Ill receive a small commission. Get 10% OFF on Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange (my recommendation for the rec level and personal tennis string of choice).Use code NICK10 https://www.kirschbaumusa.com/product/orange123-reel/?ref=1729My Gear:Racquet: https://amzn.to/3NbuMl6Overgrip: https://amzn.to/39TYbTbShoes: https://amzn.to/3NfFQNZMicrophone: https://amzn.to/3QLJwKACamera: https://amzn.to/3NfALpaTripod: https://amzn.to/3QLZZhCDrone: https://amzn.to/3nal2gn SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS https://www.youtube.com/c/IntuitiveTennis?sub_confirmation=1 Share this video https://youtu.be/LrquoUhcqTg Second YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/IntuitiveTennis247 Premium Content https://www.intuitivetennis.com Video Analysis http://bit.ly/2Kz8AEK Instagram https://www.instagram.com/intuitivetennis TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@intuitivetennis Twitter https://twitter.com/intuitivetennis Facebook https://www.facebook.com/intuitivetennis#intuitivetennis #onehandedbackhand From personal experience, I find that the two-handed approach allows for a more stable racket, as well as the ability to generate added power from your body. Sign Up, How to Train The Kinetic Chain For Tennis - Marco Panichi, Tactical Development & Strategy : Louis Cayer, Being a Professional Doubles Player - Jeff Coetzee, Patrick Mouratoglou - What Really Makes A Champion, Billie Jean King - Secrets of Success from a 39-Time Grand Slam Champion, Adapt, Understand, Compete - Andres Gomez, Play & Think Like a Multiple Grand Slam Winner Boris Becker, How to Successfully Hit a Two-Handed Backhand. Thus, keep your body close to a 45-degree angle to the net while you hit the ball. After contact, you will land on your front foot, while your back leg kicks back behind you for balance. Contact Tips For Better Two-Handed Backhands Conclusion Two-Handed Backhand Let's try to understand what exactly a two-handed backhand is. Another big problem I see is that players think they have the racquet fully back but its actually only pulled half way back promoting half a swing! Effective ways to handle high-bouncing balls include topspin/slice lob and counter-hit slices. This means youll be able to swing across your body, giving you more extension, power, and control. In general, players will hit more downward when the ball is faster, higher and has more energy. Usually it is more radically high to low. Experiment to find how much to swing downward and when on the various high balls you face at your level. Players tend to practice their forehand more to the point that they may prefer to hit an inside out forehand only to avoid hitting a backhand, but the truth is one must hit a backhand at one point - sooner than later. You can also use a Double Eastern grip. In most cases this will mean that followthrough will come back up significantly, often as high as shoulder level. And I would also ask on how to improve preparation for coming into the net as someone is hitting an underspin shot to volley off of a underspin shot. An image that will help here to is to swing through the bottom diagonal third of the ball. The 2 Hander backhand has been around since the golden days and while the 1 hander has had a resurgence the 2 hander still holds a ton of charm! Your email address will not be published. It can turn the frustration tables and lead to surprising and unexpected unforced errors from your opponent-- free points for you. What is Your Athlete Doing with His/Her Place in the Spotlight? Hitting high-bouncing balls to the opponents backhand can be a smart tactic, forcing them out of their comfort zone. This transition point is probably lower for the one-handers, even those with more extreme grips. Though I think the one handed backhand when hit well is the prettiest stroke in tennis so I wish I had one for style points lol 36 When preparing to hit a high backhand, its crucial to keep the racket high enough instead of hitting up on the ball. Players tend to practice their forehand more to the point that they may prefer to hit an inside out forehand only to avoid hitting a backhand, but the truth is one must hit a backhand at one point sooner than later. But there is also a need for early detection which precedes preparation. Grip affects the range of comfortable contact heights on the one-hander. Federer of course is an amazing example, playing right on top of the baseline much of the time and hitting the ball just as it comes up off the court. The arm remains straight. Yes, Jon, its OK. I am professional Blogger. Because the racket face closes naturally during the backswing, there is danger that the racquet head will trail too far behind and below the hand as it approaches contact. These apply when the player is not able to get in position to take the ball on the rise and it gets above the normal strike zone. It seems to me that this has to be hit pretty smoothly with the intent to simply neutralize. Variety is always good so not letting your opponent get into a groove by using both strategies is a good idea. This is where I recommend a horizontal shot that is still deep but relatively safe and takes time away from opponent to set up well for the shot. To hit a high two-handed backhand, the best approach is to move in and hit the ball on the rise. Interesting post. To hit a high backhand in tennis, make contact with the ball off to your left side and hold the racquet face over the ball. Take CoachUps certified tips with you the next time you hit the court and youll be thanking us later! I find it often that if the player is not positioning to the ball well, then he is not watching the ball carefully. Now have a partner toss or hit you balls that would bounce any where from mid chest to shoulder height. The other causes for poor positioning are mental. To avoid this I like too use the mental image of the racquet head being above your hand at contact. At most they will have a slight shift toward the forehand. Track the ball like a hawk and you'll develop timing on high balls. In time, youll find it easier to hit the ball with the right amount of force to make it land deep and successfully neutralize your opponents high balls to your backhand or forehand side. This summer he is launching his own junior summer camps at San Domenico School in Marin, where he conducts his private teaching practice. The only benefit for a two handed seems to be is to make up for a lack of strength/control over the paddle when hitting backhanded. Follow through outin front approximatelyby your front foot (assuming youre hitting in closed stance). Use an Eastern or Semi-Western grip to generate topspin on the ball. For this reason, players who use this option are more like to use a specific hitting arm configuration, what John Yandell has identified as the "bent/bent" combination. While most players find it easier to deal with high balls, you can hit a high backhand stroke by preparing higher a higher swing path when approaching the ball. But if the ball is too high a closed or even a neutral stance can block your ability to swing freely through the stroke. In some ways, the two handed backhand almost locks the arms in a position that may be very robust, but lacks the same flexibility in the wrists as the one handed backhand. You want to position yourself in a set-up where youll be looking over your dominant shoulder to get a glimpse of the incoming ball. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, this guide will help you improve your backhand to the next level. The variety with which he uses it is something that sets it apart from the rest. How to Hit the Two Handed Backhand | Tennis Technique One of the smartest tactics you can use against virtually any player is to hit high bouncing balls to their backhands. Start with a stable and balanced stance, with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Copyright Tennisplayer 2005. Two Handed Backhand in Tennis | Detailed Guide However, if youre still struggling with the backhand, then consider booking one of CoachUps private trainers to help you out with this difficult task. If you ensure that your head is stable at the contact point, your body will stay more sideways. Compared to hitting a high forehand, hitting a high backhand requires complex strategies. Follow through with your swing, extending your arm and racquet toward the intended target. Today, I want to talk about your off hand and arm and how to use it most effectively. Get 10% OFF on Kirschbaum Super Smash Orange (my recommendation for the rec level and personal tennis string of choice).Use code NICK10 https://www.kirschbaumusa.com/product/orange123-reel/?ref=1729In this video, you will learn how to hit the two-handed backhand. This is possibly why were seeing more and more professional and recreational players abandon the one-handed approach for a more stable two-handed approach. Eastern forehand grip on top hand (left hand for right-handers) and continental grip on the bottom hand or 2. Here are a few: Novak Djokovic Obviously, its easy to put Novak on any list as he is simply one of the best of all-time, but that doesnt mean we cant praise his tremendous backhand. There is a lot of diversity in the speed and angle of the swing, even in the pro game. Often I make errors even if I can run to where the ball is, but my feet and my lower body is not properly set to execute the short no matter how well my racket swings. Hitting on the rise is also to some degree a matter of personality and playing style. Practice drills to improve your comfort dealing with low groundstrokes, which can improve your high backhand stroke. Another ball you'll want to practice from here is the one that lands literally right at your feet. Very useful. Scott is the former the Nike Tahoe Junior and Adult Tennis Camps at the Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City, California. I have also been told by some pros to hit balls back high to the person. All Rights Reserved. This is great if you want to change the pace to throw your opponent off and possibly cause them to over hit. One handers will frequently be more on top of the frame and if so this means the shift is slightly more extreme. Keep in mind that dealing with high balls on the backhand side is more challenging than on the forehand. If you find that on contact your elbows are jammed up into your body just below the chest, youre too close and can fix this by looking for a contact position further out in front. Any comment? PlayYourCourt will send them directly to the court of your choice! The simplest alternative is just to back up and let the ball drop to a height more within your normal comfort zone. My question would be: can this shot be tried from the baseline and midcourt also? CoachUp August 1, 2016 12:00 am No Comments While some professional athletes are successful in playing with a one-handed backhand, the two-handed backhand is most useful for beginners, high school, and collegiate tennis players. One of the primary advantages is the stability it provides. Do you have a one handed or two handed backhand? What are the - Reddit The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Thank you again. It's another way of keeping the contact in your comfort zone, but without having to time the ball on the rise, obviously something that is very difficult on many balls in pro tennis. In the last article we looked at various strategies for dealing with the high forehand, now let's do the same on the other wing. It's cable reimagined No. Don't become wedded to one idea about how the slice swing plane works. Step out with your left foot and shuffle across the court, making sure you get to the ball early. The tricky part for me is that it is easy to lose control of the ball. Two Handed Backhand Guide: 6-Steps (videos) | TennisGate Please could you describe more fully the forehand to a high short ball as hitting horizontally on a short ball needs topspin. The forehand side gives you more freedom, and you can still hit more forward. Youll get here everything about it so, dont be sad. This more severe swing plane is required to deal with the extra energy from the spin. OK, I get the message but I have one issue with it. Now the left side and left arm can drive the racket up and through the ball. I know from experience that many players are afraid to hit such a shot because they feel its going to sail long. That is why you hear the issue of early preparation emphasized so often. But if you just slightly mishit while hitting with a lot of top spin you hit very short and opponent can start dictating.