The
tennisforall Digital Tennis Book
by evvy
Part 1, The Forehand, available now on
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Tennis Coaching Article:
One Handed Backhand Stroke technique
I've put together an animation of Arazi
to show the fluency and ease of his one-handed backhand. It's
a relatively high quality GIF file, so it'll take time to load for those
who aren't on cable.
Loop d' loop
Watch Arazi's racket and note the seamless join of the backhand takeback to
the throughswing,
which smooths out the jerky stop-start that you often see at lower levels
of play.
Why loop?
It's about fluency. The same kind of fluency that sets good writing and great
poetry head and shoulders above mundane, plodding sentences and cliches.
Admittedly, some
players do have more of a compact, muscular style and it often
suits them.
But if you consider the
best
service actions, you'll
probably find they start off slow and connect at lightening speed...but
in-between these two extremes, there's a gradual build up to that ball-thumping
crescendo. And if continuity and fluency make the best serves, why not tennis
groundstrokes? Sure, it's more difficult to time than stuff you'll find in
the Book
of Tennis Clones. But then things worth having rarely com easy.
Now study de man.
Arazi doesn't go in for the simple stop-start
of
a separate
backswing
and
through-swing
and
there's
very
little
muscle
involved. Rather, Arazi's one handed backhand stroke is a fluid testament
to tennis poetry in motion.
Early turn, head high
One of the secrets in timing a smooth loop on the backhand is not to leave
yourself too much too late.
By immediately getting sideways-on to the net, Arazi gets the big job done
early. Now watch how he loops the racket head high as
he shifts over towards the travel line of the ball. It's worth pointing out
that it's the racket head that travels high into the loop, not his hand (or
even his real head!).
Loop n' droop
Watch Arazi droop (actually he drops it, but droop rhymes...) the racket
head; not so much below the oncoming ball, but below the height of his hand
and the forthcoming contact.
Different Strokes
ICompare the backhand (and even the forehand) of
James Blake at the US Open. Blake joins the takeback to
the throughswing,
but he plays with a shallow
loop,
which consumes less height (and time) on the take back, is therefore more
compact
and great
for
returning
serve, especially on faster surfaces.
Magnetic Contact
This is a term I've used often. Basically, if the ball is out front of the
hitting shoulder, it creates a sort of (poetic?) magnetism, which in the
animation draws forth Arazi's efforts. If the ball is not out
front, then there's little or no power, no topspin...and no magnetism pulling
your
efforts in the right direction.
Now then..should I compare thee to a summer's day...
