Interactive Forum December 2024: Maria Sharapova Forehand Age 11

[johnyandell]

Maria Sharapova Forehand Age 11

When Robert Lansdorp asked me if I wanted to film a young Russian girl he said was “pretty good.” I said yes and it turned out to be Maria Sharapova. It’s a very intense 3 and a half minute clip to say the least.

Tell us what you think and read more on the relationship between Robert and Tennisplayer in my article (Click Here).

[jimlosaltos]

I love the section where she's clearly been told to "extend".
Willing pupil.

[neilchok]

I can't believe how hard she is hitting the ball for 11!!!!! She hits harder than I do now. I thought it was a ball machine, how hard the feeds were too. It also seems when she is catching the racket, she seems way more in control, then when she is just free swinging.

[stotty]

Nice clip...a piece of history. It's a very old school lesson with the student standing in a corner hitting ball after ball. Interesting (shame there is no audio) to see her hit a series of reverse forehands for a while at one point.

There is a lot of volume at the expense of quality in the 3.5 minute clip. I am not necessarily knocking it but would love to know if this was a burst for the camera or whether this kind of hitting featured heavily in Robert's lessons.

Plenty of girls in my neck of the woods are hitting the ball equally well at that age, if not technically better. Most won't make it, of course. It just shows, don't pick your horses to early. It's not just about talent. So many other qualities have to come into play for a player to make it. If you want to be a good player, play the long game is what I say.

[neilchok]

In the article John mentioned, he said Robert told him he couldn't have audio. And in the article by John he said he counted 73 balls fed in this short amount of time!

In Famous Coaches, Robert explains the three forehand finishes. He taught all his students the "reverse" forehand. Pete apparently used it on every running passing shot, and Maria used it, because she had a problem hitting the ball late. Robert noticed that, so he started to teach her a lot of reverse forehands, and he said that helped her in Wimbledon.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/famouscoach/robert_lansdorp/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes.html

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[jimlosaltos]

In the article John mentioned, he said Robert told him he couldn't have audio. And in the article by John he said he counted 73 balls fed in this short amount of time!

In Famous Coaches, Robert explains the three forehand finishes. He taught all his students the "reverse" forehand. Pete apparently used it on every running passing shot, and Maria used it, because she had a problem hitting the ball late. Robert noticed that, so he started to teach her a lot of reverse forehands, and he said that helped her in Wimbledon.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/famouscoach/robert_lansdorp/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes.html

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Thanks for linking to that. Very interesting.

[johnyandell]

As I recall there were a few breaks but mostly non stop at that rate for an hour...

[stotty]

As I recall there were a few breaks but mostly non stop at that rate for an hour...

And what are your thoughts on that kind of coaching/training? Do you think it still has a place in today's coaching?

[jimlosaltos]

In the article John mentioned, he said Robert told him he couldn't have audio. And in the article by John he said he counted 73 balls fed in this short amount of time!

In Famous Coaches, Robert explains the three forehand finishes. He taught all his students the "reverse" forehand. Pete apparently used it on every running passing shot, and Maria used it, because she had a problem hitting the ball late. Robert noticed that, so he started to teach her a lot of reverse forehands, and he said that helped her in Wimbledon.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/famouscoach/robert_lansdorp/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes/lansdorp_three_forhand_finishes.html

image.png

I have to admit this is my favorite part:

Lansdorp: "Recently I've been criticized by television commentators for teaching the reverse forehand to Maria Sharapova. But if Maria would not have had a reverse forehand, she would not have won her first Wimbledon. I can guarantee you that.

These commentators Patrick McEnroe, Cliff Drysdale, John McEnroe, they're great people. Don't get me wrong. I don't think that John McEnroe is an ass, just because he acts like one sometimes. And Patrick McEnroe is probably one of the nicest guys there is. And it's not all their fault because I don't think it is really their job to understand the technique of every shot. But they shouldn't criticize if they don't understand it.

When they criticize me for teaching a reverse forehand, they don't observe how the game has changed. Jennifer Capriati, for example, had probably the greatest reverse forehand all the time. She hit it so unbelievably well that to them it looked like a regular forehand.

[stotty]

One very positive aspect of the clip is that Robert teaches the reverse forehand in isolation and then gets the student to transition to a more conventional stroke. Often when kids watch Rafa they start doing the reverse forehand all the time and it quickly becomes a habit. For most players the reverse forehand has a place in the game and that place is situational. It's good to learn it for the situations you are going to need it. I imagine that is what Robert was doing in his lesson with Maria.

[johnyandell]

Stotty,
Good question...I guess we'd need to know a lot more about top players were trained. Kind of the way Rafa practiced. Fed no way I can see it. I've never done it like that but technical analysis is my thing so it's more about what the swings look like, not how many balls.
Have you? Just curious.

[neilchok]

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Asking chatpgt I got .704 seconds for an 80mph forehand from one corner to the other corner. To me that means you have a total 1.4 seconds from when you hit it, to be ready for the ball again. So I would imagine if you are training someone you would want to practice around that speed frequency for long rallies.

[stotty]

Stotty,
Good question...I guess we'd need to know a lot more about top players were trained. Kind of the way Rafa practiced. Fed no way I can see it. I've never done it like that but technical analysis is my thing so it's more about what the swings look like, not how many balls.
Have you? Just curious.

John,

When I was younger volume hitting held a significant place in my coaching....hit lots of balls and somehow things might get better. Lots of coaches taught that way back then.

Some journalists over here went to Bollettieri's and found high volume hitting everywhere; coaches with big trolleys endlessly running players from side to side. Mostly, they found the coaching unobservant and ineffective. Nevertheless, some truly great players emerged from that academy.

I guess what we can deduce from this is that it's less about the coach and more about the player and what he/she brings to the table in terms of sheer ability. The value of coaching is extremely hard to quantify and probably varies depending on the knowledge of the coach and the receptiveness of the players. Coaching might perhaps only account for 10 or 20% of a player's development. On the upside that 10 or 20% could be extremely important if we do our job right.

John, don't let this go to your head but you've been playing a big role in improving coaches' knowledge and it's starting to show here and there round the world. Yep, I do believe you've gone global.

[johnyandell]

Stotty I wanted to leave this post up without responding for awhile because I thought your points were well taken and I wanted more people to see them.

I agree completely that volume alone can't create champions. I agree it's the player. Robert used to say his "system" made players great. Now that he is gone I can disagree without him calling me up and yelling...

In my opinion Maria would have made it no matter what.

I haven't heard from anyone but you about the broader impact of Tennisplayer on coaching in England or other countries--although I do hear fairly regularly mainly from American coaches. If what you say is true that's great. But to be honest whatever the impact the point of the work was developing knowledge and understanding--primarily from my curiousity and desire to pose and answer questions no one was addressing -- or was addressing incorrectly in my view.

Reall appreciate your posts.

JY

[klacr]

Maria had the hunger and intensity from an early age. We should never judge the unfinished product but with her, it's almost as if she willed her way to be a champion as there was never an option B. She wasn't the fastest, strongest or more tactically proficient. She just fought and fought hard. You don't win two French Opens if you aren't tough.. She did and she still is (in business) Impressive video.

Kyle LaCroix
SETS
Boca Raton, FL