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**EricMatuszewski** · 12-18-2008, 11:13 PM

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Dylan Bednarczyk: Forehand

Dylan Bednarczyk: Backhand

Dylan Bednarczyk: Serve

**uspta2448519013** · 12-19-2008, 08:47 PM

Nice strokes, his forehand could be a little more linear in terms of the backswing but he's got a good future ahead of him if he sticks with it. His preperation on the forehand and backhand side are very good. I won't comment much on the serve but the his basic motion is headed in the right direction. Well done, and ahead of most of his peers technically.

Jason Frausto

**jeffreycounts** · 12-20-2008, 01:20 AM

I agree with Jason on the forehand takeback. I think there should be more height there as well, which would naturally make it easier to add linearity to the takeback.

Having said that, I was stunned to see this kind of technique in a ten year old kid. It's one thing to have one technically sound stroke at this age, but this kid has pro techncique in every stroke. Look at the racket drop and internal rotation of the arm on his serve. Or the tremendous upper body coil and extension with the arms on his backhand. His forehand is a perfect example of what I wrote about in my "windshield wiper article" - watch how he uses his shoulder to drive through the shot while also rotating all the way over.

Also notice how still he keeps his head focused on contact, long after the ball has left.

This is a tremendous combination of talent and superior coaching. I look forward to seeing how far he can go.

Jeff

**tommyt** · 12-20-2008, 07:37 AM

There is a video of Dylan on youtube and there is more height on his forehand takeback. I believe the youtube video is an earlier video. I'm guessing the lower takeback is done by design...

**uspta2448519013** · 12-20-2008, 03:20 PM

To take Jeff's point a little further I'd be curious to know how much of his technique is "natural" versus how much of it was taught by a coach. Or even the 3rd option of him really just watching pro players and absorbing it that way, granted it's probably a combination of all three of those things. His technique is definitely solid, it seems heavily modeled after the swings of current tour players, and I'd be curious who his coach or coaches are on the technical side? I'm also just finding in general young kids at this age have the ability to learn high level technique if it's taught properly to them. It can typically just be very difficult to get a 9 or 10 year old to focus enough to absorb the information and apply the technique correctly.

**gsheiner** · 12-20-2008, 06:48 PM

Don't you guys think he's a little too open at contact on his backhand?

There are 3 backhands in the film and on the second and third his shoulders are facing the net at contact. I just briefly looked again at Djokovic, Nadal, and Nalbandian and all are still slightly closed at contact.

Glenn

**gsheiner** · 12-20-2008, 06:51 PM

Also, don't you think that his hip action is lacking on the serve? No bowing of the hip forward --of course, this may be a reaction to his toss not being far enough in front.

**uspta2448519013** · 12-20-2008, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by gsheiner View Post

Don't you guys think he's a little too open at contact on his backhand?

There are 3 backhands in the film and on the second and third his shoulders are facing the net at contact. I just briefly looked again at Djokovic, Nadal, and Nalbandian and all are still slightly closed at contact.

Glenn

He is a little bit more open on the backhand at contact, he really rotates on that two hander and turns into it. Check some Agassi clips, Andre seems to rotate a little more than the other players mentioned, it could be a function of grip and his contact point but I'd have to take a closer look at it. The best thing would be watching it during the course of points to see how good the placement and power are when not receiving a fed ball. That would give a better indication of it being a possible technical liability or not. Some side views would be nice to get a better feel for how far out in front he's making contact.

And for the serve, at his age he has great starting mechanics it's more a matter of age and strength for the bowing and proper technique. He probably doesn't toss in front at this point because he doesn't have the strength to get that push with the legs on the serve. Even though he bends well and has good technique he won't be able to drive with those legs well for a few more years.

**gard** · 12-21-2008, 07:51 AM

The strokes i'm guessing just win him matches by when he just gets the ball in hitting off his back foot. His strokes are ugly and remind me of Jarkko Nieminen. I am a much more accomplished junior than him. I have way better strokes.

**johnyandell** · 12-21-2008, 10:32 AM

Gard--did you lose to this guy in a tournament or something? You are welcome to submit video of your own game if you wish. But I don't think it's a good idea to make disparaging remarks about other players in a public forum.

**jeffreycounts** · 12-21-2008, 04:10 PM

Originally posted by gard View Post

The strokes i'm guessing just win him matches by when he just gets the ball in hitting off his back foot. His strokes are ugly and remind me of Jarkko Nieminen. I am a much more accomplished junior than him. I have way better strokes.

Uh - in both forehand and backhand clips Dylan is hitting off his front foot, not his back foot. If you can't even get that right, I'd say we have a case of sour grapes here.

**airforce1** · 12-22-2008, 08:05 AM

First I'd like to say how much I appreciate all the work this young man has done to get to this point! Bravo to his efforts and they have paid off well. But you didn't put the vids up for us to say how great he is, right. You wanted to hear some suggestions.

I could see how well he is coached on head still thru contact, as on the 1st FH his head turned early, he realized it, and put it back right after contact. Shows how aware he is of what he is trying to do. He also did it right on the next FHs.
Everything I see to suggest is very subtle, But I see several things that don't need to continue in the wrong direction.

His FH take back is more like the one Coach Frausto writes about the women pros doing, but this tends to confirm my theory that lack of strength and extra flexibility are what leads to this. As he gets stronger, this will improve IMO. Also I expect his racket face thru the hitting zone will firm up as well. I believe it is slightly floppy currently and starts to turn on and over the ball at contact. IMO this is slightly early and will give consistency probs as his power grows and contact gets cleaner. Too much timing required. Right now he often hits off the end of the strings, far above the sweetspot. I would work to have him firm up the face thru the hitting zone and focus on cleaner contact to get his power. Right now his balance is pulled off and head is moving some, trying to get power from a very avg stringbed contact.

I like the BH a lot (prep reminds me of Yevgeny Kafelnikov)
and really only see a "small" balance problem as he presses to get power, while missing the sweetspot, which leaks off power.
I only mention this, as I have seen this grow into problems as they get stronger maintaining this over aggressive swing (read slightly off balance) that will not stay in the court with that lack of stable balance from the hitting platform. Yes, he uses the step to jab step back into recovery mode, but this is a balance step, not just a recovery step. I teach a recovery jab step from a balanced platform, but caution against it crossing the line to becoming a balance step.
There is a lot to love on that BH.

The serve does have amazing racket drop and delayed elbow extension, which I find exceptional.
The leg bend should be an easy fix, but is the most glaring flaw in all the vids. It is almost a reversal the way his wt stays back. Not sure what is happening there, but
There is NO reason that he can't have proper leg drive at his age and lively legs. Just look at the leg power on his GSs. Those legs are strong and proper leg bend does not have to be deep.

Super job with this young man and thanks for the chance to see him in action.

**uspta146749877** · 12-22-2008, 11:55 AM

Another video of Dylan

http://www.carimages.info/videos/video/Practics/_XpyGd8Oa9M/Dylan_Bednarczyk___9_year_old_tennis_player

Some volleys and overhead shots

**uspta146749877** · 12-22-2008, 03:48 PM

Serve

I like a ball released at a level of a shoulder during a toss by Dylan.
One may compare with a chaper on toss
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Interactive Forum: December 2008 Dylan Bednarczyk

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