Gayathri's backhand

[uspta990770809]

I really liked John's article on Gayathri's backhand and can't disagree with anything he is saying. But there is one little thing I see in her backswing that I am finding is important for my players. I wonder if anyone else is finding the same thing. If you look carefully at the way she makes her unit turn (and this is a little more obvious on the corrected fully open sequence), you can see she makes the turn, pauses and then swings a little further inside and then loops down and into her stroke. To me that little additional swing a little further is a little like a hitch which will make it tough for her to handle really deep and heavy balls. When my players complete their unit turn and backhand grip change, I want them to have the racket shaft at least parallel to the line through their shoulders. If they leave the racket outside a line parallel to the shoulders they have to swing it inside before they can really go after the stroke. I think you can see this difference in the sequence right there of Kim Clijsters. Granted she has a much greater preparatory shoulder turn, but look at the early position of the racket shaft relative to a line parallel to her shoulders. From where Kim is, she just drops and goes. Gayathri has to swing the racket further inside before she can do this.

I am not advocating "Getting the racket back" earlier or farther like maybe Venus, but just to get the angle of the racket shaft a little more inside when she completes her grip change. Then she is ready to drop and go. I see a lot of success with my students when I focus on this positioning.

Anybody else find this to be the case?

don

[uspta990770809]

Checking the video

Checking my own hypothesis, I can see evidence for what I am advocating in Nadal's backhand, Verdasco's, Dementieva's, maybe Ferrer's, but not in many of the others I thought I would find it in, particularly not in Agassi or Nalbandian's preparation. I still think it makes sense and would give you an advantage if you learn it early, but it's obviously not necessary.

don

[johnyandell]

Don,

As usual you make a good point! Funny because I didn't include it in the article but the timing of her swing in relation to the bounce--soemthing you and I have studied, discussed, and filmed--is a little late. That something she and I and her dad saw on the video and discussed. But yeah--if there is a long pause obviiously ball speed and depth is a problem! Good analysis in my opinion.

John