Westcoast's Forehand - Federer Model

[westcoast777]

Inspired by the success of Param Srinivas in modeling Federer's forehand in Your Strokes, I decided to model my own forehand after Roger's.
A clip of my efforts below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxpz1mwm4g

To my eyes the biggest problem I see is the off arm dipping during the forward swing - see any other issues? (I still hit the majority of my balls with at least slight bend in the arm, but it is becoming less and less bent as I adjust to the timing difference)

[don_budge]

Federer vs. westcoast777

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/roger_federer_09/rf_forehand/rf_fh_center/rf_fh_center.html?RFFHCenterNeutralStanceFront.mov

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/roger_federer_09/rf_forehand/rf_fh_center/rf_fh_center.html?RFFHCenterOpenStanceCourtLevelFront4.mov

OK westcoast777...a little "Super Coaching". Let's compare your technique with the model's. We have an open and semi-closed stance forehand that you submitted and we have Federer's. Tell me what you see in comparison.

Btw...notice the camera angle in the Federer video. The best angle is 30 degrees to the side you are taping.

[bottle]

I see westcoast's mondo as a little early, headstrong and contrived rather than reactive to the body whirl and on the way to the ball as in the case of Roger.

[worldsbestcoach]

i just watched

Westcoast, I just watched the youtube video of your topspin forehand. It is a pretty good stroke. However, it does not resemble closely Fed's forehand. By the way, that is not a criticism of you, because even Roger has significant flaws in his topspin forehand. He hits many bad forehands.

You track the incoming ball with your strings much better and for much longer than Fed does. I would like to see your tracking even more pronounced.

Fed immediately takes his racket back, and gets his shoulders and hips sideways in that unit turn of his. I do not like his early take back and his automatic sideways positioning. Those actions cause problems in Fed's forehands, many times.

You face the net for a longer time than Fed does. You do not take your racket back as early as Fed does. Your motion is actually smoother and less forced than Fed's motion.

However, Fed probably started tennis earlier than you did, he has hit millions more balls than you have, he has been exposed to better practice partners and opponents than you have, and has committed himself to tournament excellence more than you have. So while there are some things in your motion that are superior to Fed's. Fed obviously has a better topspin forehand than you have.

There is no big reason for you to try to emulate Roger's motion so much. Your stroke is pretty good. Just tighten up your backswing loop a little bit, and pounce foreward on the ball a little more.

Also, remember that oftentimes it is ok to face the net as you hit a forehand. You probably have a nice coil of hips and shoulders even without consciously doing it, with an open stance. Sometimes when you consciously do something, it is too exaggerated and unnatural.