Yandell's slice backhand

[richberman]

Thanks John for your analysis of the pro vs. recreational slice backhand.
Well done, and now I have a resource when I say, "Don't copy Roger's down and across the body follow through."
It is truly a pleasure to have tennisplayer.net - as a coach and as a player.
Thanks for all the hard work.
Rich Berman
Rich's Tennis School

[llll]

Thanks John for your analysis of the pro vs. recreational slice backhand.
Well done, and now I have a resource when I say, "Don't copy Roger's down and across the body follow through."
It is truly a pleasure to have tennisplayer.net - as a coach and as a player.
Thanks for all the hard work.
Rich Berman
Rich's Tennis School

some guys just dont get credit around here
it was MY slice backhand

[johnyandell]

And larry BTW how is it coming. Landsman hitting Yandell slice that is?

[llll]

And larry BTW how is it coming. Landsman hitting Yandell slice that is?

im starting to get it
it breaks down on heavy balls in match play or on fast serve to my backhand
but my backhand volley has gotten more "stick" on it and im getting the drive slice
will post pics soon
Larry

[llll]

i would like to endorse the practice hit device

http://www.practicehit.com/

its allowed me to practice when not on the court
walking around the house and hitting for a few minutes reinforces the "feel" of the stroke
disclaimer
i have have NO financial interest in the product

[worldsbestcoach]

the problems with the atp and wta slice backhands

Today's pros do not have a clue about how to hit a good slice backhand. Most everyone says that Federer has a good slice, but I disagree. Federer's slice is a joke compared to Rosewall's slice. I would much much MUCH rather be Rosewall using a slice backhand to counter Nadal's topspin & hook sidespin & wide slice serve, than I would Fed under the same circumstances.

Fed's slice often sits up for the opponent to bash. His slice often lands too short, even when Roger is aiming deep. He can never hit a hard slice, as Rosewall could. Fed has too weak of a backhand grip for his slice backhand (with a subsequent dropping of the racket head on the follow through). The weak backhand grip also explains why Roger usually catches the ball late at contact point, and too much to the side of his body. Fed also takes too big of a backswing on his slice, and thereby loses power and efficiency. Roger's technique on his slice backhand is biomechanically unsound in many ways.

Fed's underspin backhands on groundstrokes and at net are better suited for drop shots and short angles than they are suited for deep firm shots. He is limited in what he can do with his backhand underspins.

Some day, when the level of pro tennis improves, the slice backhands on the pro circuits hopefully will be much better than they are today. The problems with today's pro's slice backhands are that they are kinda like Fed's slices, and too much like recreational slices, as opposed to Rosewall's magnificent underspins.

I would explain the proper mechanics of the slice backhand better, and how coaches are misanalyzing the stroke.....but I will save it for my future publications and videos.

By the way, in the article on slices, the video of Budge shows him hitting a backhand with a somewhat topspin motion (albeit relatively flat topspin motion), with a weak backhand grip so that the strings are open like a slice. This technique will produce a very flat, penetrating topspin shot, but a shot that might be prone to catch the top of the net sometimes, or sail a little long sometimes.

I have experimented with the same technique that Budge uses in the video (more winners, but also more errors). I have seen other good players using such a backhand technique, and I respect it -- although I have never taught that technique (potentially too inconsistent for my taste). It is more of a somewhat flat topspin with a very weak grip than it is a slice.

[worldsbestcoach]

additional thoughts on Roger's slice backhand

I am a fan of Roger Federer, but like all players, even the best players, Roger also has considerable weaknesses in his tennis game. I want to add to the observations I just made, above, so here are some more thoughts on Fed's weak-grip underspin backhands:

-- Due to his weak grip and big backswing preparation on the backhand underspin, it is easier for him to slice & volley crosscourt than down-the-line or reverse court, although his crosscourts sometimes float wide to his surprise.

-- Due to his weak grip, it is easier for him to hit low balls than high balls.

-- Due to his weak grip, when he aims for depth, his slice at times has a tendency to float long.

-- His unnecessarily extreme high-to-low chop motion on the slice often causes the ball to find the net, or land shorter than he was aiming.

-- Against a hard serve, he has difficulty making a crisp, firm service-return block with his slice backhand, because, on his slice, his strings are not square with the ball. On his slice, he does not punch the ball well, out in front of his body.

-- His sometimes fluttery motion, sometimes chop motion, is not in the same league as the motion that Rosewall used for his slice backhand.

-- With his big backswing and weak grip for the slice, which causes a contact point to the side of the body rather than out in front, Roger runs at the ball's intended impact point from the side, rather than trying to get behind the ball more, as he should.

[worldsbestcoach]

I could go on . . .

-- and with his weak slice-backhand motion, Roger Federer cannot consistently hit good underspin lobs from his backhand side. When a bump slice backhand lob is called for, Roger usually does not have a good enough bump.

-- and because his strings are not square with the ball, or because he is sometimes chopping down so much at the ball, Roger has relative difficulty with bumping the ball into an opening with his slice backhand.

-- and because his first tendency is to prepare his racket so far back for an underspin backhand, sometimes he has unnecessary difficulty on balls hit at him.

-- if Roger's opponents were smart, they would always anticipate a short ball off Roger's strings when Roger is attempting an underspin backhand groundstroke or volley.

I think Roger would listen to me, and appreciate my comments, if I ever met him and had a fair chance to chat with him. And, his slice backhand is not his only weakness.

[worldsbestcoach]

practice device and Roger's slice

In a post above, in this thread, llll mentioned a practice device. Many years ago I bought that device. It seems to me to be a cheap imitation of earlier, sturdier, much better (albeit more expensive) devices that are available, which I also bought and prefer.

But I was thinking about Roger Federer's slice, and such practice devices. With Fed's weak grip, and his sometimes chop, sometimes flutter motion for the slice backhand, Roger has difficulty getting a good thud on his slices. If Roger would try such a practice device for a short time, Roger might get the idea for getting better thud, pace, and accuracy on his slices. It is not impossible for a player such as Roger to grasp new insights and significantly improve certain aspects of his tennis game. It is not impossible for a player, even as great as Roger, to significantly improve parts of his tennis game, even in a short amount of time.