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Lately I've been watching a lot of high speed video of the federer forehand. It seems that sometimes there is a visible wrist release just before contact and other times the wrist is firmly laid back throughout contact. Is there a reason Fed will wrist release on some strokes and not others? Do shots from other players affect this or does he do it randomly to produce different kinds of shots? Does he seem to wrist release on low balls and keep the wrist firm for service returns?
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This has been a much discussed topic in the TW boards with Bungalow Bill et al.
My take on it is a little different. I think it happens, if it happens, on it's own.
It has to do with the path of the racket. If the tip of the racket comes around a little sooner--as on a crosscourt hit from the right half of the court, the momentum of the racket will naturally cause the wrist to flex forward, or "release."
On an inside out ball, though, the tip of the racket travels outward longer and the wrist stays laid back--extremely laid back--until well after contact.
I would agree with BB that the relaxation in the wrist--and the whole arm for that matter--is a component of world class forehands.
But for the average player, the laid back wrist at contact is the critical element in arm position--along with the elbow bend--on most balls. Too much attention and effort is put to trying to make the "release" happen to be like Federer.
There are 20 things that are more important in the forehand.
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