The One Handed Backhand: The Essential Non-Dominant Hand

[doctorhl]

Good comments on grip change. I like the spring loaded idea. For me, the grip change doesn't completely settle in until arm starts to move forward. I can't seem to change to bh grip on an offensive serve return fast enough to do it completely by end of unit turn.

[don_budge]

Thoughts anyone about increasing speed on grip change to one handed backhand? Are both hands equally involved in grip change as a rule? Do any pros with a semi or Western turn the racket in the other direction for grip change(hitting same side of racket for fh & bh). What about practicing one hand grip changes for those instances in which you are delayed in getting the non dominant hand on the racket?

The grip change is only one facet of the unit turn. The left hand controls the racquet head. The right hand merely loosens its grip until the racquet has turned to the proper position. This is all a matter of feel. Slice or drive?

Hands equally involved? Of course...as well as the shoulders, legs and feet. Turning the grip with your feet? Partially. It is the whole unit turning towards the ball that turns the racquet in the hands.

The control of the racquet head starts perhaps at the sternum and radiates outwards in the process of the backswing. I was working on this Swedish gal's backhand and I was telling her to change her grip. She stood there and was just manipulating the racquet head with her hands. I asked her five times to change her grip. She had no idea what I was asking her to do. I was looking for her to turn towards the ball and using the turn to change her grip. The left had merely sets the position of the racquet head in the beginning of the backswing and then in the same process the body is turning.

Somewhere along the way you decide whether it is a slice or a drive. Or perhaps it happens before the backswing. This is what I love about the one hand backhand. The flexibility to do whatever you want to do with it.

I don't think it is imperative to drive back big driving backhands against monster serves. I would recommend getting the ball in play first of all and secondly concentrating on depth...or lack of depth (hitting short and low). There is no shame in slicing in the attempt to neutralize the serve and the subsequent reply. Roger Federer's drive backhand used to come up woefully short so often when he was attempting to drive a return...it has improved with the new equipment and possible grip change. He is just as well off blocking the ball deep and working his way into the point. It's the percentage move more often than not.

I watched a bit of his match with Nick Kyrgios at the Laver exhibitions. He did a lot of slicing and to nice effect. He was having problems timing his drive. He actually let out a couple of yells. The Federer/Kygios matchup turns out to be one of the more entertaining in the game now...if not the most entertaining.

[doctorhl]

I usually do one handed forehand grip changes at the last second on drop shots or extreme angle shots. I've seen pros do slight one hand grip changes at the last second on both fh and bh. Can anyone point to archival footage where you have seen this?