February 2019: Martina Hingis Forehand

[johnyandell]

Martina Hingis Forehand

Remember this forehand? I was compiling some footage of Hingis for the new two-handed backhand series and decided to take a look at her forehand side in the Forum this month! She won 5 Grand Slam singles titles, over 20 doubles Slam doubles titles, and is still competitive in doubles at the age of 38.

So what do you think of her forehand? She had an extreme grip for her time and a big over the shoulder wrap. She has a WTA backswing, but one general question about that styleis there a so-called flip that happens higher and sooner?

[jeffreycounts]

Looks to me like her grip has gotten even more extreme and consequently she isn't driving through the ball like before. Love that last close up shot though.

[bottle]

I love the way she doesn't do the robotic thing of keeping left hand on the racket for a tedious long time and still gets enough upper body turn.

[klacr]

Glad Jeffrey said something about this because it was the very first thing I noticed. Her grip is more extreme than what it used to be. Or at least it sure as hell looks like it. I’ve seen Hingis up close and personal, how close and personal? I was a hitting partner a few times in the early 2000s when I was a coach at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa where she trained and had a home. After the 25-30 minute warm up of mini tennis she would go back to the baseline. I never remembered her grip being that extreme back then. Perhaps an adaptation to the current game and a way for her to handle the power, spin and height of the modern ball?

This forehand has a lot of technical elements that are worthy of discussion. But yeah, that backswing and flip are intriguing as well.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Glad Jeffrey said something about this because it was the very first thing I noticed. Her grip is more extreme than what it used to be. Or at least it sure as hell looks like it. I’ve seen Hingis up close and personal, how close and personal? I was a hitting partner a few times in the early 2000s when I was a coach at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa where she trained and had a home. After the 25-30 minute warm up of mini tennis she would go back to the baseline. I never remembered her grip being that extreme back then. Perhaps an adaptation to the current game and a way for her to handle the power, spin and height of the modern ball?

This forehand has a lot of technical elements that are worthy of discussion. But yeah, that backswing and flip are intriguing as well.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Klacr that's really strange, isn't it? I've known kids gravitate further round the grip in their formative years but with adults whose forehand has long established itself, it's unusual, especially a tour player. I wonder if it was conscious decision on her part or something that simply happened subconsciously without her realising?

That must have been something getting to hit with Hingis. I really liked her. She was an amazing player, one of the all time greats in my view. I saw her play junior Wimbledon when she was just 12. She reached the quarters. What a tennis mind, what an amazing temperament.

She's kept in terrific shape and doesn't look any different from when was 20.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_woman/martina_hingis/mh_forehand/mh_fh_center/mh_fh_center.html?MHFHCenterCrossCourtFront.mov

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_woman/martina_hingis/mh_forehand/mh_fh_center/mh_fh_center.html?MHFHCenterFront2.mov

[klacr]

Stotty,

She was always nice and respectful to me. Very professional. And yeah, the tennis mind was sharp, very sharp. I was only hired to hit with her because all the other pros capable could not stand the excessive length of time of the mini tennis routine and I was either too naive or ignorant to know better. I personally love mini tennis and was happy to stay out there as long as she needed.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[arturohernandez]

Looks to me like her grip has gotten even more extreme and consequently she isn't driving through the ball like before. Love that last close up shot though.

I am sure it is a great forehand. But it looks cramped to me. The spacing seems forced.

Compare to Justine Henin's forehand which I think is a compact powerful forehand that should be modeled.

https://youtu.be/KBioEMX2IdM

[stroke]

Justine's was the gold standard of women's tennis to me(maybe also Sam Stosar). It is very interesting that as we all know, Justine actually retooled her forehand during her career, which of course in very unusual. It was modeled on Agassi.

[don_budge]

Glad Jeffrey said something about this because it was the very first thing I noticed. Her grip is more extreme than what it used to be. Or at least it sure as hell looks like it. I’ve seen Hingis up close and personal, how close and personal? I was a hitting partner a few times in the early 2000s when I was a coach at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa where she trained and had a home. After the 25-30 minute warm up of mini tennis she would go back to the baseline. I never remembered her grip being that extreme back then. Perhaps an adaptation to the current game and a way for her to handle the power, spin and height of the modern ball?

This forehand has a lot of technical elements that are worthy of discussion. But yeah, that backswing and flip are intriguing as well.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0VOTUagv_A

You get some pretty good looks at the forehand from the rearview in this video of a French Open match between Martina and Steffi Graff.

I always admired Martina and her tactical approach to tennis. She could hang with the most powerful ladies and out fox them most of the time. Her forehand grip looks plenty strong here. Is it stronger now? Why not? She seems to be the type of player that could adapt. She really adapted to the doubles circuit after here singles playing days were over.

[don_budge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0VOTUagv_A

Some fantastic action in this video. Check out the point that begins at 14.00! Interesting tennis in comparison to the drones of today.

[don_budge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0VOTUagv_A

Check out the handshake at the end. Collision between the two. It seems Hingus was causing a little controversy. Martina was just 18 years old. What a precocious kid! She threw in a couple of underhand serves. A bit cheeky.

[stroke]

that 99 FO final was a good one

[arturohernandez]

Justine's was the gold standard of women's tennis to me(maybe also Sam Stosar). It is very interesting that as we all know, Justine actually retooled her forehand during her career, which of course in very unusual. It was modeled on Agassi.

Funny, Justine retooled her forehand and went on to win multiple GS's. She hit a one handed backhand. Please let me know there is a coach out there somewhere who took note and is modeling a young girl after Henin. It would be a breath of fresh air as noted in watching the FO final many years ago. Since we are getting nostalgic around here. Check this out.

https://youtu.be/4EbVKlkUPDI

[don_budge]

Looks to me like her grip has gotten even more extreme and consequently she isn't driving through the ball like before. Love that last close up shot though.

She is so far around on the grip that when she puts her left hand on the racquet after hitting a forehand it appears that she could use the same face of the racquet for a backhand.

[don_budge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahm0LcZ9AuY

More Martina and Steffi...semifinals of the 1996 U. S. Open. Interesting contrast of styles. Graff's use of the one handed slice backhand is unusual. Fifteen year old Hingus is a real nice tactical player. She is one of my favourite women players.