backhand thought

[robheath]

John
I was looking at a sequence of y.kafelnicov (spelling his name wrong)
at it appears to me that they both hit the backhand with both arms straight, a cocked wrist and take the racket sort of outside making a small loop with the wrist? Your thoughts?
thanks
robby

[johnyandell]

Kafelnikov and who??

[robheath]

backhand thoughts

Agassi and kafelnikov seem to have similar technique and both great 2 handers. Arms straight, racket head higher than the wrist and it looks like they make a small loop with their wrist.

But after watching Federer beat Andre tonite, makes you think the one hander is the shot to coach.

And Lansdorp says the one shot he can coach is the one hander.
Seems ironic that Tracy Austin, Davenport, Sharapova, Myskina, Pete at a young age all have great 2 handers! I don't recall Lansdorp developing a
one handed backhand player, do you guys?
Robheath

[josef]

Agassi and kafelnikov seem to have similar technique and both great 2 handers. Arms straight, racket head higher than the wrist and it looks like they make a small loop with their wrist.

But after watching Federer beat Andre tonite, makes you think the one hander is the shot to coach.

And Lansdorp says the one shot he can coach is the one hander.
Seems ironic that Tracy Austin, Davenport, Sharapova, Myskina, Pete at a young age all have great 2 handers! I don't recall Lansdorp developing a
one handed backhand player, do you guys?
Robheath

There are maybe alot of reason why federer beats agassi but the backhand is not one of them. Federer returns very good with his one handed backhand though, which is one of disadvantages of playing with one hand.
And if you believe Lansdorp he developed sampras one handed backhand too also it wasnt his decision that Pete changes to a one handed backhand.

[johnyandell]

Well, re: Lansdorp and the one-hander, there was Justin Gimelstob and also Alexandra Stevenson--maybe not the greatest talents--but beautiful swing patterns... Also according to Robert, although he didn't switch Pete, Pete's dad brought him in after the change and said something like "He can only float the slice now--teach him to drive it please..." And again, according to Robert, that's where his topspin backhand really came from--the work they did together when Pete was 15-16.Right about Kafelnikov--like Agassi his arms are straight at contact. I'd look at the racket as it starts forward and wouldn't worry too much about cokcing the wrists--or not. Watch how they rotate the entire hitting arm structure backward, so the forearm turns more to the sky.