windshiled wiper backhands?!

[uspta4201423750]

Everybody talks about the windshield wiper forehand; what about on the two handed backhand?

[johnyandell]

It's already happening in the pro game. Davydenko for example. There's a good example in the high speed archive.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/high_speed_archive/pro_men/nikolay_davydenko/nikolay_davydenko_v1/nikolay_davydenko_v1.html?NDBHWideOpenStanceFront-0072906-0001.mov

[uspta4201423750]

Do you teach windshield wiper technique on backhands? A lot of teaching pros think I'm crazy to do so, but if it works on the forehand, why not the backhand. In Rick Macci's article, he says, "The hitting shoulder on the backhand is the front shoulder. This means it's closer to the ball." However, I always looked at the two handed backed as I left handed forehand with a little guidance from the right hand. I use the analogy of shooting a basketball. The left hand in B-ball is there only for balance, not pushing. For the backhand, I see the right hand doing the balance work. What do you think? Harry Kingsley

[johnyandell]

Harry,

I think players can incorporate this ass an advanced element, but I'd be careful in calling the 2hander a left handed forehand. (Exclusively.) That's true for Venus Williams but the interaction between the arms is complex. I'd check out the two-handed backhand articles in Advanced Tennis-especially the one on the 4 variations.

John

[uspta4201423750]

I read your article on the 4 backhands; it was excellent. I look at the straightening of the left arm as a positive when it is a product of the player trying to hit flatter through the ball to attack or drive it like Lansdorp talks about in his article. I think players must also be able to windshield wiper over the ball as well, just like you talk about the forehand in your new forehand article. To me Hewitt, Roddick and Moya focus too much on trying to keep that arm straight from start to finish (although it does do some bending) and therefore robs them of the kind of power that they all have disproportionally on their forehands. I agree that students should be given the option of going right hand or left hand dominant; the grip position seems to be the controlling factor there. I'll try your trick next time I have that conflict. I still think, however, that if you can get someone comfortable hitting a backhand the way everyone hits a forehand (lefthand dominant, loop+ windshiled wiper finish), that is the most deadly. No matter how spastic you are with your left hand, the left arm (and more importantly the internal rotator used in a forehand) is just as strong as your right arm (the right hand gives it the balance that the left hand lacks due to coordination). Whereas, the right-hand dominant backhand or one handed backed relies on the external rotator which is half as strong as the internal (anyone who has had shoulder rehab knows what I mean). Sorry for being so long winded, but I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on my theory.

Thanks for all your help; tennisplayer.net is the best part about being in the uspta! Harry Kingsley

[johnyandell]

I think we are going to see more and more of the wiper-even with the bent straight guys.

Brian Gordon tells me his evidence points to bent/straight as the best biomechanical combo. Agassi might disagree, but eventually we'll have a lot more evidence. Not really sure what I think at this point-except there are great backhands with all versions.

The research problem is we can't clone Djokovic and teach him bent/bent from the ground up to compare it to his bent/straight. One athlete may make a certain variation appear tremendous and it won't work as well for another.

So yeah, we've got to be flexible and pay attention to the player and let them experiment with various combos. Same on all the strokes. But one thing our video resources allow is a good understanding of the range of the possible.

Glad you are enjoying Tplayer so much. Since I like being in the USPTA and all the good things that come out of it for me, I'll take what you say as a big compliment.

[lukman41985]

Brian Gordon tells me his evidence points to bent/straight as the best biomechanical combo.

Best in what sense John? Thanks in advance.

[johnyandell]

I haven't had that discussion. Maybe Brian will eventually enlighten us on that one.

[lukman41985]

Looking forward to it. Thanks for your response.