Interactive Forum April 2022: Matteo Berrettini Backhand

[johnyandell]

Matteo Berrettini Backhand

Look at this footage and see if can imagine Matteo Berrettini winning a Slam with his current backhand. In the preparation he looks like he is going to hit with 2 straight arms like Rafa Nadal or Andre Agassi. But… there seems to be a lot of variation in what happens in the forward swing. From something close to straight straight to something close to bent bent.

Other observations I have: he bends to the side and forward with his torso. His extension seems short before the wrap.

What do you guys see?

[jeremy93]

I don’t think it’s a good thing to have such variation in the arms structure during the forward swing. I like his slice much more than his 2 hander. In addition to what John said, I notice he has his racquet head to the outside of his hands when he uncoils. Also he has his hands in a way that the fingers are bunched tightly together (including index finger). Not a fan of this as this makes you hit flatter. Thoughts everyone?

[jeffreycounts]

The racket head to the outside of his hands looks like it helps create the pre stretch of the stretch shortening cycle. He goes from the racket to the outside to quickly snapping it back and pointing the butt cap to the ball.

I think his backhand is better than Roddick’s but that’s not saying a whole lot. He definitely hits the slice a ton when I’ve seen him. But honestly he reminds me a lot of Fernando Gonzalez. He’s just going to run around pretty much anything in order to hit a massive forehand. I think his backhand is ok, but I see him being another Fernando Gonzalez and not able to win a slam with that forehand only mentality.

It is weird though how the stroke look a Rafa with two straight arms and then just morphs into something else.

[jthb1021]

His footwork to the two handed backhand always looks so unnatural to me. He’s a big guy and you can’t have lazy footwork with a two hander, hence he slices a lot.
Addressing this backhand would be a massive project for his level in my opinion. This backhand looks so tight and rigid especially in the preparation … the arms are both rigid straight and closes the racquet face and bends the left arm because it looks like a nurse just stuck an IV in it. This doesn’t look like a fun shot to hit for a player of his ability and talent. He probably would have had a sweet one hander if he’d have committed as a junior.