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Blog > advisor > Two-handed backhand: turning a weak point into a strength
The forehand is at the top of every tennis curriculum, but the backhand requires significantly more practice. Gripping the racket with both hands makes the task a little easier compared to the one-handed backhand. Even if the audience is most enchanted by an elegant one-handed style of play, even most tennis pros rely on a two-handed backhand. read more in this article!
The right technique requires some coordination work, because it's not just about hitting the ball at the right time. It is also important to position yourself wisely on the court, take up the momentum and finish the shot smoothly. However, especially for beginners, backhand play proves to be a weak point that can easily be exploited by experienced opponents.
Without the right sequence of movements, the direction and speed of the shot cannot be right. The ball ends up in the net, out of bounds or is easy prey for the opponent. If you don't just want to stay in defense mode, you should therefore acquire a solid two-handed backhand. As a right-hander, the basic stroke should be executed as follows:
The curriculum is one thing, the fluent and flawless execution on the field is another. The physical requirements play a major role here. Taller players, for example, tend to lean forward a lot beforehand in order to generate even more energy for their stroke. Left-handed players have to imagine the movements exactly the wrong way round anyway. Tip: To improve their two-handed backhand, right-handers can also train their forehand with the left. Most of the power is generated by the left arm, so the movements of both strokes are not dissimilar.
The above description is based on an open foot position. This means that both legs are roughly parallel to the baseline . The right foot is positioned closer to the ball, about one shoulder width away from the left foot. The alternative is a closed striking position. Here, the front right foot points towards the net. The left foot is not at the same height, but further away from the net. In both cases, the shoulder holding the racket must be rotated. This rotation is more pronounced in the open leg position, which is why the shots are normally even more dynamic. For this reason, the two-handed backhand is often played in the open leg position.
Playing the backhand with both hands is the norm in both amateur and professional tennis. However, the one-handed backhand, which is more difficult to learn, is also a variation that has its justification. If executed correctly, it is not only something for the spectator's eye, but also a weapon for your own tennis game: with a one-handed backhand, the balls can be reached further to the left and right. This opens up greater technical possibilities: It is easier to improvise and pose problems for your opponent with balls that suddenly stop or are hit back out of the air, for example. On the other hand, the load is not distributed over both arms, which increases the risk of the infamous tennis elbow. In addition, a two-handed backhand stroke often does not have the same power, as the upper body rotates less and the dynamic range is therefore smaller.
Conclusion:
Every adult tennis player should decide for themselves whether a two-handed or one-handed backhand is better suited to their own game.
In childhood, on the other hand, it is almost always advisable to use a second hand for support, as it relieves the strain on the not yet fully developed back muscles.
Author: Christian Heitbaum
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