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One Handed Backhand
Grip:
- Eastern Backhand (for a description of grips, click here)
Preparation:
- Keep your feet moving as you wait, then split step as soon as you see your opponent making contact with the ball.
- Pivot and transfer the weight on the outside foot (left).
- Your non-dominant hand (left for right handers) will assist you in changing the grip as you turn shoulders sideways to prepare for the incoming ball.
- Racquet is taken to the side at the same time the shoulders turn and is pointed at about a 45° to the sky, approximately above shoulder high.
- Left elbow is elevated to help avoid an open racquet face at contact, left hand is kept on the neck of racquet and the lower part of the string bed.
- Right elbow is bent about 100°, wrist relaxed.
Swing and Contact:
- Step into the ball with the inside foot (right) and transfer the weight onto it by pushing off of the back foot.
- Let Gravity help you in lowering the racquet to at least one foot under the eventual point of contact.
- The power in the One Handed Backhand comes from: weight transfer (back foot pushes off), the momentum created as Gravity pulls the racquet down and is transferred into the ball, shoulder lift and a very upfront contact with the ball.
- A very important characteristic of the one handed backhand is to make contact with the ball out in front, between knees and waist high . Failure to do so, results in lack of control and placement. Also injuries like "tennis elbow" can occur as a result of late contact with the ball.
- Racquet elbow is extended as the racquet meets the ball and left arm moves back for balance to keep the body sideways.
- Head stays still and eyes fixed on the point of contact even after the balls leaves the racquet!
Follow Through:
- The racquet continues to raise and point to the target.
- Body should stay fairly sideways and finish with arms extended away from each other ("spread your wings!").
- Weight is entirely on the front foot, back foot slides forward and to the left carried by the swing momentum.
Advantages of the One Handed Backhand:
- good reach
- less effort to execute
- beautiful looking stroke
Disadvantages of the One Handed Backhand:
- timing and point of contact can be a challenge sometimes
- difficulty in hitting high balls
- harder to return serve (especially Kick Serve)
- less power and accuracy compared to a two handed Backhand.
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