I remember when I told my coach that I wanted to switch to a one hander, he answered: “well it can’t be any worse”

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

ROASTED

@npanic628

2 жыл бұрын

@@MarkSansait i have been playing one handed for a while as a kid (Roger fan) despite being taught to play two handed. Now at 24 I'm stuck with a two hander i don't feel comfortable with, it feels weird, constrained, cornered, stiff, pushy (doesn't help that I'm not the most flexible guy since I've been hitting the gym a lot, 6'3 at 200lbs of muscle). It's not a terrible shot most of the time aside from high balls on the backhand where i choke more often than not. Should i switch to a one hander, even though it would probably take months to adjust? It just feels more natural, more fluid, more open, more range of motion, more plow through, etc..

@rialzito

2 жыл бұрын

@@npanic628 I played all my life with 2HBH and switched to 1HBH because I was tired of feeling handcuffed. I made the change 1 month ago and I'm adapting (especially deep and fast balls), but I find it much more fluid, it's easier to generate topsin and the angle is much better, I never want to play with 2 hands again

@tenniswithric

2 жыл бұрын

Don't get the joke

@sportguy-live26

2 жыл бұрын

@@tenniswithric that is was bad so couldn't get any worse..

In wheelchair tennis, we hit a very odd, one-handed stroke called the *Reverse Backhand* Because our hands are busy pushing the chair, plus holding a racket, they can't do anything else, like change grips or take the racket back. When we arrive at the ball, we're almost out of time so we have to shorten the take-back and we eliminate the grip change. That means we hit everything (except the serve) with the same semi-western forehand grip. If you take the racket at the point of contact for a semi-western forehand and rotate it counterclockwise 180°- 270° (that's ½ - ¾ of a circle to the left) you have the Reverse Backhand contact point and grip. Yup, you're holding the racket upsidedown, your elbow is pointing at the ceiling, and you're hitting the ball with the same side of the strings as your forehand. Pretty weird, eh? So if you've figured out the contact point and the grip correctly, you're probably wondering how (the hell) we generate any power. 'Well, it starts with the take-back - an equally strange motion that looks _just like_ putting a sword back in its scabbard (holder) on your left hip. There is inward rotation of the shoulder as your racket hand goes from upper right to lower left in front of you. You're facing the left sideline because you either chased the ball that way or you're turning to the left as you're putting your racket-sword away. Just as you finish this motion, there's a little "dipsy-doodle" where the head of the racket pops back up briefly as your elbow drops and your shoulder rotates back outward. It's as if you're giving a "thumbs up" to someone standing off to your left. This is the loading phase, the first half of the *stretch-shortening cycle* Now we "pull the trigger" by turning the upper body back to the right, the arm lags at first, then uncoils with considerable force and comes whipping back down into the upsidedown position at contact. You can get some surprising pop on the ball, and tons of topspin, as evidenced by those at the top of the professional wheelchair game. (Oh yeah, you heard it right. There's a professional wheelchair tennis tour!) The best example of this type of backhand is evidenced by the British duo currently in the top ten. Here you can see them warming up at the U.S. Open in 2018, pay attention to their backhands and you'll see all the things I tried to explain above. It's just a practice session so you won't see them really ripping any BH winners, but there are plenty of their matches on YT where you can. Enjoy: kzread.info/dash/bejne/lmSf25qbhZq7lKQ.html

@shroud1390

3 жыл бұрын

I hit that backhand and am not in a wheelchair yet!

@guitarista666

3 жыл бұрын

There was a female pro who hit the ball like that several years ago. Can't remember her name, but the stroke was called a ''''windshield wiper" stroke.

@supreadytoparty

2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting. Looks like a full western grip. Curious how it's different.

Fun topic, and a nice discussion. My 2 cents as a one-hander who spent a couple of junior years as a two-hander. I feel that the one hander requires better preparation to be a passable shot, obviously at high-levels both styles require great mechanics. Yet, I found that the preparation requirement of the one-hander actually helped my game in the end, because I could no longer slack as much setting up on the backhand side. In a similar vein, I also believe that a one-hander's easier access to the slice is a double edged sword for developing and non-elite players. The slice is a great shot, but it my experience overuse of the slice hinders development of a versatile topspin shot. I would advise all one-handers interested in improving their topspin shot to try what I did: Completely abstain from hitting slices for a couple of months, no matter how awkward the shot. In the short-term you will play a bit worse, but without the slice crutch you'll find relatively quickly that you'll be able to adapt your swing to more balls that aren't perfectly in your strike zone and will be able to better control those that are. By all means add the slice back in once you're comfortable with where your topspin is at, but I guarantee you'll see a marked improvement in your one-hander and will be way less tempted to slice when you're tight.

@alborzajeli768

3 жыл бұрын

100% on point with this, I did the same for a while and my flat and top-spin drives improved dramatically. It's all about good shot selection and knowing WHEN to slice, instead of turning to it anytime you feel a bit of pressure or off balance.

@JamesDavisakaRemguy

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I have this moment of indecision when the ball comes to my backhand of, "What do I hit here, a topspin angle or a slice deep?" And when things get tight, i.e. return of serve or a wide ball with pace, I usually go "slice". Even more odd, my topspin shots, especially when hit high over the net, have become more of a defensive shot whereas my slice can be a penetrating, skidding offensive strike. Funny game, this tennis.

What's the point of playing tennis, if you're not trying to look like Federer. :D

@shashankrwt26

3 жыл бұрын

Maybe to have a better h2h trying to play like Djokovic.

@HeartMindMuscle2022

4 ай бұрын

​@@shashankrwt26 LMAO

@HeartMindMuscle2022

4 ай бұрын

​@@shashankrwt26 Lol❗

I'm more impressed you got three tennis pros to show up in the same room at a set time

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

In all honesty we just show up for the beer. Podcast recording is the second priority

@patrickhamning1734

3 жыл бұрын

@@MarkSansait 😂

Getting to a 4.5 level is quite hard. 5.0 as well, very hard. 4.0 is kind of where the casual but talented player might peak but many tennis enthusiasts sit around the 3-3.5 area and never develop a real weapon in their game. 4.5 develops quite a few, probably has a pretty nasty serve and is relatively consistent and versatile even when things get really challenging. 5.0 just takes that up a notch but it's a small yet very difficult gap to close. It's not so much that their best is better than a 4.5 but that they are more often closer to it. A little more polished and perhaps a better mentality overall. Tennis is such a cool game. Things get really fun and thrilling once you play around the 4.5-5.0 level. You are now using all of your capable strength on your best shots and doing very challenging things when you need or want to. I will miss my youth. Enjoy it while you have it. I hope to have about 10 or more years of this kind of fun.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Same!

@JamesDavisakaRemguy

Жыл бұрын

Steezy, I am so envious- uh, I mean “happy for you”! I can only dream of attaining this level of tennis ability and excitement. I still thrash and flail along with my 3-0/3-5 brethren. I am headed towards retirement and the “old man tennis” that it brings. Lob-o-rama! Shuffle shuffle shuffle, NEXT LOB. Kill me now. Please.

@JSteezy

Жыл бұрын

@@JamesDavisakaRemguy Oh my gosh hahaha. I'm really glad you are playing and having fun. I have a lot of days that are not fun, despite how well I might be playing to other people or the skill I might be at. Crazy how it's all in your own head, the experiences you have. How good I am may have absolutely nothing to do with how I'm feeling on the court. That being said, on my really good days, it is so much fun that I instantly think about how much I will miss these days. It's weird.

I’ve played for 50years and have always used the ohbh. The only issue I had was consistency. A simple correction has allowed better cross court and down the line shots. I simply started turning my forward foot toward the net. This allows me to take the ball inside or out, and, my body feels less stress on the torque. Happy to have found you guys! This is a game for life!

@JamesDavisakaRemguy

Жыл бұрын

MYK B, Good on ya, man. Thanks for sharing the cool tip! Very generous of you. Good tennis to you, sir!

I went from 1 to 2 because, while I loved the feel of the good 1 hander, I couldn't do it reliably enough. Just find it easier to time and rotate into the ball with the 2 hander. Still remember how to slice though. And every once in a while I throw a 1 hander in. Confuses everyone, including myself. Good discussion!

I started using a two handed backhand because it was definitely easier to learn when I was young. But I really hurt my left wrist in college and couldn’t hold the racquet anymore for the 2 hander so I had to relearn how to hit the backhand with one hand. So glad I did because the feeling of crushing a one handed winner is so sweet. Love the discussion and topic. Keep it up

@gokulee501

3 жыл бұрын

Hitting a single B/H is so much sweeter.... and the correct way to play tennis IMO 😂

@BullyGarfield.

3 жыл бұрын

@@gokulee501 yessir. even if i might lose more match it’s more fun!

A very good flow for a "round table" conversation. Good job Matt, Mark and awesome job conducting it all, Ian

For about a year and a half I had the struggle of deciding which BH I wanted at 20 yrs old. To the hosts credit I like the one hander, it's just not the most successful for me personally as a short guy, especially on the shoulder high ball. I didn't want to be restricted to slicing every shoulder height ball just bc I couldn't flatten it out. Two hander came more naturally as a normal groundstroke execution wise and in consistency. Also a Djokovic/Murray fan. Sometimes you have to try both before you make a decision. They are both great shots though.

I think part of the aesthetic appeal of the one handed backhanded is the elongation of the arm in an almost wing like motion. The prettiest backhands look like they are flying/ spreading their wings. Has a very elegant look. Loving the podcasts!

I am 78 years old. When I learned tennis no one had a 2 handed backhand except maybe Bjorn Borg and Chrissie Evert. I switched to a 2 handed backhand about 6 years ago.

@stevlehr

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I started playing tennis in 1961. Self taught. I knew that a two hander was possible, but no one I knew hit one. I received some compliments of my one handed backhand, primarily because of its left hand spin. In the late 1980's I started hitting some two handers, perhaps because my most frequent opponent had a solid two hander. I mostly slice my two hander but can come over the ball. By age 45, I seldom hit one handed backhands. I may switch back.

Wow. First let me say that the podcast was really nice. Nice pace, crisp sound, good talking points! All 3 of you have pleasant voices to listen to which is makes for about 64.6% of the quality of a podcast! As for this episode's topic, I made the switch from 2 to 1 last year and the newly found freedom has been both exhilarating and intoxicating. I don't see myself switching back to 2 any time soon. One thing I've done is that I've made a pact with myself to NOT hit a single sliced BH for the first 6 months (not even in practice!). This has pay huge dividends! (I'm 6'2 so I really don't have any excuses not to hit with spin).

I'd say Fognini also has pretty smooth backhander

@ericshine1

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed. His whole game looks smooth/effortless.

@samy29987

3 жыл бұрын

What about Basilashvili? His backhand is pretty looking. Zverev's as well.

@bonzwah1

3 жыл бұрын

Smooth yes, but it is very compact. This is an advantage in terms of gameplay, but if you're trying to maximize the aesthetics I think the guys hit the nail on the head when they started talking about big circles. Smoothness is just one part of it.

@BullyGarfield.

3 жыл бұрын

yeah it’s smooth

@alastairtheduke

3 жыл бұрын

Super smooth. Plus he doesn't look like he even puts any energy into it and it blasts off his racquet.

I played tennis most of my life with a two handed back hand. 3 years ago I started learning the one-hander since my two-hander never felt good and I frequently felt jammed up. One of the main things that made the one-hander "better" for me is that I was re-learning something that had otherwise become so automatic that it seemed better to start from scratch with a new stroke. It's definitely helped me gain confidence in the shot and most importantly has helped me have more fun on the court!

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

OHBH also makes you look like a GREEK GOD

The two hands forms a triangle structure and requires you to hit it with complete unit turn. So for close to body, you have a firmer more consistent return. But the one hand allows you to hit it with a longer reach, hit it to very different angles. If you have time, it is more powerful creating by a bigger rotation. The problem is also caused by it needs a bigger rotation. When it is close to body or timing is wrong, it’s really hard to control.

I'm late to the party, but really enjoyed your insights as a 3.5 1hbh player myself. I'd love to hear Mark talk more about hitting balls shoulder height and higher 1hbh (my biggest weakness). I will say this, nothing feels better than getting ahold of a 1hbh with perfect timing and uncoiling.

Keep these podcasts coming!

A few factors left out. I have a pretty nice looking one hand backhand if I put in a lot of reps. It is a left handed one hander and I am right handed. When I am injured with the right arm (use two hands righty) I play left handed. I actually took my first tennis lessons lefty after a soccer career in college because I injured my right elbow playing softball without warming up and throwing a ball to the plate from the outfield. I could do everything well lefty except serve. When my right arm finally healed I had a high level two hander because of the coordination of my left hand almost instantly. I noticed some strange things. When I volleyed lefty my backhand volley was solid and forehand volley not as good. When I play righty my forehand volley is much better than my back hand volley. Complete reversal. When I learned about eye dominance, I learned I am very left eye dominant. Now researchers say this does not matter, but if your brain picks a dominant eye due to a weakness in an eye such as an astigmatism in one eye (like I have in my right eye) or some other weakness then it matters greatly. When you hit a one hander you are sideways and if your front eye is weak that is going to be a problem, it will affect your timing and your spacing. When I play right handed I am open or semi open on the forehand and both eyes are watching the ball come from my opponent, even my weak right eye. When I hit the two hander I am not as sideways as on the one hander and and can see the ball with both eyes. But if I tried a right handed one handed backhand my crappy right eye would cause me issues. When I taught kids I would show them I could hit the two hander hard with both legs crossed, jammed and behind myself. Now try that with one hand. You have to have pro level footwork (very few non pros have this) to have a steady one hander. Another issue is your hand/wrist and racquet angle. When you push something heavy do you use the back of your hand? Nope. On the one hander your wrist is going the wrong way, the weaker way. So now it can not even maintain the racquet angle at impact as well as on your forehand where the wrist is going the strong way. With two hands the racquet angle is going to be easy to maintain at impact. Now to the slice. When I was younger and played all the time, I never sliced. Why slice my backhand when I can hit the two hander 80 times in a row? When you hit topspin you have the magnus effect helping pull balls down, while the slice floats. also cause of the magnus affect. The slice stays low. Keeping the ball low was big during the 80/90s but when Luxilon came on the scene it was not hard to hit a low ball for a winner, even if was short. I slice a lot now because I am old. I do not think kids should learn the one hand backhand, other than slice. Odds are 999 to 1 they are going to suck at it and their forehand is always going to be twice as good as their backhand. I know a few very high level players (D1) who converted from a two hander to a one hander because of serious left wrist injuries. They tell me they miss their two hander on serve returns but feel their one hander is just as good everywhere else. I know this was long so in summary - eye dominance, timing, pro level footwork, maintaining desired racquet angle at impact, are reasons why you should not teach the average kid the one hander. I made the mistake of teaching kids how to lag on the forehand like Federer. I thought everyone would be lagging at this point. But that should be left for tennis academies and same with the one hander. Not for average high school kids. Their is a nice video on youtube showing a match between Fed and Agassi. Agassi could bench press his house but he did not lag and Federer did and Federer was hitting winners 10 feet behind the baseline because he lagged.

This is the best talk about backhands I’ve ever seen. Enjoyed a lot!

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed!

One handed backhand is the best! Switched a few years back with no regrets!!! Best thing for my game! I've got more reach and the angles are so much easier to hit! Plus always get plenty of compliments on how pretty it looks! Thanks for Roger! : )

I had a decent 2hbh but one day I woke up with a sprained left wrist and could no longer hit the two hander. Thus only able to swing with my right hand forced me to learn the one hander as well the slice. The transition took about half a year and my hands have fully recovered, but now I would never switch back to a two hander. The only time I hit one is to demo with friends learning how to hit for the first time.

With a two hander returning serves I often don't change my grip at all. Right hand is in my forehand grip and left is in backhand grip. Let go of left to hit a forehand, leave my hands there to hit a backhand. If I have time returning I'll change the right hand to continental for my full backhand grip, but the fact that I don't need to is pretty great.

Man this whole podcast made remember the time when I switched at the age of 16 from the two handed to the one handed backhand. Being a short asian with short arms it gave me much more reach, but it took at least more than a year two somehow get the mechanics into the system. that time until it adjusted was really brutal xD subbed to the channel! looking for more guys

@BullyGarfield.

3 жыл бұрын

i switched at 11 bro. i’m asian too and i was short too

Good video. I learn the one handed backhand 40 years ago and still love it. When I started coaching 30 years ago, I had to learn the two handed back so I could teach players. I teach the two handed backhand until there in their teens. Then I teach the one handed slice to go along with there two handed backhand, I feel if they do not develop the one handed backhand, they will never develop a net game. I do not push the one hand top spin unless a student really wants to go all in one handed. At age 65 I still use my one handed backhand, but if I get the right ball I hit a two handed with top spin. It is to hard to rip a top spin one handed. I am just not strong enough any more. If you love tennis and plan to play your whole life, You should learn both.

Hello mark. This is by far the best one hander vs double hander discussion out there. I love these discussion . Hopefully you can do part 2 of this topic. Mybe you can go deeper.

Great video. Would enjoy more of these.

shankcast is BACK! looking forward to listening/watching! great topic!

So glad these are back! Looks like another great trio 🔥

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

ayyyyyy

Another advantage of a one handed backhand - you can get a sick watch sponsor and wear a watch on your off hand during matches.

@miguelbarahona6636

3 жыл бұрын

That´s true. I have a one hander and I rock my Casio Fw-91 on my right wrist (I´m a lefty), hahaha.

Excellent tip on return grip using the off arm Mark! Will try that…

I love this show! I love how real you guys are.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Facts

I went from a ohbh to a thbh after having TE, to be able to continue playing whilst healing. Just kept going :-)

I started with a one hander, when I was 12 and then switched to a two hander, when I was 15. Best decision that I ever made for my backhand.

So happy you collabing so much with Ian!

Dominic Thiem, Gabby Sabatini.. stunning one handed backhands

Brilliant discussion. Keep it up.

cool show. I've played ohbh slice/drive/spin since I was aware of myself. It's my favourite shot and it gets me out of trouble in most cases.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much skylaxx!

I went from 1HB to 2HBH, after returning too many body-serves to my backhand which I hit late. With the nagging tennis elbow pain, I switched to 2HB as it does help. I do still hit 1HB when I do approach shots or half-volley.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Are people confused when they see you whip out the one hander?

One note on the grip when returning i picked up from an old agassi video is that in preparation, I always hold it with an eastern forehand grip for my dominant hand ( I have a somewhat extreme eastern forehand grip for my ground stroke which makes it easier for this method) and a semi-western grip for the other hand. This way if the ball is zipping past you on serve, you can block with both hands on the backhand side or release the non-dominant hand and already have your preferred forehand grip to rip that shot. If I have time, the non-dominant hand comes in handy as it can aid in turning the grip to the preferred backhand grip much faster. Caveat being I play with both type backhand (I know it's weird but I use the two-hander (with most of the power coming from my non-dominant hand) for neutral game + most backhand return in case I shank it and one-hander for balls that are in no-man's land and upward or if I'm stretched wide and I can't reach with my sub-optimal footwork or the killshot for the highlight reel). That's my ted talk thanks for reading :D

@wilsoch

3 жыл бұрын

Wow, same here (except for the grip). My two-hander is a pretty reliable shot, but on short balls where I have to come in, often on reflex passing shots, and sometimes on a deep lob that I take on the backhand, I'll hit with the one hander. My technique is better on the one hander which leads to good power and spin, but I've never been able to master the spin on the return of serve with it.

@herculesperseus6326

3 жыл бұрын

@@wilsoch yeah probably stems from the fact that you learn the fundamentals of the game as a two-hander and is transitioning to a one-hander

Novak Djokovic went from a one handed to a two handed backhand and he did "not too bad"! But he was 7 or 8 years old.

@willzsportscards

3 жыл бұрын

That's an easy switch, seen lots of adults do it. Other way is the real challenge.

100% true about the one-hander, Ian @11:45 , the timing for the contact needs to be pretty precise or else all the weight & power for the shot is out the window. The ball will be hit in a direction you don't want, not to mention the vibration & possible damage it can cause your wrist and body bc its not hit precisely. The two-hander is definitely more lenient to not being precisely bc of the second hand being able to help absorb the vibration and just muscling the ball where you want it to go.

Very interesting video. One thing no one said is that many of the best doubles players ever, have had a OHBH: Mcenroe, Bob and Mike Bryan, Rajeev Ram, Mahut...

Started with my 2 hander and was very good with it. I decided late in high school to switch to a 1 hander because I thought when I get older...I would be a step slower and it would be hard to reach. It took me a year of staying focused (and losing a lot of matches) until I got confident. I think what helped me was when Ivan Lendl said in a book that you could not use a backswing in boxing because it is very lethal because of the power you can generate (it was something like that and that's how I understood it). When I realized that I didn't have to muscle it like a forehand and just let it flow when stepping into it....it made all the sense in the world. I can hit slice, top, heavy top, and flat with a 1 hander. You just to have to commit to it and not revert back to your 2 hander.... just my two cents.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

BIGGER. BACKSWING!

@cldavis33

3 жыл бұрын

Dude - I used Ivan's little book waaaaay back in the day to learn a very nice driving slice. 'Carving down into and back up out of the bowl' - transformed my slice into a real weapon. It's the only thing I remember from that book. isn't that crazy?

@1RA787

3 жыл бұрын

@@cldavis33 that’s AWESOME! It’s just something so simple that can make a world of difference.👍🏽

Good job mentioning the greatest of 2 handers Nishikori, Nalbandian, Joker and Agassi. Also deserving of serious mention are the iconic 2HBs of Connors, Marcelo Rios, and Willy Canas. Of the younger players out there on the horizon the 2HB of Brandon Nakashima is outstanding. One "pro" that they missed was that most if not all of the above could redirect the ball with drastic change of direction, something that is hard if not impossible to achieve with a 1HB.

I've had both for extended periods, but had to switch permanently to a one-hander after college when I broke my left forearm badly and never regained total feel of the racket in my off arm. The one-hander is definitely more difficult to dial in, and it's easier to have a 'bad day' with it. There's no such thing as a half-swing either as you can't just muscle it over because timing is absolutely everything with it. It does feel very nice though to hit a one-hander cleanly, plus it's easier to hit the angles when you get a short ball to the ad court. Plus you can disguise a drop shot far easier as well.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

AND more spin potential

I started playing in the late '50s and don't recall seeing anyone using a two-hander. I remember Billy Jean King saying the one-handed backhand was her go-to stroke and that she would run around her forehand in order to hit a backhand. She emphasized that the backhand was the easiest shot in the game and I've stuck with her advice for 60 years. In fact, the best player when I was learning the game was Rod Laver, and his opponents did their best to avoid hitting to Sir Rodney's killer backhand. Watching King and Laver blow out the competition with their one-handed backhands gave me the confidence to believe that I had the advantage over players using two-handed backhands; still get compliments on my one-hander. The only problem I have is that now, with the light power rackets I have trouble returning big kick serves--hitting high one-handed backhands requires setting up and preparing early and hitting the ball on the rise--not easy for an older player like me who still prefers playing against 4.5--5.0 rated players. I tried switching from a player's racquet to a mid-plus which helped but I lost a bit of control on my backhand; then demo'd some OS sticks and couldn't even keep the ball in play. Also, when I hit or try to hit a two-hander, it feels robotic to me and I still like to think I'm an athlete.

@theoriginalthinker9199

2 жыл бұрын

The key to returning those high kick serves is catching them early. Catch them early and slice them down the line to my opponents backhand if you're in the deuce court. That's one of my favorite shots.

Just happened on this channel. Looks interesting. Good conversation. Thumbs up and subscribed.

Shank you very much, the two handeder , I’m always coming forward, hit a good approach and “clunk” two hander will get a piece of it.

In fact, a possible way to make the shift from the SW forehand grip to eastern 1hbh grip even faster is to shift in the opposite direction. You go from bevel 4 of the SW to bevel 5 and poof... you have an eastern 1hbh grip. It is just that your non-dominant hand has to wait in a slightly different position than what is used to, to facilitate that shift. But I am experimenting with it and I think it really works if u get the reps.

@gavinmasterson2242

11 ай бұрын

This is what I was going to add, but I'm glad you said it. It is what I do. It saves a lot of time when you also have to worry about coordinating your footwork to respond to the serve. The sooner you prep the backhand, the easier the shot becomes, so the time saved is a massive win.

I started playing tennis in my early 20s (50 years ago), and only had a little informal coaching, from friends ("watch the ball"; get your racket back earlier). I ended up with an Eastern forehand grip without being told what grip to use, and since I wasn't told I should change grips to hit with a one-handed backhand, I used my forehand grip to do that, and basically sliced all of my backhands. Years later -- fed up with having no power on my backhand side -- I asked a friend with a powerful backhand what was I doing wrong? He told me I had to make contact with a vertical racket face out in front (to get low-to-high motion for lift and topspin), but didn't mention changing grips, so I did a 90-degree wrist rotation into contact, which worked well when I was having a good day. About 5 years ago I finally got some professional coaching and got told to change my grip to an Eastern backhand grip, which doesn't require a wrist roll into contact, and I did well with it. Later, when my coach told me most pros were now hitting with a semi-Western forehand grip, I switched to it, and ended up being able to hit well with it, but I ultimately switched back to my old Eastern forehand grip because I was having trouble doing the 3-bevel rotation to the Eastern backhand grip. After getting used to the Eastern forehand grip again, I mentioned my difficulty with doing the 3-bevel change, and he said "Why didn't you rotate the handle 1 bevel in the opposite direction?" I just didn't think of doing that! It might be worth a try...

Thanks for the video. I'm a one handed backhand and after 48 years I'm still struggling to make a powerful stroke. Timing is tricky and hit with the right technique during the matches is really hard. At a certain point I almost though of switching, in particular when Federer said that it is much easier to learn and he would have prefer to learn it as a child. Also it is very curious to hear that you never had a student asking for a switch from one hand to two.

I love having both, because I love USING both. In my case all three. I've never understood the "choice". Both my one and two handers continue to improve over the years. When I have all day to set up, I use the one hander. I have Richard Gasquet's backhand. I literally copied it from him, and when I hit it, you won't see a prettier shot on an amateur court. But if the ball is there too quickly, or is too high or too low for me to execute the correct contact point, or any time I just don't feel right on my set up, I hit a two hander. My half volley two hander is just pro. I never miss it, and I can put it right where I want it every time, ESPECIALLY if the ball is right at my feet. For some reason I picture ping pong in my mind when I hit it. And I use a left handed forehand when the ball is way out there and I can't really get to it with either backhand. Strangely, I'm getting so good at this shot at age 61, that there are times when I just use it to save energy. Long rally, little late getting there, whatever, I'll just crush a good left handed forehand, and there's little chance of missing it, because it's WAY easier when stretched wide. Either backhand involves a set up of sorts, but the forehand I'm already in position for. I know it doesn't sound modest, but my one handed backhand is just amazing, and most days it's the best shot on the court, but I'd never give up the two hander for many shots, and nowadays I'd never give up the leftie forehand either. It saves your assets when the ball is a long reach. So my advice when I coach? Use both until you feel much better about one or the other. If you start one way and are not happy with it, and you change, don't be afraid to continue to hit the other sometimes, and it can continue to improve. And FOR SURE, don't be afraid to try a leftie forehand. It's NOT hard to learn. Mark my words, someday there will be another all forehand player in the pros, although it's been decades in men's tennis since there was one. And when it happens, one of the biggest advantages will be return of serve range.

14:18 regarding the "big shift" between semi-western FH and eastern BH grips... it's only a single-bevel if you go the "other" direction.

I found this video to be fun. I have a two handed backhand in tennis, but my best shot in pickleball is my one handed backhand. I tried two in PB, but it was awkward due to the smaller handle. My forehand is better in tennis, but not great in PB. I mostly slice in PB on the FH and come over the ball on the BH.

In regards to the starting grip with a single handed backhander - i think is a great question/ debate point. Ive definitely found i struggle to switch to the correct grip if i use a more extreme forehand grip. For me, i figure i can adjust my forehand easier so go with a grip for it (semi western) that my natural switch puts me about right for my backhand. In other words, its my natural movement from forehand to preferred backhand rip that determined my forehand grip. And as Mark said, its the hand on the throat that does the turning.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Bro! love this podcast. I started playing tennis about 8 months ago been doing a 1 hand backhand because i watched Federer play and wanted to play like him but it was so hard and unforgiving that I wanted to switch and try 2 hand. but after this podcast ima grind it out and keep trying 1 hand because ... aesthetics

@cldavis33

3 жыл бұрын

Get lessons from a pro so you can make sure your mechanics and technique are correct - this is what you have to have for a one hander and every time you practice, you are ingraining something - makes sure it's correct before you ingrain it forever.

@alborzajeli768

3 жыл бұрын

@@cldavis33 spot on! not only do you want to develop the correct muscle memory through repetition, but you also want the added confidence of KNOWING you're doing things correctly, as per the advice and guidance of a pro. That psychological factor alone plays a huge role in speeding up development.

I have always had a 1hbh, mostly a slice, with some drive backhands. While I want the one-hander, I do wish I could use a 2hbh on service returns, but I just cannot get my body to coordinate itself to swing through with 2 hands on the stick. So, I wait for most serves with a backhand grip, because I can switch to forehand grip quickly with just my hand, while switching to a backhand grip seems to require the off hand. Thus far, nobody has mistaken my 1hbh for that of Wawrinka (or Federer, Gasquet, or Shapo), but maybe it has echos of Gerulaitis or Rosewall. It's more natural to hit a bh dtl slice approach (even side spin) with a one-hander than a two-hander, and yes, the backhand volley is more natural.

Started with one backhand naturally in early 20’s and it just feels comfortable. I tried two backhand, because it seems you can generate more power and avoid tennis injuries or elbow. But, in the end for what I hear around and asked to people is comes down to mostly comfort.

@DanTuber

3 жыл бұрын

2 hands for control, 1 hand for power

I find it interesting that so many coaches favor the two-hander so much. I understand why they start with it, but I think a good coach will be able to tailor the shot to the player. Some players are more natural with one hand. Others are more natural with two. I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all swing. Personally, I played with a two-hander until I was about 12. I really struggled hitting through the ball with two hands. My coach noticed this and switched me over to one hand and I was immediately better with one hand since taking away my left hand allowed me to really open up on the follow through and swing through the ball.

It's really a personal preference. I'm a southpaw and prefer to play with a one handed backhand. I started to play tennis when I was 13 and have been playing with a one handed backhand for many years now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.👍

Interesting! I went from a one-hander to a two. I had a one-hander but when I taught my son, I had him use two hands for all the reasons you guys said. I wanted him to have an example, so I had to always hit two-handed with him (imagine telling him to hit with two hands then hitting with one yourself!). After months of this, I developed my own two-hander, and I'd feel a bit insecure trying to hit a one-hander in a match. That said, there are situations where I still use it.

Started with a 2 fisted like Borg, then Lendl made me want to hit with 1. I like both backhands for different reasons. 1 for the reach and variety, 2 for the short balls inside the box, and being able to hold the lob.

@MarkSansait

2 жыл бұрын

Hehehe two fisting. Hehehehe

Interesting discussion about aesthetically pleasing two handers! My favorites are Bjorn Borg's and Sofia Kenin's. Like you mentioned, their backhand swings (especially their backswings) are longer than typical.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

OOO i forogt about Kenin - but I think we were specifically talking about ATP

@ronalddelrosario7405

3 жыл бұрын

@@WillBaileyHoldfastNetworks Agreed! But Borg's backhand was definitely a two-hander since he released only after contact, unlike Mikhail Youzhny's. I think he mainly had a one-hander, but sometimes two-hander. Very strange, and also not aesthetically pleasing. I also really liked Miloslav Mecir's two-hander, but that was really more because of his overall play style.

Thanks, guys. Interesting talk. The one thing that looks very strange to me about Ian's backhand is the position of his thumb in relation to his index finger. It looks that his thumb is wrapping on the outside of the index finger, rather than between the index and middle fingers. Probably a moot point but I can't avoid noticing it. Is that a common grip over there??

Hi Guys.. First of all thanks a lot doing these podcast. This may be very useful for tennis players. I was just listening to this and realized that you made a comment that I have not seen anyone who was one handed and switched to two handed. Novak Djokovic started as one handed and later switched to two handed backhand. This is what i found on the internet. "When I started playing tennis, I actually started playing with one hand. My former coach, Jelena Gencic, she actually wanted me to play with one hand. I was feeling very weak because most of the kids at that stage, they were sending a lot of high balls to my backhand, so I would start supporting it with the left."

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Nole def did!

Two handed playing tennis since I was a kid. Started to play squash as an adult, took about a year to feel comfortable with the one handed on the backhand. Now, both in tennis and squash the backhand is my strongest side but still two handed in tennis and one handed in squash

look forward to seeing Mark playing 2HBH in a match next week :)

I have played a two handed for almost 15 years and always wanted to switch so occasionally I would try it out. Then when I would hit a couple of bad ones revert back to two. I have since switched completely ( gone trough the rough patch ) to the OHBH. For me the footwork is much more natural on the OH and since I have an attacking playstyle I prefer to have the OHBH. I think it does depend on the player though , I really like to switch up a lot between slice and topspin BH and create more angles to let my opponent guessing

Recently start to learn 2HBH. I used to have 1HBH, but become so tired whenever playing singles against my boss and he picked up on my BH weakness. Can't do nothing except slicing and hoping he'd make unforced error. Start to learn 2HBH with consistency in mind, hoping at least if i'm being attacked, i could get it back deep though without some pace.

i had an amazing 2 hander growing up and around 20 started messing up here and there with a 1 hander cause i felt/looked cooler and i wanted to be able to have both of them... long story short i had later a period of 10 years were my 2 hander suffered and just gained a 1 hander for really specific situations... now i could say i have both, and my 2 hander is almost as good as it ever was, and having a 1 hander is a great tool for defensive purposes, if you are running it saves you around 2 or 3 steps, if the ball is too low, if they aim to your feet if you dont reach the net fast enough, and so on... only aspect i couldnt learn was the high balls but they are usually slow enough to hit them 2 handed

I think most people struggle with the high backhand volley mostly because it’s not meant to be played out in front of you as much as you would a normal volley or ground stroke. The best way I remember it is the lower it is the more out in front you should catch it, the higher it goes you want to wait for it to come into your body a bit more. Tennis is like the ultimate dance coordination you’re timing is everything.

@caocaohehe

3 жыл бұрын

When the ball is high, most people have trouble by still trying to hit topspin. But it’s easier to just hit it flat

@joemarshall4226

3 жыл бұрын

The biggest problem with the high backhand is that people hit it too close to their bodies. The lower the ball, the closer to the body it can be hit, but you need to move away from a high backhand volley to get any power into it. Ideally, the arm is just a little higher than horizontal, the arm is straight, and the contact point is at least two or three feet to the side of the body (and a little out in front, but not much)

I feel that one topic that has been touched but not developed completely is around the control of the shot which, as we all know, plays an essential role in a tennis match (both score-wise and mental-wise). My impression is that a 2-hander gives players a slightly higher degree of control over the shot which I believe it's due to a firmer wrist. Think about all those beautiful down the line shots by players like Djokovic, Zverev, Fognini (pretty much all the top players) which are more about placing the ball rather than powering it through. On the flip side, a 1-hander with its wider range of motion can generate an incredible amount of racket speed which directly translates into powerful shots, which is what players like Thiem generally do. Feeling more control over your shot necessarily gives you more confidence which reduces the likelihood of falling back into a slice backhand because you are too afraid of it.

As someone who also plays Softball/baseball, two handed backhand feels like 'hitting/batting' a ball from the wrong side. I could never get it to work for that reason. That's why I have stuck with one handed backhand

As someone who played with two hands in college, I switched to one hand after leaving. ( Admittedly because you're not gonna train this hard, hit as many balls, get involved in as much match play… it took forever to hit as well or feel as confident with it.) My rational was this… With one hand you save a step hitting a backhand Low shots are easier with one hand Volume is easier with one hand.

with regards to the grip change: I'm pretty close to using a full western grip on my forehand. When I set up to hit a OH backhand, I turn the racket with my left hand out of habit but really, the grip for the backhand is not that different. Maybe I'm just comfortable holding the racket like a frying pan but I've always that that instead of thinking that I need to rotate the racket all the way clockwise to get to the BH grip, I could also just rotate is counter-clockwise a little to get to my BH grip. Is it crazy that I can essentially hit topspin forehands and backhands with the same western grip?

im going to switch to a one hander because even though i can hit very well with it when im practicing with someone or at the wall, when i am playing a match i get SO tense and strangulating the racquet very hard, not to mention i am always misstiming my shots (too early). I have tried to loosen up for almost 10 years now but it seems i cant get past this psychological barrier. Sometimes when i hit a one hander even though it doesnt have the consistency of the 2 hander it feels alot more natural. I used to play as a kid 6 times a week 2hrs a day for about 5 years.

i play socially and uses one hander. i have tried 2 hander and if i were to work on w the same time on my one hander, i am sure it will be more consistent than a one hander. but i just enjoy the one hander so much more! now i do an inbetween...that i start with a 2 hander and let go of the left hand only after i hit the ball and follow thru w the masterhand. cos i find the part where the left hand crosses the body very awkard so i let go before that happens

It is interesting that for most of the open era, players with 2-handers were mostly limited to hitting a 2-hander, but during the Big 4 era, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray all have good slice backhands in addition to their 2-handers. I wonder if that was just a matter of natural adaptation to playing styles, or an explicit decision they worked to develop.

Great Conversation.. I switched from two to one few years ago. Better reach and I feel like it's easier to hit high balls which is odd I guess... Always felt tied up and restricted and less maneuverable with two hands on racquet. Maybe just me.. Oh and switching between grips.. Don't forget it is closer to go the other way! (from semi-western to eastern). Only seen one pro do it and I haven't tried it on court. But sitting at home it's really easy and quick! Food for thought.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

hmmmm never thought about the other way on the switcharoo. Ill give it a try next time im on court

@amengyang

3 жыл бұрын

I have an Eastern grip on the forehead side. That's the way I switch to a backhand grip. You use the same face of the racket to hit the ball.

I started out with a one handed backhand then later learned a two handed stroke. I find that they each have strengths and weaknesses. On a high ball on the backhand side if I'm not too rushed, stepping in and catching it on the rise is not difficult with a two hander, whereas hitting a backhand on the run is a lot easier with a one handed backhand. I return serve with a two hander unless it's too wide, then I switch to a one handed stroke. Since I do this regularly, I know almost instantly how to handle any ball. I do what is the easiest and this keeps my consistency at a good level.

I bluntly refused all my coaches to give up the one-hand backhand and am proud of that today. It is important that coaches teach not how a shot looks but why it looks like that, more so on the one-hander just because everything needs to be right all the time to get it right.

@helmeteye

3 жыл бұрын

They don't teach planting that front leg.

I switched from a 1HBH to a 2HBH. Took up tennis as an adult without ever touching a tennis racquet until I was in my late 30s. Learned and kept the 1HBH for almost 2 years. Couldn't get the results I wanted. Tried out the 2HBH and immediate improvement in quality and consistency. So, to add a whole other degree of oddness, two months after switching to a 2HBH, I also switched to a 2HFH. Yes, a 2HFH. Immediate improvement in my game. After about 4+ months, I've got great topspin on it. I get more pace and consistency than my 1HFH did. Don't think I'll be changing back as I'm really happy with it and see it getting better faster than my 1H shots ever did. Toodles!

The switch from a semi-western forehand to an eastern backhand is a long way around, but it's also just a notch away. Like Mark said, most people use the non-dominant hand to switch to an eastern backhand grip, but it's also possible to shift it a notch the other way. A third way of switching is not to switch at all, at least on the return of serve. I believe it was Almegro who used to have a somewhat extreme version of a semi-western grip on his return of serve that he used for both forehand and backhand.

@cldavis33

3 жыл бұрын

Beristegui (sp?!) had one grip for both sides, very extreme.

I found playing on clay improved my game gave you more time and touch play so unusually I use single and double handed normally I go for single but if I am not to a ball on time I find double hander gets me out of trouble

I find that eastern FH grip is the most versatile and easiest to switch when going to the BH. Eastern allows you to hit topspin when needed, but also flat. Players make it work, but I have no clue how anyone with a western FH is able to hit a low ball. I use a 2HBH, but I've fooled around with a 1 handed BH drive since my youth. I do use the 1 handed slice BH often. I still am unable to generate topspin on a 1 hander, but that is kind of a moot point since I don't use it in matches.

Great video Mark! do you have Philippine roots? I'm from QC, Philippines. Can you also talk about rackets specifically for single and two handed backhands. I tried Rafa's racket the old aero, it's quite difficult for a one hander bh like me Maybe it's all in the mind. But the pure strike suits me, I use a one handed backhand. Any thoughts? Thanks

I was a one hander and later converted to a two hand. I noticed that I started getting lower back pains more often. I switched back to a one hander and the discomforting pain slowly went away.

@JSteezy

3 жыл бұрын

I feel this. I'm young so it's not an issue and I use both but I can tell that the rotation and posture of the 2 can rub your body the wrong way. Even if you're doing everything right. I think it's going to stress that part of your body a little more. But they each stress different things. Pros and cons...

@alborzajeli768

3 жыл бұрын

@@JSteezy pretty much.. I'd put Andy Murray's hip issues down to that very notion! I'm a one-hander myself and always found it a lot more smooth and comfortable, with the flip side being that if you start whipping the arm/elbow instead opening the body and rotating with the hips and shoulders, you will almost certain develop tennis elbow or some other elbow based issue. My right elbow was killing me in the early days, but once I got the technique down and motion working, it never bothered me again. Now it's the most deadly shot in my arsenal, and I'm so glad I stuck it out. It takes a LOT of time and patience to develop, probably a little more than the two-hander, but it's well worth it in the end.

I have switched from a one hander to a two. I hurt my wrist, then went to a two. I now use kinda of a blend

Interesting to hear you guys say that the two hander is mechanically simpler and easier to teach. As a child growing up and teaching myself tennis I defaulted' to a one hander because I couldn't figure out the mechanics of two hander at all. I wouldn't change it for the world now!

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

:)

I switched from one-handed backhand to two-handed to reduce some wrist issues (minor ulnar abutment) at age 28. The two-handed works much better for me because of my counterpunching/consistency-based playing style. One aspect you didn't discuss is that two-handed is much better for blocking/half-volleying deep balls because of the short backswing, while one-handed produces a lot more topspin due to faster swingspeed/longer wingspan.

Talking about Baghdatis backhand. Janko Tipsarevic had also beautiful and huge two handed backhand.

The one hander vs the two hander is always an interesting topic. A lot of pros and cons but I would like to make a point. I also read that Sampras's coach make him switch to a one hander as he believed tennis players back in the late 80's early 90's couldn't win Wimbledon with a two handed backhand as grass wast and hard courts back in the day were faster than of today and favored the serve and volley an attacking the game finishing points very quickly...then he became the king of tennis winning 14 grand slams then came along federer with a similar style of play but perfected it winning major after major until around 2006. As hard courts were becoming slower. even Wimbledon was becoming slower. Clay was slow and Nadal came into play with a two handed backhand and tonnes of top spin on his forehand would play this shot all the time towards Federer's backhand as the huge amount of top spin would bounce up high towards Federer's one hander causing problems on slower courts especially clay. I feel if federer mad e an adjustment to his game or switched to a two hander he would have won more french opens and more grand slams. Later in his career he had made a change by hitting his backhand on the rise which destroyed Nadal in 2017 Indian wells and he started winning majors again but it is a bity too late. But Nadal Djokovic and Murray all favored the slower courts and became better at defending. My point is would two handed backhand suit slower courts better than a one hander to counter act the amount of top spin towards your backhand and serve and volley is quite rare these days due to slower courts a snot everyone can make adjustment to shots like Roger Federer. He has also change his forehand over the last decade to suit slower courts.

I was a big fan of Pete Sampras growing up so I’ve always had a one hander. Many MANY coaches tried to force me to switch but I never did. (Especially because you don’t see any women on the pro circuit use a 1HBH, but look at Henin!) It’s just what I imagine when I think of a “tennis player” and it’s always felt natural, even when I made the switch from a continental to a full eastern grip in my teens. Great discussion!

For Ian, I am wondering why you don't rotate the racquet from semi-wester to eastern backhand ... the shortest way, i.e., one eighth of a rotation counterclockwise. Is there anything wrong with hitting the ball on the same side of the racquet for both forehand and backhand. I use a western forehand and an eastern backhand. Essentially, I do not change my hand position when moving from a forehand to backhand shot.

One-hander like Mark (4.5 too but nowhere near Mark's level!) I tried two-hander and just wasn't natural at all as a former competitive table tennis player. If I had one suggestion to Mark, it would be to get more angle on the backhand. the vast majority I see are parallel the the sidelines. It is a strong shot but could open up the court more with some angle. Take it for what it is worth, just something that always jumps out at me when I watch you play. And of course I watch because I like your game.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

Yes i need more height/arc on the backhand wing!

I use 1hbh mainly because it has great reach and control, but I can put a bit more pace into my 2hbh, so I use it in some scenarios. It is nice to be at least sort of comfortable with both - I imagine that 2h players would like to have the 1h reach available once in a while.

I have changed from 1 handed to 2 handed simply because of strength issues. Now that I'm older and have built up my muscles I will randomly hit a one hander and it is so easy while the two hander is hard but doesn't let me down. I'm not sure what to do at this point. 😭😂😂

When I started playing tennis decades ago I learned to hit the backhand slice from an English woman. It came naturally to me then I learned how to drive the ball with a one handed backhand. In time I learned to hit a one handed topspin backhand. I actually liked hitting the backhand more than the forehand. My forehand is stronger than the backhand but my backhand is the steadier shot but I like putting the ball away with the forehand.

@MarkSansait

3 жыл бұрын

ONE HANDERS FOREVER!

@theroadrunnerjarhead4109

3 жыл бұрын

@@MarkSansait always