The Perfect One-Handed Backhand Swing

Discover the perfect one-handed backhand swing
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Facebook: / tpatennisjust whipped up a little poem for you:
In tennis, seek to find your way,
An effortless backhand, we'll display,
Listen closely to your body's cue,
Though it may crave beer, our focus is true.
Swing the racket round, let your senses align,
Two rackets we'll use, for a lesson that's fine,
Imagine their weight, in this exercise bold,
To guide you with wisdom, a story unfolds.
Bend your arm slightly, let momentum take flight,
Effortlessly, gracefully, harness the right,
Position and power, the secret's at hand,
As your body instructs, help you understand.
At the end of your swing, the magic is clear,
Bend the elbow with grace, relieve any fear,
The wrist returns to its neutral embrace,
A symphony of motion, a dance of pure grace.
Finish inside the hand, a firm, sturdy hold,
For control and precision, a story unfolds,
A confident brake system, a masterstroke true,
Empowering your shot, as you master the cue.
Now, in the realm of backhands, Stan's name is revered,
A powerful model, but not for the seared,
Average tennis player, it may seem quite rough,
For the strength it demands, can sometimes be tough.
Richard Gasquet's style, a graceful ballet,
Effortless and smooth, in a unique display,
A choice for the masses, to replicate and learn,
For a textbook backhand, with much to discern.
Tell me, who do you think, has the finest one-handed stroke,
In the realm of tennis, where legends evoke,
Debate and discussion, who's the one to admire,
In this grand tennis world, where champions aspire?

[@TomAllsopp]

Wawrinka or Gasquet - Best backhand ever Tommy Haas - Best one-hander to copy Gasquet just didn't have any other great shots or attributes but his backhand is amazing

[@johnddwyer]

Nicholas Almagro. I saw him play years ago and he's got a great one hander. Haas is really great. We can't forget Roger.

[@TomAllsopp]

Yes. Almagro had a great one! Great call

[@SawyerQuinn]

I agree with you 100%. Tommy if you copy a shot because it's Technically so good. Gasquet is the one I teach though because I think it is the best ever. It allows for the most variety, which teaches a player how to command the ball. You can spin it short and wide, or high and deep. You can crush it like a cave man, or flash it around like a swordsman. I think if people saw the matches between Gasquet and Wawrinka at the French and Wimbledon that they'd have more appreciation for the Gasquet backhand.

[@quintontemby2220]

The way I read it is Wawrinka is turning his hips into the shot to generate greater power and his end follow through position is just the result of his faster velocity. In great contrast to Federer, who rotates less and hits more side on. I've never seen a good explanation of the pros and cons of the each style but rotating more obviously generates more power.

[@dom4639]

Best tennis site by far!

[@TomAllsopp]

Thanks!

[@PTP4747]

gasquet - best 1hbh to watch and imitate. just so natural. i've been liking grigor's as well.

[@dockerface]

I started learning my OHBH about 20 years ago copying Federer - to most people, my technique looked good, sometimes coaches would tell their students to copy me. But internally, the stroke was all messed up, mechanical, soulless. Over the past few years, I studied the fundamentals and slowly learned the "internal" part of the stroke - the right level of relaxation, hip and torso rotation timing, the drop, the shoulder rotation, loading and unloading of the wrist. It's all very subtle and has to be your own. We need to take fundamentals, many checkpoints, and turn them into a smooth, flowing "story" of your stroke. Listen to your body - that is a wonderful advice from Tom.

[@TomAllsopp]

I find the Federer grip is a little too Eastern and players struggle with high balls with that grip. Aussie open final against Nadal was the best display of backhands I've seen but he had to take the ball so early.

[@johnddwyer]

@@TomAllsopp I think Ivan Ljubicic who has a great one handed backhand had a lot to do with Federer's Australian win in 2017 against Nadal. Yes, he took it way early but Nadal's strategy of all time against Federer was to hit to Fed's backhand. I think Ivan helped Federer neutralize this strategy.

[@lv3685]

I was hooked at the beer joke. But apart form that, these are excellent tutorials - look forward to testing the backhand this evening.

[@normanashbrooke3345]

Hello, Great video on the one handed backhand. All of the players mentioned from Henin to Wawrinka have superlative backhands. I believe that in order to have an excellent one handed backhand, a player must be somewhat ambidextrous. For a right handed player the left hand must play a vital role in preparing the racket. The left hand also needs to stay on the racket during the initial start of the forward swing. Most players tend to release the left hand too early. Some coaches have described the one handed backhand as the one and a half backhand because the left hand is so vitally important. If we look back in time to two of the greatest one handers in tennis history, we must acknowledge Ken Rosewall and Don Budge. Both men were ambidextrous, Rosewall was actually a left handed person who played right handed tennis. Much like Nadal who is right handed and plays left handed. Don Budge played baseball as a kid and batted left handed. When he took up tennis, he used his left handed batters swing for his tennis backhand. He went from a two handed backhand to an incredible one hander. Pete Sampras did the exact same thing. I believe that the non racket hand must be extremely well coordinated in order to have a great one hander. This is the major reason why all of the best players started playing tennis at a very young age, very young children are ambidextrous by nature.

[@fatunga1]

Thanks for making it simple, Tom. Justine Henin had a rock-solid backhand that rarely if ever broke down, and it closely conforms to your model. Sometimes she hit the brakes early, stopping with her arm extended toward the net, especially when going down the line or inside out. Sampras and Fed did that too. I suspect that analyzing that variation might be illuminating.

[@mayabergom]

Yes, Henin's was SO good!

[@theoneandonly926]

@@mayabergom henins will always be my favorite of all time! its just so perfect.

[@s41magazine37]

Almagro's backhand was wonderful. He also uses the same side of the racket to return serve on both forehand and backhand, no grip change required. If you pull the racket back with your left elbow it helps you keep the racket vertical and creates space between your body and your arm. :)

[@TomAllsopp]

Yes, Almagro had one of the most technically sound backhands. He was very slow around the court compared to the greats though. Thats what held him back.

[@mauricecatayan3406]

The Allsopp backhand is the perfect model to copy.

[@mayabergom]

Thanks, Tom. Yep, my backhand got SO much better after you recommended this change.

[@spooky1304]

I copy Stan and its really working for me - I love the way the momentum of the racket pulls my hand over at the end: it means you had a good swing path.

[@Rick-si2fj]

Dominic Thiem has the best OHB to watch and copy. I like how long he supports his stroke with non-dominant hand. Any input on that part of the swing?

[@Luciano-zy1sy]

I think Tommy Robredo has a great backhand that is worth to be copied. I like the clear upward swing path and the early hitting point.

[@TomAllsopp]

Great call

[@johnddwyer]

Yeah Robredo's one hander is really great. I saw both him and Almagro when they were playing at Indian Wells around 10 years ago. I was on one of small outside courts and was right next to each player. It was a real treat!! I think the one handed backhand is a pretty shot.

[@sarkology]

Great vid. Agree. I think Gasquet is the best to copy, including the grip. More modern grips allow players to handle high balls easily and even better than a 2 hander. I switched from a 2HBH and it used to be my best shot. Now I can handle high balls better and have more range out wide too. Low balls easier too. Less energy spent less steps. Grip change easier. More spin more power. Handling pace is the only thing that’s more difficult for me. And also tend to over rotate like a 2 hander.

[@zhichengzhao5907]

Dimitrov's backhand is my favorable.

[@kadivikram]

Wawrnika - Best backhand ever Ivan Lendl - Best to copy

[@martianmatters]

Justine & Gustavo effortless

[@tennis47]

To me, it is up to your grip: 1. Eastern : Federer . 2 semi-western: Gasquet 3. Between: Wawarinka or Thiem

[@mauricecatayan3406]

So many great/pretty backhands to study. Boris Becker Tomas Muster Richard Krajicek Felix Mantilla Alex Corretja Mark Philippoussis Gustavo Kuerten Sampras Tommy Haas Federer Wawrinka Tsitsipas

[@at1838]

Great tip about the natural brake! My vote would be Gasq & Almagro. I think Gasquet’s forehand was his problem. It was almost like a Continental grip FH which made his stroke too long & loopy.

[@andrewhwang8951]

Best to copy: Gregor Dimitrov. His is the most graceful and so technically sound even if I don’t think it’s as big of a weapon as a Gasquet (too extreme a grip for average player) or Stan (opens shoulders too much; all the stuff already said).

[@jamesking6030]

Stfan Edberg - most graceful and he finished in that strong position you talked about

[@ae-jf3mb]

a good to copy is/was e.g. Pablo Cuevas or Gasto Gaudio. These are the ones to copy also for amateurs imho.

[@dvornikdanijel]

Guga (Gustavo Kuerten)had an amazing backhand Wawrinka also Ivan Ljubicic

[@daynesymons2843]

Nicholas Almagro hands down he can hit it from anywhere. Like your explanation makes sense listen to your wrists

[@itsdubc8550]

My 2 cents: Stan's backhand is the most formidable due to his strength and ability to read the ball early. Grigor's looks the best (insane pectoral stretch when he spreads his wings at follow-through). Robredo's is the most textbook example that doesn't require elite-level fitness or exceptional talent to be effective, so I think it's the best to model after for us mortals

[@mauricecatayan3406]

Sometimes, it's poor timing and/or an improper contact point that screw up the stroke.

[@sarkology]

Gasquet ane Guga have the best one hander technique IMO, and no issues with high balls and tons of spin. Stan’s may be the best but I think that’s just his incredible ability not necessarily the most effective technique. I think Federer’s technique is limited because of his grip. Can’t handle high balls well and had to compensate by taking them early. Guga and Gasquet and all the one hander clay guys have modern grips that handle balls above the shoulder even better than 2 handers. They can send high heavy balls the same way they came in.

[@yakzivz1104]

Gasquet, Wawrinka, Dimitrov, and Musetti.

[@TomAllsopp]

I’d not seen much of Musetti’s but yes it looks great

[@emmanuelbuenviaje6564]

Federer and Henin

[@BobInKC]

The best is Wawrinka. IMO, you shouldn't copy but instead learn the fundamentals and develop your own.

[@TomAllsopp]

All I did growing up was imitate pros

[@BobInKC]

@@TomAllsopp probably why you’re a great coach and I’m just an idiot rec player.

[@TomAllsopp]

Nah haha. You have a point. People copying the Federer forehand goes wrong 90% of the time. But also imitating is good for developing skills and discovering new things. Ultimately I agree, develop your own game.

[@brettteeter3461]

Justine Henin had, IMO, the best OHB.

[@BobInKC]

@@brettteeter3461 nice pick, Justine’s was great!

[@011950194]

For me Shapovalov is best but need very flexible body.

[@pintadotennistraining1513]

Roger Federer