The One Handed Topspin Backhand Part 1

The modern one-hander: beautiful, versatile, powerful.

I think it’s the most beautiful stroke in tennis: elegant, minimal, versatile, and deceptively powerful. I’m talking about the one-handed topspin backhand drive. I’ve always loved watching gifted players hit it, from Lew Hoad and Rod Laver to John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, and Boris Becker, to Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet.

I know that I’ve been looking forward to turning my attention to this gorgeous and misunderstood stroke, to breaking it down into its technical components using the Advanced Tennis high speed footage (Click Here), and explaining how to build a great one-handed backhand from the ground up. We’ve got an incredible data base of high speed footage that includes over a dozen of the best one-handers in the world, something you won’t find anywhere else in the world, so let’s get started.

Classic Versus Extreme

One of the main issues we’ll explore is the distinction between the so-called classic backhand and the more extreme version pioneered by players such as Gustavo Kuerten and Justine Henin-Hardenne. What are the differences and the similarities between the two styles and how they are used by the top one-handers, starting with the grips? What about the backswings,…