The Two-Handed Backhand: Hand and Arm Rotation

The role of hand and arm rotation on the two-hander is unrecognized and misunderstood.

In the article on the 4 variations in the modern two-handed backhand, we saw how the hands and arms are configured with different grip combinations and in different hitting shapes. (Click Here.) We also saw that there was a difference between the men and the women. Most of the men hit with a somewhat stronger grip with the bottom hand, and come through with the back arm straight. The women hit with the rear arm bent, a hitting arm position similar to the forehand. In general the grips held by the women were somewhat weaker. In the extreme case, Venus Williams, for example, this can somewhere in between a continental and eastern forehand.

The Role of Rotation

Now let’s look at the rotation of the hands and arms, another important and interrelated element on the two-hander. One of the most widely misunderstood elements on the two-hander is the common tendency of top players to drop the racket head at an angle well below the ball at the start of the forward swing.

What is happening when the racket tip points down at the start of the…