The Two-Handed Backhand: The 4 Variations: Page 2

Agassi maintains the triangle shape on high balls.

Shoulders

Besides the straight arms, this variation has one other defining feature. This is the variation in the tilt of the shoulders at contact. With both arms straight, the shoulders can be level, but the front shoulder can also be higher, especially on lower balls. . At contact, Agassi’s front shoulder is higher on most balls waist level or lower. It’s the same for Courier. Kafelnikov’s shoulders are more level at contact, but he also dips his front shoulder further forward at the start of the foreswing. As we’ll see, this is different than some of the other versions where the rear shoulder is higher.

This shoulder tilt is actually similar to what the top one-handers do on some balls, and another indicator of the role of the front arm in the stroke. But it’s less a prescription for how to teach the shot, and more a way to recognize the variation a particular player may be hitting.

Dementieva and Ferrero hit with a Flex in both arms.

Interestingly, the straight arms version has some of the same advantages and limitations as the one hander. Like the one-handed topspin backhand, it is…