Interactive Forum May 2024: Iga Swiatek Backhand

[johnyandell]

Iga Swiatek Backhand

So here is Iga’s backhand. What do you say about her preparation? Her hitting arm structure? Stances? Is it a good model? Tell us in the Forum!

[tennishans 50]

• Well it is not the optimal hitting movement for the body
• no flip of the racquet head, as it has to be above her hands(Rick Massi)
• racquet is behind the back and not away from the body
• arms too close to the body, so she does not utilise her shoulder muscles
• not have free movement of arms and shoulders to increase power and spin
• not using the big muscles much
• but she is hitting the ball well

[johnyandell]

All good points! But actually think her backhand is better technically than her forehand and serve...

[jimlosaltos]

All good points! But actually think her backhand is better technically than her forehand and serve...

Really! I'd always thought her backhand was under-rated, overshadowed by her forehand.

The one thing that stands out to this amateur is her extreme follow throughs. How many people hit a backhand where the racket head ends at their left hip?

[estrecke]

I agree, I think technically her backhand is very sound. If she was 11 years old and I was coaching her the only small adjustment I would try to "fix" would be to get her elbows higher at the completion of her swing. In my humble opinion, if you follow her right elbow from beginning to end, sometime the right elbow barely moves, so extension suffers. However, honestly, I would trade my backhand for hers in a heart beat!!!!