Pro Grips Turns To: Serves, Volleys, Drop Shots

[jimlosaltos]

The final episode in our second series of Tour Portraits on Pro Grip Technique covers Serves, Volleys and Dropshots with a wide range of examples from Federer to Alcaraz, from Sinner to Aryna.
Please click to see the album here.

I hope you're enjoyed and perhaps gotten something from this series. The earlier installments are:

Pro Forehand Grips
ATP/WTA Backhand Grips
WTA Forehand Grips

Here's one sample from this month's Tour Portrait, Carlos hitting his forehand drop shot.
Carlos, like Rafa, "chucks" or tosses his racket in one hand to switch to a more neutral grip for forehand drop shots.
I've always wondered why players can't read this -- given the excellent vision many top pros have -- and get a jump on it.

Alcaraz from BNP Paribas Indian Wells, (c)jfawcette

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[doctorhl]

The " one handed chuck" grip change.......part of Alcarez's success with disguising his forehand drop. I think Federer even "one hand chucked" rather than two hand manipulated his backhand drop at times ( easier grip chuck than forehand). Can you find close up footage of a forehand drop "chuck" in motion? I havent seen it addressed in instructional videos. It takes exceptional grip pressure and racket angle awareness and usually only works on incoming topspin. We have all seen it demonstrated when players are stretched out at net to hit an extremely low ball cross court drop, but it is much more difficult to do an upright, midcourt forehand drop.

[jimlosaltos]

The " one handed chuck" grip change.......part of Alcarez's success with disguising his forehand drop. I think Federer even "one hand chucked" rather than two hand manipulated his backhand drop at times ( easier grip chuck than forehand). Can you find close up footage of a forehand drop "chuck" in motion? I havent seen it addressed in instructional videos. It takes exceptional grip pressure and racket angle awareness and usually only works on incoming topspin. We have all seen it demonstrated when players are stretched out at net to hit an extremely low ball cross court drop, but it is much more difficult to do an upright, midcourt forehand drop.

Good question. I'll search but it will be a few days before I can. No guarantees!

[jimlosaltos]

The " one handed chuck" grip change.......part of Alcarez's success with disguising his forehand drop. I think Federer even "one hand chucked" rather than two hand manipulated his backhand drop at times ( easier grip chuck than forehand). Can you find close up footage of a forehand drop "chuck" in motion? I havent seen it addressed in instructional videos. It takes exceptional grip pressure and racket angle awareness and usually only works on incoming topspin. We have all seen it demonstrated when players are stretched out at net to hit an extremely low ball cross court drop, but it is much more difficult to do an upright, midcourt forehand drop.

Haven't had time to review these but might be something here>

Fed Vs Berdych

https://youtube.com/shorts/EPUtuvUMVvc?si=QuscyhaUFbpF4T18

Fed Vs Thiem

https://youtu.be/SMq8d_YyRNo?si=VxqJXxMYdhPZM99d

Hopman/ Zverev

https://youtu.be/FzjhhCWqJg4?si=RwZdbBIptCqEU4hH

And "that" forehand drop shot vs Sir Andy at W

https://youtu.be/ZFLTQTtk-q8?si=Q36r2KpbKMYZrRq4&t=107

[jimlosaltos]

I'm going to stick my neck out, exposing my ignorance, so please be tolerant.

Here's a shot of Sinner from this portrait, showing him with a split grip on a backhand volley. Not only is it split, but his off hand is all the way up on the throat.

After I saw this shot, I started looking for this grip and it wasn't a one off. Sinner appears, every so often, to use this motion/grip: On shots close to his body ( not like this photo), he pulls the racket back with his dominant right hand, causing the off hand to slide up to the throat, and blocks the ball with little motion.

Presumably two hands provides stability. Is this a thing? Is it unique or common? I don't recall anyone else doing this, even the small group that routinely volleys with two hands. Perhaps this technique helps when jammed to the backhand-hip, something harder for two handers than natural one- handers?

Thoughts?

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[stotty]

Never noticed Sinner doing this. It must be an occasional anomaly unique to him. I guess the bottomline is, does it work?