Dr. Brian Gordon | Evolution of the Two-Handed Backhand: Part 2

[giancarlo]

Let’s continue the conversation on Brian’s Part 2 article on the evolution of the two-handed backhand.

It’s fascinating to see how willing Alcaraz is to tinker with his swing during the season. At the Monte Carlo Open, he was asked about his technical changes, and here’s what he said:

“Well, I think tennis players—or just myself—I try to change just a few things. I’m seeing a lot of players whose backhands I really like. So I try to see how I can do it, or how I can copy that.

“The reason behind it was just that I started to change the movement a little bit, the technique—starting a little lower. I felt like I could play with more topspin, and the shot was safer for me. So I started that, I loved it, and I kept it.” (Source here).

When was the last time you remember a top-three player making significant technical changes in the middle of a season? I can think of Michael Stich in 1996, when Sven Groenefeld changed his forehand in just two weeks—and Stich went on to make a run to the Roland Garros final (more on that in a forthcoming article).

[seano]

Does anyone have slo-mo video of the 2025 French Open version of Alcaraz's 2 handed backhand? Would like a full comparison of all the versions, especially his latest backhand takeback.

[seano]

I really enjoyed reading such a comprehensive explanation of the various takebacks and how they affect the forward swing. The importance of the straight upper arm at contact and it's ability to create vertical racquet head speed with ISR. Never really thought about straight vs. bent lower arm and how the straight lower arm could limit the spin component but It makes total sense. I've always been very technically oriented in my teaching and this just gives me more knowledge, love it. Great article.

[giancarlo]

Does anyone have slo-mo video of the 2025 French Open version of Alcaraz's 2 handed backhand? Would like a full comparison of all the versions, especially his latest backhand takeback.

We need to source it.

[don_budge]

It’s fascinating to see how willing Alcaraz is to tinker with his swing during the season. At the Monte Carlo Open, he was asked about his technical changes, and here’s what he said:

“Well, I think tennis players—or just myself—I try to change just a few things. I’m seeing a lot of players whose backhands I really like. So I try to see how I can do it, or how I can copy that.

When was the last time you remember a top-three player making significant technical changes in the middle of a season? I can think of Michael Stich in 1996, when Sven Groenefeld changed his forehand in just two weeks—and Stich went on to make a run to the Roland Garros final (more on that in a forthcoming article).

giancarlo...such an interesting evaluation of the modern mind in modern tennis players. I believe it is fascinating too that Alcarez is commenting on a singular change he has made to his game. Could it be that the game has been so dumbed down that players are so over-coached that they aren't thinking much at all? I remember playing competitively and always in in process of making subtle changes. Mimicking Ilie Nastase's serve one month and John McEnroe's the next. A constant and ongoing process. Always evaluating how to better execute volleys and trying to generate more spin on my backhand. Guillermo Vilas burst on the scene with his top spin backhand...I remember how much Don Budge loved it at the Washington Star tournament.

I know that Roger Federer had his racquet in his hotel room at nights and he was looking in the mirror at his strokes...trying to eek out just a bit more. Studying his service motion and wondering "if I just make this little tweak". Yesterday's players didn't have the luxury or the liability of traveling with a coach and a team of "experts". They had to more or less figure it out on their own. It's amazing that when looking at these players and their form how beautiful and flowing the strokes and service motions were. Todays players in comparison look robotic and as if they are playing a game similar to "painting by numbers"...if you know what I mean.

I've always been very technically oriented in my teaching...

Yeah...no kidding seano. You are very good at it too. I can appreciate the importance of fundamentally good technique. Gimmicks and fads will always fade with time. They aren't sustainable. I was always very tactical in my coaching...that technique was only an end by the means. The means being the tactics. Tennis was always a blend of science, art, philosophy and warfare. Among other things. Even politics? Fighting skills. If a tweak in technique helps you to discover another way to exploit your opponents weakness then by all means...implement. A game of relative weaknesses and strengths played against an opponent of similar puzzles in their own game. I believe that a lot of the creative aspect of the thinking process has been engineered out of the game via equipment and court conditions.

[seano]

DB -

I vividly remember going to the Washington Star tournament and watching Vilas hit his backhand. As a kid, I had frame by frame pictures of Vilas's backhand taped to my bedroom wall. I believe from a World Tennis or Tennis magazine article. Vilas's serve and forehand left much to be desired but I loved his topspin backhand. It's probably why I have a one handed backhand.
I absolutely agree with you that biomechanically sound technique is a means to an end. The more solid your foundation is, the more tactical options you will have at your disposal.

[don_budge]

DB -

I vividly remember going to the Washington Star tournament and watching Vilas hit his backhand. As a kid, I had frame by frame pictures of Vilas's backhand taped to my bedroom wall. I believe from a World Tennis or Tennis magazine article. Vilas's serve and forehand left much to be desired but I loved his topspin backhand. It's probably why I have a one handed backhand.
I absolutely agree with you that biomechanically sound technique is a means to an end. The more solid your foundation is, the more tactical options you will have at your disposal.

seano...what did the Vilas forehand and serve lack compared to his backhand? I don't think they were as aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It seems to me back then we never talked or discussed biomechanics. My coach used the term "fundamentals". We used to use the term "form" when talking about the look of a stroke. Vilas was just a beast...like a lot of the players of that era. His H2H against Connors was 4-5, McEnroe 6-8, Borg 5-17, Lendl 5-10, Panatta 7-2, Vitas Gerulaitis 6-6.

[seano]

DB -

Thinking of Guillermo Vilas has made me nostalgic for the tennis of my youth. I'm 65 now but the tennis era of the 70's and early 80's was a wonderful time to fall in love with the game. So many characters, wood racquets, "real grass", rivalries of Laver, Rosewall, Borg, Nastase, Vilas, Connors, McEnroe. One of my favorite matches of all time was when Vilas had that great summer with his win streak and his victory over Conners at the 1977 US Open. The big controversy that Vilas should have finished the year ranked Home Lots of fond memories. Recently, I went on ebay and purchased as many of the various racquets I played with growing up. The Head Vilas is one of my favorites. I believe that was one of the first racquets to incorporate graphite with wood.

Obviously, the lens that I look at their games now is much different than the lens I did back then. Back then, my impression was that Vilas was muscular with a huge left arm (similar to another of my favorites, Rocket Rod Laver) but could never overcome the hurdle of Bjorn Borg. Borg would always wear Vilas down in the biggest matches. To me, Vilas's backhand was a thing of beauty but it seemed like his serve and forehand wasn't up to snuff. For as big as he was, he didn't have the firepower to topple Borg. Looking at his strokes from my lens today, I see the deficiencies in his mechanics. Vilas had a wonderful career, winning 4 Grand Slam titles (2 on the Australian Open grass) great rivalries, coached by Ion Tiriac, who improved his serve and encouraged net play. It was heartbreaking for me to see the documentary on Vilas's decline from dementia at such a young age. Vilas was one of the tennis greats and will always be one of my favorite players.