Interactive Forum: March 2008 The Spanish Forehand

[uspta146749877]

What is an answer?

Maybe it's a trick question, or maybe there are some things that are "Spanish."

Or maybe some common elements are more "common" among the Spanish players--although used at times and/or to lesser extent by the rest of the top players.

One thing I think the Spanish players were early on is.....????

I have an answer in mind--anyone else have the same idea?

What is an answer to your question above?

[johnyandell]

To me it's the heavy use of the hand and arm rotation. Yes you can find examples of probably every variation of the strokes in the history of the game. But these guys were among the first in the modern game with the modern rackets to hit heavy spin with heavy wipers from predominately inside positions. And make that their basic game.

[crosscourt]

To me it's what they do with their elbows. I always think that Moya in particular has a starting position for his elbow and a finishing position for it and the movement of his elbow almost leads the stroke. It keeps his arm and body compact and generates big racket head speed without the hand and forearm having to work. This makes the stroke very solid.

[EricMatuszewski]

The 1994 French Open final and it's place in stroke evolution

The advent of the "I'm gonna hit a forehand no matter what" philosophy was in full force in the 1994 all Spanish French open final between Bruguera and Beresetegui.

Although, Courier and Muster before them had employed this plan to good effect with modern rackets on clay courts, I think for the evolution of the stroke, that 1994 Final was really a landmark event and a showcase that greatly influenced the wave of Spanish juniors who would dominate the clay court circuit later.

But in addition to selling the clay court world on the game plan. The Spaniards in the final showcased new variations on the forehand that were talking about today.

If you can watch any footage of Beresetegui on youtube you'll see a characteristic low finish with the racket ending near the hip level. This low finish has gotten alot of attention lately due to Federer's penchant for it.

When viewing this months clips, notice where all the finishes are. . .

There much closer to the hip level than the "over the shoulder" style.

If I'd have to say that there was a characteristic that was "Spanish" I'd have to say that this was probably it.

Around 2002, I remember watching Ferrero take apart Marat Safin at the French in the semi's on a broadcast in which Patrick McEnroe noticed this lower ending for what seemed to be the first time and made a big deal about it on air, noting how much spin and pace seemed to be added to the ball. They played it over in slow motion as he commented. Cliff Drysdale complemented him for being so observant.

The replay of the out of the air shot happens to be posted on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywcdcRvuCM

It's a foreign so you miss the commentary from P.Mac.

10 years earlier, this might have inspired comment, however a more obvious idiosyncracy got all of the attention.

Commentators, bewildered by Beresetegui's grip and the fact that he hit his forehand and backhand with the same side of the racket, ignored the low finish that would survive and get handed down to the next wave of players.

But the low finish wasn't that finals only contribution to the future players.

You'll also see Bruguera frequently finish above his head, ala what Nadal and Sharapova had been getting alot of attention for in the last couple years.

Spanish coaches and players knew the spin advantage that these techniques created but it wasn't until years later that we would quantify it all thanks to the Advanced tennis Research project which our own John Yandell was a part of.


Happy sliding on the clay,
Eric Matuszewski

[uspta146749877]

A forehand of Nadal

The advent of the "I'm gonna hit a forehand no matter what" philosophy was in full force in the 1994 all Spanish French open final between Bruguera and Beresetegui.

Although, Courier and Muster before them had employed this plan to good effect with modern rackets on clay courts, I think for the evolution of the stroke, that 1994 Final was really a landmark event and a showcase that greatly influenced the wave of Spanish juniors who would dominate the clay court circuit later.

But in addition to selling the clay court world on the game plan. The Spaniards in the final showcased new variations on the forehand that were talking about today.

If you can watch any footage of Beresetegui on youtube you'll see a characteristic low finish with the racket ending near the hip level. This low finish has gotten alot of attention lately due to Federer's penchant for it.

When viewing this months clips, notice where all the finishes are. . .

There much closer to the hip level than the "over the shoulder" style.

If I'd have to say that there was a characteristic that was "Spanish" I'd have to say that this was probably it.

Around 2002, I remember watching Ferrero take apart Marat Safin at the French in the semi's on a broadcast in which Patrick McEnroe noticed this lower ending for what seemed to be the first time and made a big deal about it on air, noting how much spin and pace seemed to be added to the ball. They played it over in slow motion as he commented. Cliff Drysdale complemented him for being so observant.

The replay of the out of the air shot happens to be posted on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywcdcRvuCM

It's a foreign so you miss the commentary from P.Mac.

10 years earlier, this might have inspired comment, however a more obvious idiosyncracy got all of the attention.

Commentators, bewildered by Beresetegui's grip and the fact that he hit his forehand and backhand with the same side of the racket, ignored the low finish that would survive and get handed down to the next wave of players.

But the low finish wasn't that finals only contribution to the future players.

You'll also see Bruguera frequently finish above his head, ala what Nadal and Sharapova had been getting alot of attention for in the last couple years.

Spanish coaches and players knew the spin advantage that these techniques created but it wasn't until years later that we would quantify it all thanks to the Advanced tennis Research project which our own John Yandell was a part of.


Happy sliding on the clay,
Eric Matuszewski

see

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/20...LLS_ILLUS.html