Interactive Forum: June 2013: Marcelo Rios Forehand

[johnyandell]

Marcelo Rios Forehand

He was number one for a minute, never won a Slam, but was a fascinating, ultra talented, mercurial player. And here by subscriber request is his forehand in high speed video from 1997--our first ever high speed filming. The shocking thing is how modern this stroke looks with a lot of the characteristics Brian Gordon has described as the ATP forehand. At the time, I thought he just had a great compact motion--turns out Marcelo was feeling that stretch shorten cycle! Enjoy and let's hear your analysis.

[johnyandell]

Quicktime version

Marcelo Rios Forehand

[jasonfrausto]

Nice footage! Interesting to seem him doing this 16 years ago as well as others. IMO, it was a result of coaching many players to keep the racquet from "going behind them". Even without hitting all the checkpoints you can achieve an SSC as shown in the footage.

How long did it take you to dig this up?

His grip doesn't look as old school as I thought it was, definitely looks closer to eastern/semi western.

[julian1]

The Quick Time video comes blank

The Quick Time video comes blank

[johnyandell]

I am seeing it fine--anyone else with a problem???

[stroke]

I agree with John completely. Before the Brian Gordon articles, I would just have felt he had a very compact forehand. It certainly looks like a type 3 to me. It reminds me a lot of Aaron Krickstein's, a kind of mild type 3 without the complete off arm stretch in the unit/shoulder turn.

[johnyandell]

I had a reel of some of the 97 Open high speed footage and there he was. Watch out his backhand is next--and then Bruguera's forehand. That may surprise you...

This was a small part of that filming, the first live high speed footage every recorded in live tournament play...

[stroke]

Really looking forward to the breakdown of the Bruguera forehand. As I am sure we all remember, he had a very high rpm forehand, sort of a pre Nadal, right handed version. It was the main reason for his French Open titles.

[10splayer]

Thanks to Yandell for the video. In spite of my slight contempt in regards to his attitude, he was one of my fav's to watch. Could do just about anything he wanted with the ball.

I was actually surprised to see how little SSC he achieved on his forehand. I remember him being compact, (which is generally a characteristic) but, even with his mild SW (least that's what it looks like), the racquet is not very closed at the moment of the pull. In fact, it's almost on edge. Not that much rotation/counter rotation.

The big caveat being that all these balls look like "drive" forehands.

[stotty]

Thanks to Yandell for the video. In spite of my slight contempt in regards to his attitude, he was one of my fav's to watch. Could do just about anything he wanted with the ball.

I was actually surprised to see how little SSC he achieved on his forehand. I remember him being compact, (which is generally a characteristic) but, even with his mild SW (least that's what it looks like), the racquet is not very closed at the moment of the pull. In fact, it's almost on edge. Not that much rotation/counter rotation.

The big caveat being that all these balls look like "drive" forehands.

I think if a player takes the racket back in a loop, even a slight one, then it often seems to generate some SCC if only a little. Some mild counter rotation seems to take place. I think that's what happens with Rios. This is unlike Connors and Mac who just draw the racket straight back. Rios certainly doesn't achieve a classic outside backswing position demonstrated in the Rick Macci video.

Rios was a phenomenal talent who had more feel than most who have ever played the game...lovely to watch.

[jeffreycounts]

In spite of my slight contempt in regards to his attitude, he was one of my fav's to watch.

I'd say more than slight for me - he was a jerk. And not in an entertaining way like McEnroe. I think Gulbis is along the same lines - talented (no genius like Rios though) but spoiled and obnoxious.

[10splayer]

I'd say more than slight for me - he was a jerk. And not in an entertaining way like McEnroe. I think Gulbis is along the same lines - talented (no genius like Rios though) but spoiled and obnoxious.

very true

[johnyandell]

And now wishing he'd tried a little harder when he had the rare chance...