Originally posted by don_budge
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In this four minute video exchange between Roy Emerson and Peter Freeman we are offered a wealth of fundamental information on the DRIVE underspin backhand. I believe that calling this a slice backhand is a misnomer. It is a little misleading. Here is the transcript...if you read it carefully you will notice that Peter Freeman asks a key question that Roy Emerson answers perfectly...a perfect play if there is such a thing. Peter asks him how to drive with underspin to make the ball lay down and penetrate. Roy simply kills it...deep into the backhand corner with devilish placement and spin. Eastern backhand grip meeting the ball well out in front makes a world of sense considering the contact point and the intentions behind the shot.
Mr. Emerson's explanation is in the context of the question answered by Peter Freeman. The slice backhand has many permutations and derivatives...all with their wonderful subtlety of style and flair. The drive underspin backhand is one and the same that Kenny Rosewall used to pound his opponents into submission with. Of course it is only one small facet of the story...but it is rich in its simple folksy explanation. Leave it to a living legend...one of Hopman's protege's to deliver the goods on this vanishing shot. Perfectly Fundamentally Correct (FC).
Roy Emerson with Peter Freeman on the DRIVE underspin backhand
Peter Freeman: I’m here with tennis legend Roy Emerson. He’s won 28 Grand Slam titles. That is the most in men’s history so it is a real honor to be with him. This whole camp is amazing...it’s a fantasy camp at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch and there are over 150 Grand Slam titles among these guys. You get to hit with them, you get to be on their team and at night it’s so much fun I can’t even really tell you what happens...you are going to have to experience it for yourself.
But today we are here with a tip and he is here with one of his favorite shots which is a one hand slice backhand. Now...why did you like that shot so much and how did you mostly use it?
Roy Emerson: Well with a one handed slice it is great to rally from the baseline with the slice because you can keep the ball so deep...and once you get good depth on the ball...plus if you slice it with a good compact slice it skids which makes it difficult for your opponent to do much with that ball. Also you can use it for return of serve...if someone has a big serve, a slice or a block return on the backhand so you are not taking a huge swing. You can take the ball on the rise and if you hit it properly and it is a well produced stroke you never miss the ball.
Peter Freeman: What do you think the key to getting it driving...I find that myself and a lot of students I teach sometimes it floats too much. What’s the key to making it drive really nice?
Roy Emerson: Well...you’ve got to hit it well out in front and the position you should be hitting it is this far out in front...way out there. Now with the grip...you need to get the grip around so you are going to an eastern backhand grip. Spread your fingers out well across the racquet...spread...make sure you get some air between these two fingers so the fungus doesn’t grow. That helps you control the head of the racquet.
Now what I mean by way out in front...I mean way out in front. When you take the racquet back make sure that you take it back on the same level as ball and it is ideal to get a good shoulder turn and once you have a good shoulder turn keep the racquet face open so when you bring the racquet in (to the ball) you close it or depending on how much you want to slice it...but don’t get to high on the take back. You want to try and get right behind the ball.
Now once you start forward with the racquet...lock your wrist. Make your wrist firm. So from here it is into the contact...so bend, straighten (the arm) and you are way out in front and then the head of the racquet is what goes in the direction of what you want the the ball to go. So you are keeping your elbow down...you are not doing this (raising the elbow), you are not pulling across your body. Let the (racquet) head go where you want the ball to go. So if you wanted to hit it across to over to there...you’d let the head go in that direction. So bend, straighten, extend. You don’t need anymore than that.
Peter Freeman: Can we see you hit a couple?
Roy Emerson: Well...I am not going to miss. So I don’t know...yeah, maybe so if I can get a decent feed from Barry.
Peter Freemen: Ok...we will put the pressure on him. I get to see a legend hit a backhand...it’s going to be pretty cool.
Roy Emerson: From here...if you take the racquet back to here, the important thing is to go in with your body so when your weight is on your front foot the racquet is meeting the ball...then the racquet head is just going where you want it to go. Try not to open up or bring this back foot around. So if you can keep your balance a bit better...over about there...back to here, lock your wrist and through.
So each time it is one side of your body to the other and you just happen to touch the ball in the process...and if your wrist is nice and firm and you have positioned yourself far enough away from the ball so your shoulders are in this position...not leaning back.
Then you can come in and do a little drop shot just at the same time.

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