Technical Flaws in Pro Two Handers: John Isner

[arturohernandez]

I am sure that he could develop one.

Obviously, he is working really hard to correct and improve. It is literally money in his pocket.

We could write a book on Sharapova's serve. It is as if she is fighting her own body.

I get the same feeling with Isner's backhand.

It looks like a battle with himself.

[johnyandell]

I think Isner could have had a great one-hander.

[arturohernandez]

There is one other thing we haven't considered.

Does anyone at his heigh hit a good two-handed backhand?

I mean maybe there are physical constraints that don't allow him to hit like everyone else.

Karlovic just slices everything, right?

[don_budge]

It's a philosophical flaw.

[don_budge]

Or when it's a pony you give it the wrong water.

Anything will drink if it is thirsty. And paradoxically...an alcoholic cannot resist a drink and thirst has nothing to do with it. But tennis students are a whole different animal. Species.

The whole two handed game for men is a false paradigm. An illusion. Lack of information? Or rather indoctrination. The coaching was hijacked in the 1980's. Juniors ceased to transition to the men's game. Junior backhand grips don't make the necessary adjustments because adjustments might mean taking one step back to go two forwards. That one step backwards is a strange one. One can never be sure of returning to the original line. It's a leap of faith you know. Know your history or be doomed to repeat it. Tennis metaphoring life...as usual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouWEZPkbznQ

[johnyandell]

Or when it's a pony you give it the wrong water.

[stotty]

So great to be back to this website and forum. I've stayed away from this great analysis for too long!! What I don't understand is how, when I, without considering myself to be a "high performance" coach, that I have naturally arrived at a much better grip configuration than what Isner has come up with. How, with the many "great" coaches that he's obviously been exposed to, allowed for this to continue? It's had to be obvious throughout his training and college career that his backhand wasn't up to the rest of his game, and was even a liability. It's beyond my comprehension really. Is there a culture out there that I'm just ignorant of?

Wiz,
Yes hard to believe, yet true. It's the culture of lack of information.

tntenniswhiz, this is something that has flummoxed forum members for years now. Something as fundamental as grips sometimes don't get addressed. You could look at the Williams sisters in particularly and see so many things that might have been technically better...mindboggling.

You come to the conclusion that some players have managed to become significant players in spite of coaching rather than because of it.

The problem is you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

[Shawanda]

Yes, I agree with you expert advice totally! It's definitely due to lack of infor!

[johnyandell]

Wiz,
Yes hard to believe, yet true. It's the culture of lack of information.

[tntenniswhiz]

So great to be back to this website and forum. I've stayed away from this great analysis for too long!! What I don't understand is how, when I, without considering myself to be a "high performance" coach, that I have naturally arrived at a much better grip configuration than what Isner has come up with. How, with the many "great" coaches that he's obviously been exposed to, allowed for this to continue? It's had to be obvious throughout his training and college career that his backhand wasn't up to the rest of his game, and was even a liability. It's beyond my comprehension really. Is there a culture out there that I'm just ignorant of?

[johnyandell]

Crazy yet true.

[jthb1021]

Great article indeed! It is crazy to imagine a man in the top 10 with a two hander that doesn't at least have a continental grip with his bottom hand! This is a conversation I'd expect to have with a ladies 3.0 player not a Wimbledon semi finalist.

[johnyandell]

Thanks Stotty and totally agreed on the grip--so much better to change the bottom hand...

[stotty]

....how many developmental coaches understand the relationships between grip, hitting arms and swing shape? You wonder if any other talented young players are being trained right now with fundamental flaws that will ultimately limit their success.

John, the reason I visit the website virtually everyday is to be enlightened by analysis I would never have figured out by myself. I wonder how many coaches would figure out Isner's problems for themselves? Very few I'd wager.

But by the way I don't even allow the girls I teach to use a grip like Isner's. So at least my players would never unwittingly fall into the Isner trap. I like the heel pad very much on bevel 1.

[toddbart]

Yes John uses a soft grip and almost exclusively uses the wrist to generate head speed. He rolls the top edge over, all similar to Gilles Simon's, only not as polished. I think the more important thing to ask though is why does he do this (wristy backhand)? Simon does it because it feeds into his "movement first" style of play. Isner does it for the same reason, to obtain easier movements. He would have to improve his footwork and strengthen his core to maintain the body position that would allow him to swing like Djokovic or even Nadal. Thats maybe even tougher than getting an experienced guy to change his grip. I always encourage kids 11-15 to perfect these things rather than worry about tourney results for this very reason. Could Isner change his backhand? Yes. Will he? Not likely anytime soon. Maybe in his waning years like other pros of late will he realize his time is running out and maybe an adjustment can help him stay near the top. But after a Wimby semi? No way. If he was smart though after this season he could re-invent it, but I doubt it will happen.

T.Bartolomeo, USPTA
San Jose, CA