Interactive Forum July 2019: Downward Wrist Flex in Pro Forehands

[stroke]

Digging up this topic as I am watching Khachanov match, Brian Gordon stated in his last article on the type 3 forehand(his pure type 3 model) that the wrist does not flip back with this technique. He in fact said this is incorrect. Khachanov and Tiafoe, with these downward flex forehands, definitely flip the wrist back moving to contact.

[jeffreycounts]

Jeff, check out Sam Querry forehand. I think he has some version of the downward tilt in his prep. It is not as pronounced as Karen and Francis, he does not kind of dangle the downward flex as they do, but to me he is doing it.

I took a look at some Querry forehands, and sure enough the downward flex is there!

[nytennisaddict]

it's like "paint the fence" from karate kid...
using the extension muscles of the forearm/wrist to help speed the downward acceleration (vs. doing it with just gravity and shoulder).
for me, it complicates the stroke too much (just like other racquet head speed tactics: like pointing the tip to the net type takeback)

[jthb1021]

I do believe in evolution of tennis and particular strokes as we all should. Seeing the forehand article on Kyrios and Sock and the flowing way they are playing it looks and feels good to me. I know these guys have some extreme grips too so the down flex may help them relax so they can lay the wrist back more in the “flip” and forward swing, but in my humble opinion this doesn’t look like the future to me.

[stroke]

Jeff, check out Sam Querry forehand. I think he has some version of the downward tilt in his prep. It is not as pronounced as Karen and Francis, he does not kind of dangle the downward flex as they do, but to me he is doing it.

[stroke]

I don't think Fognini has the downward flex. Looks like his wrist is neutral and the racket head is angled upward. Tiafoe and Khachanov have a downward wrist angle and the racket is parallel to the ground. But yes, he does have a very compact forehand.

fognini.png

Looking at it again, I think you are right. His wrist is neutral in prep.

[jeffreycounts]

Fognini has the downward flex in his prep and he has a very compact powerful forehand, as good as any except maybe Rafa and Fed.

I don't think Fognini has the downward flex. Looks like his wrist is neutral and the racket head is angled upward. Tiafoe and Khachanov have a downward wrist angle and the racket is parallel to the ground. But yes, he does have a very compact forehand.

fognini.png

[stroke]

Fognini has the downward flex in his prep and he has a very compact powerful forehand, as good as any except maybe Rafa and Fed.

[seano]

Brian Gordon described it as a "pre-acceleration going into the flip". Seems to occur with players who raise their shoulder/elbows in the backswing in a modern ATP type forehand swing.

[gzhpcu]

Remember Berasatequi? That plus an extreme western grip

[stroke]

This downward flex is very interesting. Both these players have a pretty western grip(it looks like their heel pad is on the 4.5 to 5 bevel). This downward flex may work better with this type of grip, or this could just be a coincidence. This downward flex could help maybe with setting their wrist in a completely passive relaxed way, which is of course desired on top level forehands. If one really relaxes the wrist, the weight of the racquet head would put the racquet in this downward flex position.

[johnyandell]

Downward Wrist Flex in Pro Forehands

What is going on here? I first noticed the downward wrist flex in his forehand backswing when I filmed Francis Tiafoe in the juniors. Had to be a technical mistake, I thought at the time. Then Karen Khachanov burst on the scene, and he did it too only seemingly more extremely than Tiafoe.


It goes to show that pro technique continues to evolve. But what does this downward flex actually do if anything? Is it an advance? An idiosyncrasy? Guess what Denis Shapovalov does it also.

Who should try it? Should anyone teach it? Weigh in please!