"Modern" Club Play:
The Windshield Wiper

Analyzed by John Yandell

In the first article last month on the modern game and the club game, (Click Here) we looked at the use of extreme open stance and the limitations and problems that can cause for the average player. Now let’s look at another pro element that club players are so eager to copy: the windshield wiper.

By windshield wiper I mean the rotation of the racket tip between the contact and the finish. A “full wiper” means that the racket tip turns over 180 degrees, pointing from one side of the court to the other.

Obviously, the use of some degree of wiper (and usually more than some) has become normative in the pro game. I’ve written extensively about that in the Advanced Tennis section. (Click Here.)

But over the last few years I’ve also changed my view on the applicability of the wiper finish across the levels of play. This is due in part to the added control players can generate with the new poly strings.

But it’s also due to my own expanded understanding of how to use the wiper situationally. Examples would be on higher, heavy balls, and on lower short balls, and especially in creating shorter, sharper angles.

The use of the wiper is also is a function of grip. For better or worse more and more club players are using more extreme semi-western grips with the hand further under the handle. These grips require more wiper to get the racket through the swing.

Regardless of the grip issue, however, I think the problem for many club players is focusing too much on dramatic elements like the wide open stance or the windshield wiper at the expense of fundamentals.

As in our first article, this is the case with the forehand of Mike Lai. The wiper is easily the predominant feature in his swing. Watch how far his racket tip rotates on quite easy balls in the center of the court.

Particularly considering his grip, which is fairly far underneath, is there anything wrong with this wiper motion per se? No, not as an independent element.

But let’s look at the underlying fundamentals. This is where I think Mike’s motion is lacking critical elements.

To do this let’s compare it to a great forehand. Since Mike’s grip is pretty extreme—closer to Djokovic than to Federer-- we’ll use the number one player in the world as a model.

Preparation

Although readers of Tennisplayer may think that it is becoming an obvious cliché, the full body turn is still the basis for a good forehand and is sorely lacking in the wider tennis world. Every time I venture into big clubs I am stunned and amazed at the consistently poor preparation I am forced to witness.

Mike’s isn’t the worst I have seen, by far--unfortunately. But still his preparation is insufficient to reach his potential on his forehand.

We can see that he does start with a brief unit turn with both hands on the racket. But the left hand quickly drops off. For this reason, the left arm goes down as well and never stretches across the body.

This key of the opposite arm stretching across, parallel to the baseline and pointing at the sideline, is one of the few universals in all good forehands from the club to the pro level.

It is what facilitates the complete shoulder turn. If we look at Mike it’s not that he isn’t turned. His shoulders look a little shy of 90 degrees—again not bad by the standards of most club players.

But if the left arm didn’t drop and really went across, his shoulder turn would increase, as would his power—naturally and effortlessly. This is one of the clear commonalities we see in pro tennis despite all the personal and shot specific variations we see in the rest of the top forehands.

Extension

Which brings us to the second point, again something that we have looked at extensively on the site. This is the forward path of the swing and specifically how far it reaches or extends forward toward the target. (Click Here.)

While the forward swing is on a curve, the closer that curve stays to the forward flight of the ball before and after contact, the more power and the better the quality of the basic drive.

And the full wiper can be a part of that as the top players have all so clearly shown. It is also true that the wiper can cause the swing to break off shorter and more quickly on angled shots and short and low balls.

But what we are looking for here is a norm on a basic drive. Typically this means that when the racket crosses to the edge of the left side of the body it is around eye level, or maybe a little lower on a drive with an extreme wiper.

And again, here Mike is falling short. If we look at the extension point on Mike’s forehand, it is extremely low. It’s the type of position you might see on a wide, short ball, when the player is trying to get the ball up and down on an angle.

What Mike needs is a better image to swing toward in his forward swing. So let’s define one, wrist at eye level, racket hand at about the left edge of the torso. And good spacing. This means up to a couple of feet of air between his racket hand and his torso.

Although the wiper is a visible, flashy element in the pro game, it’s also difficult to control. The irony is that the basic positions of the full turn and the extension on the finish are simple for club players at all levels.

One they are established, then players are in position to add more or vary the wiper. But no they can do this with the core sources of power and depth still intact, instead of starting with the cart in front of the horse.

Which brings us to a last point. Note the band on Mike’s forearm. It’s not possible of course to prove that certain techniques cause certain injuries for certain individuals. You see players with great strokes and straps all over their bodies. And you see some of the worst technique you can imagine exhibited by players who never get hurt.

But I think it is fair to say that when you involve the larger muscles by turning and extending, you are putting less stress on the arm by relying less on the fast rotation of in the wiper. I wouldn’t be surprised, if he follows these suggestions,that the next time we film Mike he is not be wearing that band—not to mention having a much better forehand.