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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
    Posts
    1,095

    How to hold a racquet in preparation...

    I've been playing tennis for about 1 3/4 years. When I was first introduced, I had a coach for a few days. He taught me to hold {I'm right-handed} the racquet by the throat with my left hand similar to Federer and Murray. This worked great for my forehand and one-handed backhand.

    At some point, about three or four months in, I decided I wanted a two-handed backhand instead. I fairly successfully switched with just one problem: I was holding the racquet by the throat with my left hand which required a quick transistion to get my left hand into position.

    To solve this problem, I began holding the racquet with my left hand at the upper handle like Michael Chang rather than by the throat. My return of serve went several levels higher than the rest of my game.

    I then began to implement this into rallies in addition to just the return of serve. My forehand sort of went away. The backhand held up nicely.

    The primary point here: How should I hold the racquet during a baseline rally and what effects will this have on my overall game and why?

    First way -


    Second way -

  2. #2
    I have a two handed backhand and I hold my racket like that second way for service return only. During a rallies I hold the racket in a forehand grip and by the throat with the other hand. If I need to come to the net I can quickly change to continental from this. If I need to switch to backhand I just grab the racket with my left hand in the backhand grip and pull the racket to my left an as it goes back I loosen my right hand a little and let it come round to a continental to compliment the left hand. Then if I need to stretch for the ball or decide to slice it I can easily remove the left hand again.

  3. #3
    Also, if I am rallying backhand to backhand cross court I wouldn't keep changing back to a forehand grip of course, but it is fairly easy to just rotate the racket round to forehand again from this if needed.

  4. #4
    A good drill is to hit the 2hbh as a 1hfh. (For right-handers) start by putting the index finger of your left hand in the v of the racket, then slide your hand down to the top of the grip. This will give you an automatic semi-western grip. Now hit as you would your fh, from low to high, pulling in across the body and finish over the shoulder. This helps you get the sense that the power of the 2hbh is from the left arm, not the right. After you can get the ball nicely over the net using only your left hand (you will do it quickly, perhaps to your surprise) then add your right hand to the bottom of the grip naturally and swing the same way as before. Now alternate hitting with one hand and two hands until you become quite comfortable with the stroke. Now continue with two hands only. If you lose the feel of the 2hbh, go bak to this drill to remind yourself that the 2hbh is just a left-handed 1hbh with the right hand along for the ride!
    How good can your game get? You too can play like the Pros with The Wegner Method.
    Discuss The Wegner Method here at TW in the MTM forum or visit www.tennisteacher.com for more info.

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