Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Two Handed Monica!

Remember Monica?
She was a terror on the court, hitting big off both sides, with 2 hands both sides! But actually when I googled photos of Seles, I found a variety of pictures of her actually hitting a number of shots with one hand. Though I think she preferred to hit with power the two-handed forehand and backhand, she would pull her hand off the racquet with some frequency when the shot necessitated it.

I recall watching a match recently that Maria Sharapova played and the only time she didn't try and hit a two handed backhand was when someone hit very short to her, like a half volley or a drop shot to draw her in. With hard balls driven to her backhand side deep, she routinely chose not to be able to reach and make the shot- rather than pull one hand off the racquet and give herself the extra inches to make a play on the ball. There is stubborn, and there is shoot yourself in the foot stubborn.

I noticed Agassi later in his career made it a habit of hitting the wide running forehand "chop shot", a desperation (defensive) forehand hack slice to save time when he couldn't get there and make a proper topspin forehand.

I don't know. To me when you are in a defensive posture on the court, I think it's smart to employ an attitude of whatever-it-takes. When I go back to cover a lob over my head, it's sure more stylish to hit a one handed shot, but I take the granny free-throw dorky approach, and grip my racquet with two hands and hit it straight back over my head. Compared to the one-handed shot, this for me is much more successful, looks be damned.

So Maria, (Venus Williams) and others out there glued to the two handed backhand-- (which I personally hit 70% of the time in singles, and 95% of the time in doubles), free up the racquet and block the ball back with one hand when you can just barely get to it. Sure it won't be an offensive shot, but rather give yourself a chance, rather than lunging at the ball with two hands unsuccessfully, time after time.

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