I'll need to check that out. If I remember correctly, the Milan venue was like an intense crowded collegiate gym...fans were right on top of the court...
Same. My backhand volley is pretty good, but my forehand volley is bad. Just feel like I can't control it well. I tend to either hit it to one of the sidelines or hit it too softly, allowing my opponent another chance. I've experimented with changing the grip from continental to closer to an eastern forehand grip, but that takes too much thinking power, and sometimes the ball is hit at me too quickly to make the change.
Don't change the grip! If your fh volley is going to the sideline, that says you're hitting it late. If it's too soft, you're not getting the punch of forward movement from the left foot and trunk (if you're RH). These are both things which point to not focusing on hitting the ball in front - of not really *wanting* the ball and going to meet it. A great line that I've never forgotten from The Inner Game of Tennis - the only actual technical coaching advice, in one of the hardback versions' foreword - was that for volleys, you should "bite the ball". Literally get your face moving to it: that will get your shoulders and the racket going there, and your balance too.
Great write-up as always. Agree on Fonseca being the top prospect, as he hits all the landmarks you want to see on a forehand. Slightly abbreviated setup compared to some ferris wheel like Alcaraz/Djokovic etc, but he doesn't exactly have a Sinner-flip either.
Unsure about Fils's BH.
About Tsitsipas : while the slice definitely still is the main weakness, it should be said his struggles this year outside of clay courts have more to do with the regression of his strengths than the slice. He had an injury right at the start of the year that sort of messed his serve up and affected confidence (the FH wasn't as good as it's been either, especially outside clay again). We'll see if he can get it back together in 2025 in beyond, or definitely become a clay-court specialist, but if he does he is capable of something closer to what he did AO 23 or before, when the slice was already an issue.
I agree mate. Serve and forehand potency were down. But the point is that at his best, he is still not a tier 1 player because tier 1 players do not have an obvious weakness. Tsitsipas would probably have a slam or two if he had a great chip return and defensive backhand.
Agree. I consider this off-season as sort of a "now or never". We know Tsitsipas's father didn't help improve his game, but if he comes up with a different and improved slice in 2025, we know not only he didn't help, but he blocked him and was the "problem". If he comes up the same even without him, then I'll consider him done for tier 1 because the one intriguing factor that loomed over any off season/progress opportunity will be erased. Problem is that given his strengths have taken a hit, his number one priority might be to simply re-build them and take his game back to something decent, which would mean no slice improvement.
Tsitspas’s serve always bugs me - he’s hitting the ball too close to his own centre, too overhead, rather like Connors used to do. Loses potential for slice and also some power from rotation.
Always worth recalling that Connors won Wimbledon in 82 with an improved serve where he threw and made contact more to the side. If I were Tsitsipas’s coach, that’s the other thing I’d get to work on.
Completely agree with the take on Rune! I’m wondering what’s been holding him back this year? Confidence, personal issues, nagging injuries? He has all the fundamentals (except a double fault problem) but hasn’t had the results.
I think his team management has been awful. Rotating through coaches. The only constant has been his mother, which is probably still more of a worry now that he is an adult.
Think he's also been stuck in terms of coaching. The junior coach was a technical guy who made Rune very sound in almost every area. But then he pivots away from that toward a charlatan in PM, looking for strategy. The result is he can hit every shot, but he has no idea what kind of player he is.
I love the proposal on time - double faults/aces/service winners/return winners all merit a shorter time between points. On faster courts, that could add up pretty quickly.
Man, Hyeon Chung really fell off. One of the few guys who has beaten Djokovic at AO.
It does look like Fonseca has more knee bend in his serve. I recently switched from my usual pinpoint stance to a platform stance. It has helped me have more balance while serving as I can drive up with both my left and right legs. That's different than my pinpoint stance, where most of my weight was on my left leg once the legs came together. I feel like the platform stance affords me more time to bend my knees, which has allowed me to bend my knees lower. With the pinpoint stance, bringing the legs together doesn't give me as much time to then bend my knees. My serve has improved, even though I'm moving in the opposite direction of someone like Sinner, where everyone has said that switching to the pinpoint stance has really helped him.
With the whole longer rallies during pressure situations, I think it's similar to how rallies are longer when you're in a tiebreaker (I think you might have mentioned that before). Both players are trying to avoid making mistakes when the points are more important.
great forehands and backhands. Agassi was the first one to me. And great point on the extended wrist on set up AND contact on the best slice backhands. An extended wrist on that is just a way stronger wrist position, which leads to a much stronger slice backhand. To me, even Novak and Nadal are lacking in that area, as is Tsitsipas(great call). Fed the all time prototype for the slice backhand. And Fonseca, great video on that forehand, not surprisingly to me filmed on clay. He is already a real contender at RG this year.
Rafa certainly looks like a very competent slice backhand. I just always felt his grip was too much toward the forehand side, a very soft continental so to speak. Even though he does have a good slice backhand, to me it is not nearly as good as Fed's or Grigor, but I certainly could be wrong.
Great Great writing again hugh a real pleasure to read it ! Just a note as i am reading it you mention players with great forehands as well as backhands and one name made your list that surprised me is arthur fils ! ( i am a huge fan of arthur but if there is a weankness in his game it is his backhand...)players like sinner, nole, fritz ect are so solid both wings (you mention alcaraz as well i agree good backhand even though slight deficit and inconsitancy off that wing) but fils has to work on that as well as other aspects to his game ! let me know your thoughts on this maybe we see things differently
I agree his backhand can go off at times, but I've seen it also change direction with pace both ways quite well at times. 2025 could be a big year for the frenchman
"coach of Holger Rune, I think…" LOL
Greek quote is a good one too one that Djokovic took to heart.
Good God, I didn't know how dead the crowd was in Jeddah. I didn't watch last year. When it was in Italy, the crowd was alive and loud.
And the ones who are there are likely being paid to attend, per the Rothenberg piece a few weeks back over at Bounces
I'll need to check that out. If I remember correctly, the Milan venue was like an intense crowded collegiate gym...fans were right on top of the court...
Hearing Death of a Forehand part 4 is on the way is just what I wanted for Christmas :)
more like a new years gift at this rate but yes its in the works!
Great write-up as always. Looking forward to your volley piece - maybe I'll even pick something up that might improve my own (which is pitiful).
Same. My backhand volley is pretty good, but my forehand volley is bad. Just feel like I can't control it well. I tend to either hit it to one of the sidelines or hit it too softly, allowing my opponent another chance. I've experimented with changing the grip from continental to closer to an eastern forehand grip, but that takes too much thinking power, and sometimes the ball is hit at me too quickly to make the change.
Don't change the grip! If your fh volley is going to the sideline, that says you're hitting it late. If it's too soft, you're not getting the punch of forward movement from the left foot and trunk (if you're RH). These are both things which point to not focusing on hitting the ball in front - of not really *wanting* the ball and going to meet it. A great line that I've never forgotten from The Inner Game of Tennis - the only actual technical coaching advice, in one of the hardback versions' foreword - was that for volleys, you should "bite the ball". Literally get your face moving to it: that will get your shoulders and the racket going there, and your balance too.
Your analysis is clear--Helpful to me--Videos well-chosen--
Hi Hugh,
Great write-up as always. Agree on Fonseca being the top prospect, as he hits all the landmarks you want to see on a forehand. Slightly abbreviated setup compared to some ferris wheel like Alcaraz/Djokovic etc, but he doesn't exactly have a Sinner-flip either.
Unsure about Fils's BH.
About Tsitsipas : while the slice definitely still is the main weakness, it should be said his struggles this year outside of clay courts have more to do with the regression of his strengths than the slice. He had an injury right at the start of the year that sort of messed his serve up and affected confidence (the FH wasn't as good as it's been either, especially outside clay again). We'll see if he can get it back together in 2025 in beyond, or definitely become a clay-court specialist, but if he does he is capable of something closer to what he did AO 23 or before, when the slice was already an issue.
I agree mate. Serve and forehand potency were down. But the point is that at his best, he is still not a tier 1 player because tier 1 players do not have an obvious weakness. Tsitsipas would probably have a slam or two if he had a great chip return and defensive backhand.
Agree. I consider this off-season as sort of a "now or never". We know Tsitsipas's father didn't help improve his game, but if he comes up with a different and improved slice in 2025, we know not only he didn't help, but he blocked him and was the "problem". If he comes up the same even without him, then I'll consider him done for tier 1 because the one intriguing factor that loomed over any off season/progress opportunity will be erased. Problem is that given his strengths have taken a hit, his number one priority might be to simply re-build them and take his game back to something decent, which would mean no slice improvement.
Tsitspas’s serve always bugs me - he’s hitting the ball too close to his own centre, too overhead, rather like Connors used to do. Loses potential for slice and also some power from rotation.
Always worth recalling that Connors won Wimbledon in 82 with an improved serve where he threw and made contact more to the side. If I were Tsitsipas’s coach, that’s the other thing I’d get to work on.
Completely agree with the take on Rune! I’m wondering what’s been holding him back this year? Confidence, personal issues, nagging injuries? He has all the fundamentals (except a double fault problem) but hasn’t had the results.
I think his team management has been awful. Rotating through coaches. The only constant has been his mother, which is probably still more of a worry now that he is an adult.
Think he's also been stuck in terms of coaching. The junior coach was a technical guy who made Rune very sound in almost every area. But then he pivots away from that toward a charlatan in PM, looking for strategy. The result is he can hit every shot, but he has no idea what kind of player he is.
I love the proposal on time - double faults/aces/service winners/return winners all merit a shorter time between points. On faster courts, that could add up pretty quickly.
Man, Hyeon Chung really fell off. One of the few guys who has beaten Djokovic at AO.
It does look like Fonseca has more knee bend in his serve. I recently switched from my usual pinpoint stance to a platform stance. It has helped me have more balance while serving as I can drive up with both my left and right legs. That's different than my pinpoint stance, where most of my weight was on my left leg once the legs came together. I feel like the platform stance affords me more time to bend my knees, which has allowed me to bend my knees lower. With the pinpoint stance, bringing the legs together doesn't give me as much time to then bend my knees. My serve has improved, even though I'm moving in the opposite direction of someone like Sinner, where everyone has said that switching to the pinpoint stance has really helped him.
With the whole longer rallies during pressure situations, I think it's similar to how rallies are longer when you're in a tiebreaker (I think you might have mentioned that before). Both players are trying to avoid making mistakes when the points are more important.
Where is Perricard?
They changed it this year to be 20 years and under since a lot of the guys in past tournaments were already established pros. Perricard is 21
I love your short list of players that have
great forehands and backhands. Agassi was the first one to me. And great point on the extended wrist on set up AND contact on the best slice backhands. An extended wrist on that is just a way stronger wrist position, which leads to a much stronger slice backhand. To me, even Novak and Nadal are lacking in that area, as is Tsitsipas(great call). Fed the all time prototype for the slice backhand. And Fonseca, great video on that forehand, not surprisingly to me filmed on clay. He is already a real contender at RG this year.
I think rafa was pretty close to optimal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyROt-VZd3w
Fonseca obvioulsy better on clay at the moment, but his strokes should surely translate to hard courts quite well.
Rafa certainly looks like a very competent slice backhand. I just always felt his grip was too much toward the forehand side, a very soft continental so to speak. Even though he does have a good slice backhand, to me it is not nearly as good as Fed's or Grigor, but I certainly could be wrong.
Great Great writing again hugh a real pleasure to read it ! Just a note as i am reading it you mention players with great forehands as well as backhands and one name made your list that surprised me is arthur fils ! ( i am a huge fan of arthur but if there is a weankness in his game it is his backhand...)players like sinner, nole, fritz ect are so solid both wings (you mention alcaraz as well i agree good backhand even though slight deficit and inconsitancy off that wing) but fils has to work on that as well as other aspects to his game ! let me know your thoughts on this maybe we see things differently
I agree his backhand can go off at times, but I've seen it also change direction with pace both ways quite well at times. 2025 could be a big year for the frenchman
Wow, you were right about Fonseca, Hugh.