Heya again!

Yesterday we talked about the preparation on the single handed backhand. Today we are ready to talk about the follow through and finish.

From our ready position we have split-stepped, made a complete turn and moved into position having lined up the incoming ball. We are twisted to the point where our opponent can see about half of our back and our chin is resting on our shoulder. Our racket is set straight back and ready to go.

I feel I must mention here that it is imperative that we need to dictate what the ball does, where we make contact and when. Many club players lack this mental conviction and let the ball dictate what happens, this leads to mistakes, usually hitting late.

As the forward swing begins keep the wrist locked and pull the butt of the racket towards the ball passing close by the hips, this helps with stability. Make sure the hitting arm straightens out as the ball comes closer. Contact should be made well beyond the front foot, although exact contact points can vary between individuals.

The arm should continue to move straight out on the follow through and continue through the finish. One of the most common mistakes in amateur tennis is the infamous ‘elbow lead’ where the elbow bends on contact leading to erratic results. This can be avoided by keeping the stroke simple as we stressed in the first part of this lesson.

So there it is, get out on the courts and practice this if you fancy having a solid and powerful single hander. Should you prefer a double handed backhand, I’ll be discussing that in the coming weeks. Until next time take care of yourself, and each other! ™ ;o)