The Secret Behind The Sampras Serve

Sampras’s serve followed a more classic approach. He utilized a more circular windup, taking the time to deliver himself the powerful bomb at contact. Throughout his motion, Sampras is completely relaxed. There is little to no tension as can be seen by the fluidity of his serve. His serve contains no hitches, no pauses and no extra motion often seen in lower level servers.

Notice how the motion appears “slow” and relaxed, and sampras takes time before starting his motion.

Loaded and coil like a spring

Sampras generated phenomenal racket head speed at contact. His serves included enourmous power and spin. One of the reasons for this is because he coiled his body like a spring before unleashing all the stored potential energy right at the moment of contact.

Notice the torso angle and hip position of Pete. His upperbody is fully loaded, and his hips are turned towards the backfence, it’s as if he is nearly showing his torso to the backfence.

Pete’s lower body is fully coiled as well. Notice the deep bend in the knee in his stance. But all of this loading is done so he can get maximum loading or “coil” so when it comes time to swing he will have massive amounts of different torques working in his favor to generate his trademark serve.

Notice also how Pete’s shoulders and tossing arm is completely sideways. He does not prematurely drop his tossing arm until he is ready to launch upwards. Many lower level players make the mistake of not keeping their shoulders and left arm in the “loaded” position, which in turns robs some of the potential power on this motion.

Pete Sampras Serve – A Genius at work

Pete Sampras’s Serve is beauty at work. It requires a great deal of athleticism to pull off the serve motion that he has, and because of his extreme lower body coil, his more than evident knee bend and his excellent use of the kinetic chain to coil and uncoil, pete sampras’s serve is simply amazing when you consider every factor at work – and how pete sampras uses every available inch of his body to load his serve, this no doubt accounts for why Pete Sampras’s serve is one of the best tennis serve motions in history of tennis.

The Pete Sampras Tennis Serve – What you Should try at Home

Perhaps it’s too difficult to expect that you can model your serve exactly with Pete Sampras’s serve motion. What you can try at home, however; is the basic fundamentals in his serve.

• Relaxed fluid wind-up – Pete Sampras’s serve begins with a very smooth ryhtmical wind-up. He takes his time to really drop down and trace a circular path with the racket. Essentially, Pete sampras is completely relaxed on his tennis serve delivery – just as a baseball pitcher would be as the initial wind-up begins.
• Trophy position – Pete sampras reaches a pronounced position, a kin to what is often called the trophy position in tennis. Pete sampras’s smooth and almost delibrately slow takeback delivers him to this position, a key position that is present in all professional servers.
• Hand and Arm pronation – Most of us who have followed Pete Sampras’s tennis serve remember him for his smooth delivery, and of course the pronation of his serve, where his racket and arm literally turn counter-clockwise on his followthrough of the serve. While this is something mostly a consequence of his world class tennis serve, it’s interesting to note that most of his pronation comes from the wind-up and serve motion leading up to contact.

Pete Sampras Tennis Serve Technique – Conclusion

So I’ve given a couple of things you can try at home with regards of trying to model your own tennis serve motion with that of Pete Sampras’s serve. While it may be difficult to incorporate some of Pete Sampras’s more extreme elements on his tennis serve, it’s still possible to focus on some of the basic fundamentals of Sampras’s tennis technique.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Pete Sampras Tennis Serve Analysis appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

The Federer serve is deceptively placed with smart placement and accuracy. Since Roger Federer uses very little variation in between different serve placements, this makes his serve incredibly difficult to read. His serve motion is relatively the same regardless of where Federer serves.

Federer’s Serve Grip

Federer uses some version of Continental grip for the serve. This is the basic tennis serve grip and most widely accepted. This standard grip permits the pronation and allows for maximum potential for power and spin. It’s the traditional grip that allows the best results. Federer’s grip is relatively the same for first and second serves.

Tossing Arm on the Serve

Federer gets full extension of his left tossing arm on the tennis serve. A fully extended arm allows for maximum coil as well as for a consistent tennis serve toss. As Federer begins his serve, the tossing arm is relaxed and rhythmic. As Federer raises his tossing arm, he begins with a fairly straight arm and the release happens when the tossing hand reaches around eye level. This permits for maximum “lift” and for greatest consistency. The release of Federer’s tossing arm is not a flick of the wrist, but rather a slow and deliberate opening of the hand.

Roger Federer’s tossing arm for the serve is a smooth and relaxed action. Initially, Federer holds the tennis ball with his left hand (close to the throat of his racket) as he prepares to serve. As soon as the serve motion begins, his tossing hand comes back inside close to his left hip. This helps with gathering the right momentum for the tossing action as well as toss consistency.

The location of Federer’s toss for the tennis serve is slightly in front of his body and just slightly to the right of his head. For the first serve, the toss is normally further in front than on the second serve. For Federer’s second serve, the toss location may be slightly more to the left, but still in front of the body. This helps with additional spin, which Federer is good at.

Federer Serve is known for his great usage of similar tosses no matter which serve placement he chooses. This is similar to Pete Sampras’s in depth toss deception. Pete Sampras had a very uniform tossing location and was able to execute multiple serve placements with similar tosses. This made it even more difficult to read.

The Federer Serve – Swing Shape

Federer Serve consists of a classical wind-up for the tennis serve. It is an elongated, “C” motion and traces a circular loop. Roger Federer’s serve is a slow gradual wind-up that builds power as the coil occurs. Since the wind-up is fairly large, it takes a respectable amount of time before Federer reaches the top of his motion (the power position)

This slow gradual wind-up makes it easier to sync all of the body parts and kinetic chain into the serve. There is a smooth, exclusive and almost deliberate “slowness” associated with the timing in the Roger Federer Serve. On TV, we see how Roger Federer’s serve is a calm and collected tennis serve that takes a gradual approach to the windup. Typically, Federer’s biggest tennis serves are only used on the most important phases of the tennis match. Most of the time, Federer opts to use more of a serve that neutralizes his opponents returns either through a well placed tennis serve or sharp angled spin serve.

Slow Gradual Wind-Up to the Power Position

At the same time, Federer loads and coils the lower body with a deep knee bend. The momentum of the serve is slowly building up and his center of gravity is preparing to move forward into the tennis court. Meanwhile, the tossing arm is completely extended upwards toward the sky and Federer’s torso and upper body is still fully turned. All of these factors, such as the knee bend, upper body turned (coiled) and the shoulders loaded will help maximize the amount of power and spin available to be generated.As Roger Federer goes through his wind-up he is completely relaxed and is slowly building the racket up to speed as he brings the racket up into the power position. Federer will meet a point at the tip top of his serve, and still at this point he is moving the racket very slowly. It is not a pause, but rather a well-timed movement that slows and then rapidly accelerates producing great racket head speed at contact.

As Federer’s serve nears the top of his wind-up, he reaches the trophy position. This “power position” on the serve is a fundamental key in the amount of power he is able to generate later on in the late phases prior to contact. This is a commonality amongst all elite tennis servers, the power position is an important area in the tennis serve technique.

Finish & Follow through

Federer reaches his contact point in front of his body, and then the follow through begins. Roger Federer’s serve is noted for having pronation similar to the rest of the top servers on tour. Pronation is an important biomechanical consequence that assists in the deceleration of the racket in the follow through. Good pronation on the serve is a sign that everything in the windup and contact point went well. The sign of good pronation is the distinct internal rotation of the arm, where the arm is turned during the follow through. The key aspect of Roger Federer’s serve is that his pronation is a direct consequence and result of his service motion rather than a manual artificially created action.

The Roger Federer Serve – A good Model?

A common question for tennis players looking to improve is which pro players are good models to emulate on the tennis serve. Roger Federer’s Serve is a classical and traditional motion that can be a good model for tennis players at all levels. This is because the tennis serve motion itself is very fluid and adaptable. Tennis players learning the game and wanting to master the elements of the tennis serve should examine the keys of the Roger Federer Serve.

Before a tennis player can successfully accommodate more advanced tennis serve technique into their game, they must master the fundamentals and develop a serve motion that is technically sound. By modeling the Roger Federer Serve, tennis players can develop a smooth and flowing serve into their repertoire before they consider adapting more advanced tennis serve elements into their serve.

A classical “C” shaped circular wind-up is also the most commonly taught serve by tennis coaches at the club and recreational level. This is because this is the traditional windup and this classical serve has been the hallmark of professional tennis of champions that preceded them. This can be positive, because the traditional circular windup can be easier for tennis beginners or intermediate players to learn at first, before they advance into the more trendy modern tennis concepts of pro players today.

The Roger Federer Serve is an ideal model for tennis players at all levels wanting to improve tennis serve.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post The Roger Federer Tennis Serve – Analysis of the Federer Serve appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

Because the Federer forehand grip gets so much attention, let’s discuss it for a few moments. The grip is hotly debated by those who have analyzed it. Some claim it is an Eastern grip, others say an exaggerated Eastern, others call it something in between.

The best look at the Federer forehand grip seems to indicate that it is indeed an Eastern grip with a very slight twist. That is to say, he holds the racquet one bevel below the usual placement for a typical Eastern grip.

Learning the Roger Federer Forehand Grip

Despite what many might say about the Federer forehand grip, it is not simply an Eastern grip. To match the Federer forehand grip, you would have to place the top knuckle of your index finger on the right side of your racquet handle, not on the bevel above it. In other words, your knuckle would line up at 3 o’clock on the handle if you held your racquet out from your body and looked at it like a clock.

The normal Eastern grip would have the knuckle at 2 o’clock. Most players will find this grip quite extreme and uncomfortable. Undoubtedly, Federer practiced for many hours to hit a forehand with this unusual method.

Now to the actual forehand motion that makes Federer’s forehand so legendarily lethal. We will break down his motion into six steps, from initial preparation to follow-through, with accompanying comments on each stage of his motion:

Hitting Stances Used in Federer’s Forehand Grip

On a typical forehand, Federer stands in a ¾ open stance, which will guarantee excellent rotation of his corps for the shot to come. At the pro level, it is difficult to get into a closed position for full rotation of the body, there is simply not enough time. If you are playing someone who does not hit with much pace, you will have much more time than Federer to coil your body for maximum explosion through the ball.

If Federer and other pros took the time to close their stances and coil to the max, the ball would be in the hands of a ball boy standing behind them by the time they would have to hit it! In typically fine Federer form, his racquet head is pointed towards the back fence and the strings are facing downward, reflecting the famed Federer forehand grip. This is no problem for him, however, because the head will open up naturally as he begins his swing.

Federer’s Contact Point With the Forehand Grip

As Federer prepares to meet the ball, his forehand is usually noted for having an extreme acceleration in the last 18 inches before contact is made.

This is due in large part to the position of his wrist, which is bent almost entirely back from the racquet, ensuring another whip-like component that will add punch to the shot. That position of the wrist will also give Federer the option to hit his inside-out forehand if he so chooses.

Use of the Wrist in the Federer Forehand Stroke

In some photos, Federer’s racquet is at a 90-degree angle from his hand and the ball, quite a contrast to lesser-skilled players who sweep through the forehand as if holding a broomstick. Adding this extra wrist snap to your stroke will take lots of practice, but it is one of the main reasons why the pros hit the ball much harder than those of us in the amateur ranks.

As Federer’s wrist uncocks in response to the rest of his body rotating towards the ball and opening up (not hitting inside-out), he meets the ball at about a mid-thigh level. In order to place maximum topspin on the ball, the racquet face is vertical, ensuring a maximum brush of the strings against the ball.

Contact Height – An element of Roger Federer’s Forehand Grip?

When Federer takes the ball in different parts of the court and in response to different bounces, he might meet the ball above his waist, yet he maintains his almost-perfect form. It should also be mentioned that in any photo study of the Federer forehand, perhaps the body part that should be most closely examined is his head.

In photo after photo after photo, his head remains still, his eyes laser focused on the ball.

Not even the man who some people call the greatest to ever play the game can take his eye off the ball and hit a solid forehand. That’s important to remember for the average club player: head still, eye on the ball.

Federer’s Head Position On His Forehand

Just after the point of contact, Federer’s head is still stationary and his eyes peer at the point where his racquet met the ball for a split second. In some shots, Federer’s racquet has already risen about a foot, indicating that he has put a wicked topspin on the ball. This part of the Federer forehand represents another part of the motion that separates the pros from the average Joes. Many club players have little or no follow-through, which limits the power of their stroke tremendously and hurts their promising form. Practice your follow-through constantly to ensure full power behind your shot.

Wrist Position with the Federer Forehand Grip

The position of Federer’s wrist just after contact will tell us all we need to know about where Federer has hit the ball. Famous for his inside-out forehand, if Federer’s wrist remains cocked, you can bet your bottom dollar that he has successfully struck another inside-out forehand to his opponent’s backhand side. If the wrist is aligned with the racquet, then Federer has whipped it forward to match his excellent torso rotation and zinged another forehand that draws paint and left his opponent dumbfounded.

Roger Federer forehand follow through

As Federer continues his follow-through, he either has transferred his weight completely forward if his feet got into position in enough time, or he is hitting off his back foot in reaction to the type of heavy topspin that his mortal enemy Rafael Nadal offers.

If hitting off the back foot, Federer exaggerates the whip upward of his racquet to compensate for his lack of power by hitting off the back foot with extra topspin, a good tip for all players to note.

If his body is properly aligned and he has transferred all of his power from back foot to front foot, he has a much more normal follow-through with the racquet at about shoulder height shortly after striking the ball.

The unique Federer forehand starts with the famed Federer forehand grip, which is one small step beyond the standard Eastern grip.

If you want to completely mimic Federer’s forehand, you will have to hold the racquet in the same way. Another element of the Federer forehand that will be difficult to adopt is his wrist cock, which gives him added power and an easier ability to hit the inside-out forehand that has doomed many an opponent.

Learning the Roger Federer Forehand Grip and Technique

So, once you are holding the racquet in a way that feels right to you, then you can imitate the other elements of the Federer forehand that you can actually copy: head still, eyes on the ball, fairly open stance, racquet strings brushing the ball upward for topspin, full follow-through.

Federer arrived at his place in the tennis pantheon by spending hours and hours perfecting a forehand that he could hit in two directions starting from a near-impossible angle. It is probably too late for you to do the same, but with enough practice you can perhaps add a wrist-whip and more topspin so that you can approximate the fearsome weapon known as the Federer forehand. With enough practice, you can master the inside-out forehand as well and further confound your opponents.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Dissecting the Roger Federer Forehand Grip appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

Federer Forehand : The Roger Federer grip

Let’s start with the basics of Roger Federer’s forehand. His forehand grip is in some version of an Eastern grip, which is considered more conservative than the majority of the other players on tour. Federer is able to hit his forehand both with topspin and is able to flatten it out at times for a pure winner. Federer’s forehand is more versatile than most of the other pros on tour, which allows him to be able to use a variety of different shot selection as well as insane angles on the run.

Federer’s Forehand Preparation

When I began studying Roger Federer’s forehand in slow motion video, I was able to piece together the forehand and finally come up with logical and biomechanical principles behind tennis technique that produced better results. I knew that Roger Federer’s technique was made only through lots of practice and repetition plus refinement. Federer is hardly a muscleman, and it was clear to me that the power he was generating was not just a result of pure strength or muscle power. Instead, I realized that Federer’s forehand must be due to his flawless tennis technique that allowed him to produce the effortless and extraordinary results that amateur tennis players could not match without proper tennis technique.

What Roger Federer shares in common with the majority of the rest of the pros on the ATP tour is what I call “world class tennis forehand preparation.” Like most top pros and high level tennis players, Federer uses a “unit turn” to initiate his forehand stroke. Basically, a unit turn is a movement where the body turns and coils as one “unit.” Federer’s tennis racket, shoulders, and lower body turn together at the start of his forehand, in preparation to create the coil and store the energy for the swing. This means that as soon as Federer acknowledges the ball flight coming towards him, he does not immediately take his racket back abruptly in a backswing. Instead, what Federer does is he makes sure to get a full and complete unit turn where the shoulders turn sideways.

At the point of the unit turn, there is very little independent movement of the tennis racket, no immediate backswing and the racket “comes along for the ride” during the unit turn.

Roger Federer’s Forehand: The Fundamentals

Federer Forehand consists of a compact and fluid takeback that results in a clean and efficient swing. Federer possess equisite tennis technique that produces a great forehand even under pressure. His timing is also flawless. Roger Federer’s backswing is a relatively simple tennis stroke that starts with a good initial unit then with the left hand followed by the racket on edge until he reaches the height of the takeback.

Core Rotation

In the modern forehands on pros on tour day, it is increasingly evident that players are now using angular momentum to their advantage enabling them to generate greater power and topspin, a devastating combination that results in the high paced game of tennis we see on tour.

Not only do we see players hitting harder, but they are quicker and more agile. This is a primarily a result of racket head speed, which is partially contributed to the groundforce reaction created by the players. The pros are thrusting their bodies into every tennis shot and maximizing the torques with both upper and lower body rotation which contributes to the increased amount of power.

Roger Federer uses full upper body rotation in his forehand, meaning he engages his entire body in the motion. It begins once his body has coiled, moments before contact, Federer releases all of the energy Federer is not intending on taking a huge backswing, rather he is actually more concerned about getting a full “coil” during his unit turn, where he can then unleash all of that power into the shot later on.

Tennis Takeback and Backswing Shape

As Federer completes the unit turn, he makes sure that he is still not abruptly taking a huge backswing. Federer’s takeback resembles an upwards arc. The shape of his backswing is not loopy, or circular based as is on some of the other pro forehands on tour. Although, the shape of his backswing appears to be relatively high, he doesn’t take his racket back behind his body. The swing stays on the same side of the body. This type of backswing, where the hand and arm stays on his right side of his body gives him more efficiency and better timing.

Federer’s backswing can loosely be considered “whippy” as evidenced by the appearance of his stroke during the foreward swing. It resembles a “liquid whip” because federer utilizes a variety of mechanics that allow him to do this. This is explained further in my Optimum Tennis EBook. I go into more detail regarding federer’s backswing and some unique biomechanics he uses that are possibly responsible for the “loose whip-like” forehand.

Lowering of the Racket

Once the height of the takeback has been reached, usually the ball would have made contact with the ground. By now, Federer continues to use a relaxed wrist and arm. From the height of the takeback, Federer then lowers his racket arm on it’s own accord letting gravity do most of the work to drop the racket below the level of the ball (to impart topspin). A key point is that Federer’s Forehand is a backswing that stays on the same side of the body, and at no point in time does the backswing extend behind the back (as seen in some of the WTA players on tour). This is important from an efficiency standpoint as well as a biomechanically important structure that will allow Federer’s Forehand to achieve an incredible amount of racket head speed once contact is made. This is predominantly a result of the Stretch Shorthening Cycle (or SSC) at work.

Passive Stretch (SSC)

The main focal point in modern tennis technique, especially on the forehand side is the ability of players to generate both power and heavy topspin to create winning tennis shots as well as extreme angles. The racket head speed in today’s tennis is high velocity and this is mainly a result of player’s increased used of the stretch shortening cycle, particularly on the forehand stroke.

If we watch Roger Federer’s Forehand in slow motion, we can visualize easier how Federer’s backswing resembles a very loose “whip-like” swing. Rather than stiffening up, Federer is completely relaxed and this facilitates a very quick “whip” action at contact, allowing Federer’s forehand to brush from behind the tennis ball with tremendous force.

Essentially, the stretch shortening cycle is a passive stretch where the power is generated upon release of the stored energy. Think of it like a rubber band. If you were to pull on a rubber band, the energy would be passively stored from within the band. Once the rubber band is then released from your hand, all of the stored energy is then shot out

Contact Point

Roger Federer’s Contact point is relatively similar to that of the rest of the ATP tour pros. There are little differences here. Contact well in front of the body. The racket face is perpendicular, unless Federer hits a mishit. There are no magical elements on the contact point that are responsible for the unbelievable shots that he makes. Occasionally, Federer may utilize a straighter arm on his forehand but this is a result of the style of takeback and not anything to do with conciously forcing a straight arm.

The straight-arm forehand as it has been called, is a consequence and not a cause. Many tennis players attempt to model Federer’s forehand by replicating incorrect elements that become detrimental to their own tennis forehand. It needs to be noted that Federer’s straight arm at contact is a result, “cause-effect” of his backswing style and not by concious force.

Finish and Followthrough

Similar to the majority of pros on tour today, Federer utilizes what is commonly called the modern “windshield wiper” finish. This is where is commonly defined as forearm rotation. The right arm finishes across the shoulder and, rather than the traditional “over the shoulder” finish that is still commonly taught by teaching pros. Federer manages to get excellent extension and drives through the ball well, even though he finishes across his shoulder.

Federer does still utilize the classic “over the shoulder” finish on some returns of serve, but for most of the balls he hits on the baseline, he finishes across in a windshield wiper movement.

Should a tennis player attempt to model his/her stroke after Roger Federer’s Forehand?

Depending on the skill level of the tennis player in question, and their current needs and goals, most tennis players would not benefit from modeling their tennis forehand with Roger Federer until he/she is at a fairly advanced level. Since Federer’s forehand is more of an advanced stroke style, it is not recommendable that a novice or intermediate level tennis player attempt to model his forehand, until their foundation is solidly in place.

However, Federer’s forehand serves as a technically-sound model in his forehand, and due to his unique biomechanics he is able to combine many different powerful techniques that allow him to execute shots that many players before his time could not even imagine doing.

What Elements can we take from Roger Federer’s Forehand?

So, what elements can we take home from Roger’s unique and powerful forehand?

• First and foremost, his unit turn. This is the start of all good high level tennis forehands, and a commonality amongst all the top pros on the ATP Tour and some on the WTA tour.
• Versatility and Adaptability – Roger’s forehand contains no hitches and his forehand is fluid. This is something that everyone can immediately be sure to work on their own forehand technique. A clean, simple motion.
• Good strong posture, balanced through the entire shot.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Roger Federer Forehand Technique appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

While Roger Federer’s forehand gets a lot of press, especially the inside-out version, his elegant backhand can sometimes get overlooked in the hubbub over his mysterious forehand grip and stroke. That’s a shame, because his backhand might be one of the most beautiful strokes in the game, even if it has let him down from time to time in huge matches.

Basics of Roger Federer’s Backhand Grip

The gorgeous Roger Federer backhand begins with the Federer backhand grip, which some analysts have called a modified Eastern grip. In most photos of the Federer backhand grip, it looks as if his index finger knuckle is aligned at about 1 o’clock on the racquet handle if it were held out straight from his body. This special grip gives his racquet the angle it needs to swipe through the stroke and whip enough topspin onto the ball so that it drops just inside the opposite baseline.

Now that the Federer backhand grip has been deciphered, let’s look more closely at his complete stroke, one of the last one-handed backhands among the top players in the world:

Initial Racket Preparation of the Roger Federer Backhand

In his racquet preparation for the backhand, Federer holds it far above the point of contact. This is an important point for most amateur players; even if the racquet is held back before hitting the backhand, is it high or low in the first part of the preparation?

In most players’ cases, it is low, robbing the backhand of much of its potential power. If it’s high, the racquet can make a complete loop through to the ball, adding much zing to the pace and telling your opponent that picking on your backhand is not a wise idea.

Beyond the Federer Backhand Grip: Getting the Proper Body Turn and Coil

As part of his preparation Federer also holds the racquet’s throat with his left hand, probably a reminder to hold the racquet even further back than is customary. You, too, can use the other hand if you hit a one-handed backhand, to pull the racquet further back than you might be naturally inclined to. It also will help you turn your back properly, as it does Federer.

As his back is turned, he peers at the ball over his shoulder, loading his core muscles for a quick but powerful rotation that will bring his upper body to a square position when contact is made. Preparation is about more than racquet position; your back must also be turned to get your core involved in the stroke, especially for devotees of the one-handed backhand. That’s also what makes this stroke a thing of beauty when properly struck.

Racket backswing Leads Directly to the Downswing in the Federer Backhand

As Federer continues his loop to the ball, he drops the racquet head below it to prepare for the contact that will soon arrive. In comparing the initial preparation to the split second before Federer hits the ball, one body part that has not changed at all is his head. It is still and his eyes are following the ball into the racquet. Your eyes might be the most important part of your body for any ground stroke.

This is especially important to remember if a match is not going your way. Take a deep breath and simply concentrate on hitting the ball solidly. A large part of that will involve you watching the ball all the way to the racquet head. Try it next time that you hit, and you’ll be using your sweet spot more than you are accustomed to.

Contact Point Using Roger Federer’s Backhand Grip

As Federer meets the ball, his racquet is usually parallel to the ground. A lot depends on where the shot has been hit and whether or not he has to reach to get it. This will be true for you as well. All things being equal, and assuming that you have time to properly set up before launching your backhand, the racquet should be approximately parallel to the ground as you meet the ball. The stance at this point is more closed than on the forehand.

Because the backhand shot will have less power due to the physics of the shot and your body’s movement, a more closed stance is required. This will guarantee greater rotation as you put the full force of your body into the ball. Federer has also transferred his weight from back to front, and seeing his back foot perched on just one toe proves this weight shift.

In other photos, Federer demonstrates an incredibly flexed calf on his front leg proves that he is using it to crush the ball. What do your feet look like at this point? Flat to the ground?

Then you are probably not transferring your weight as you should. You will need all of that momentum to hit the one-handed backhand with enough force to turn it into an asset for your game.

The Roger Federer Backhand Grip: A Natural Low to High Follow Through

As Federer begins his follow-through, his shoulders are perfectly parallel to the baseline, presenting a fortified wall to the ball. In many action shots, Federer’s back foot is entirely off the ground at this point. All of his weight has been moved up front to power through the ball. If you ever hope to hit your one-handed backhand with suitable pace, you will need to present a similar wall to strike the ball.

Two other constants strike the viewer in looking at Federer’s technique: the Federer backhand grip remains as the knuckle has stayed at 1 o’clock, and his eyes are still on his racquet head, still peering at the point in space where strings met ball.

Now to the most photogenic part of the properly executed one-handed backhand: the exquisite follow-through, as best exemplified by Federer and Justine Henin on the women’s side. Federer has brought his racquet far above his shoulder as he has struck the ball with maximum topspin, going from below the waist to above the shoulder.

To complete the beauty of this typical photo, Federer has extended his left arm out and behind him as a counterbalance. In this moment, Federer looks more like a ballet dancer than a tennis player. He would look equally comfortable in Swan Lake as on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon.

Comparing Your Own One Handed Backhand Shot to Roger Federer

Now, onto your backhand, especially those of you who favor the one-handed variety. Where is your racquet at the end of the shot? Just a few inches past contact? Where is your free arm and hand? Tucked into your body? Are you stiff and under-confident or free and graceful? What you look like on that follow-through will tell everyone all they need to know about your one-handed backhand, yet this is often the most neglected component of the shot. It shouldn’t be. Practice your follow-through until you look something like Federer, who appears ready to take winged flight over the entire tennis complex after hitting his glorious backhand.

Federer’s Slice Backhand Technique

The technique used for a slice backhand will differ a bit from the steps described above, but the main differences will be the weight transfer from back to front (more limited) and the rotation of the core (also diminished). A slice backhand hit with too much whip of the body will either soar into the air or fall short of the net. The slice will be hit with a more open stance, but the follow-through should not be neglected.

The height of the ball will often determine whether or not you hit a slice; high balls will be almost impossible to put any topspin on, thus necessitating a slice option. That’s not all bad. Sliced backhands will stay low and force your opponent to get low or miss the shot.

Federer Backhand Grip – One of the Prime Examples to Model in Today’s Game

The Federer backhand, one of the true objects of beauty in the men’s game, begins with his modified Eastern grip and continues with fundamentals that you, too, can adopt: head still, eye on the ball, closed stance, coiled body, low to high swing, dynamic follow-through. All of these will change a bit if you hit the backhand with two hands, but if you want to hit a one-hander, Federer is an excellent example to follow.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Federer Backhand Grip – Understanding The Roger Federer Backhand Grip appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

Federer’s backhand is a powerful, efficient stroke that is adaptable and versatile. We frequently see Roger Federer play his one handed backhand on the rise as well as from deep behind the baseline. He has the ability to play from various parts of the court. Federer’s backhand is designed to neutralize his opponents shot and maintain good depth on his returns. Unlike most opponents, Roger Federer’s backhand is not an obvious weakness that can easily be exploited. It’s a solid and consistent shot.

The Federer Backhand Grip

Roger Federer’s backhand is a textbook stroke. Federer’s backhand follows a classical approach to the one handed backhand. Federer uses a standard backhand grip for the one handed backhand which is widely known as the best suited grip for the stroke.

One of the reasons why Federer’s backhand is a powerful and efficient shot is due to technique on the backhand. Federer’s backhand is noted for his exquisite technique, in fact one of the best one handed backhands on tour in terms of efficiency. It’s a fluid and efficient stroke that seamlessly flows from one part to the next without any hitches.

Federer’s Backhand Preparation

The preparation of the Federer backhand is an important part of the one handed backhand technique. Roger Federer prepares for the one handed backhand with a unitary body turn. This is called a Unit Turn. A unitary movement is one such that allows the body to turn and coil as a unit, allowing the body to load up power into the core muscles which is essential to generate power.

Preparation is an essential part of world class tennis technique. It is the beginning of the stroke and will determine the player’s ability to generate power and spin later on in the motion. Smooth and fluid preparation is key in tennis technique to achieve an advanced one handed backhand.

World Class preparation for the one handed backhand involves turning the body “back” together to achieve maximum coil. This means that the body should initiate the unitary turn prior to any backswing. An example of poor preparation is taking a big backswing on the one handed backhand without a proper unit turn. This will cause players to arm shots.

At times, we see Federer increase the amount of topspin and rotation with the one handed backhand for safety and greater margin for error. At other times, Federer is able to hit the one handed backhand with aggression pulling his opponents off the court or setting up for an inside out forehand. This would not be possible without having the ability to generate a topspin backhand.

The Roger Federer Backhand: Backswing

Upon viewing many series of slow motion video and comparing them with the rest of top pros with a one handed backhand, Roger Federer’s backhand shares a lot of commonalities. Like most of his peers on tour, Federer starts his backhand with a unitary turn of the body. Then, some compact version of a take back is executed only after his body has turned around forty five degrees. By the time Federer begins any real backswing, the body has turned sideways.

Roger Federer’s Footwork on the Backhand

Watch Roger Federer’s backhand as he hits a quick backhand return. Federer quickly recognizes the incoming ball and gets into the backhand grip. He makes a quick pivot, turning the shoulders and coiling the body with a pivot. This pivot turns the body and brings the racket along for the ride. By simply turning his shoulders and taking an abbreviated and backswing, he is able to make contact with the ball and direct the return for a winner.

On most other occasions, Federer’s backhand is hit with a closed stance and he takes a full complete backswing. This is ideal when he has more time to hit the ball and fully set up for the incoming shot.

Contact Point

As soon as Federer reaches the contact point, the arm usually is straightened out at contact. During the takeback and backswing phase, the arm is usually slightly bent, but at contact point the arm has usually straightened out considerably. Often times Federer’s contact point is in front of the body. The issue of the arm position should occur naturally, provided that the technique earlier on in the swing was correct. This is partially facilitated by the backhand grip, which naturally puts the contact point out in front with the arm ideally straightened out at contact.

Finish and Followthrough

The Federer backhand follow through is essentially the same as with most pros on tour today with the one handed backhand. In today’s modern tennis game, players are hitting the one handed backhand with more pace and spin. The follow through is usually finished up high. In some cases, pro players are using some element of a brushing motion to impart additional topspin to their shots. Federer’s backhand is no exception. This allows for a one handed backhand with both power and spin. At other times, Federer will drive his backhand to flatten out the shot when necessary. This permits for a one handed backhand with greater variety and shot selection.

There are elements of Federer’s backhand that players at any level can develop into their own game. Since Roger Federer’s one handed backhand technique is superfluous, a player cannot go wrong from analysis and modeling even a small part of Roger Federer’s backhand in their game.

Conclusion

The Roger Federer backhand is an integral part of the game of tennis. The analysis of the one handed backhand will likely continue as players evolve as part of every new generation of tennis champions. One thing will never change; however, and that is the Roger Federer Backhand. Federer’s Backhand will likely be a timeless classic textbook stroke that will be referenced for many years to come by future aspiring tennis players.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Roger Federer Backhand Analysis – Keys of the Federer Backhand appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

The debate has shifted from Greatest Of All Time to Best In His Era, which it appears he might not be. This Federer analysis will explore this question as well as take a closer look at Federer’s game.

At his peak, however, many analysts were ready to anoint Federer as the GOAT. The only proof that these experts needed was Federer’s reign as the number 1 player in the world, which he held for a record 237 consecutive weeks from 2004-2007. During that incredible period, Federer won 11 major titles, totally dominating the men’s field as no one had done before.

Federer Analysis – The Big Reason for Setting World Records

Federer’s career accomplishments to this point bear noting: he is one of only three men to win a career Grand Slam on three different surfaces, he has appeared in an unprecedented 23 Grand Slam finals, including 18 of 19 between 2005-10. As of the 2011 U.S. Open, he had reached the quarter-finals of 30 consecutive Grand Slams, another record.

These numbers not only show Federer’s excellence, they are a tribute to his endurance and amazing fitness. Several players have the talent to reach 30 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals, but all of them other than Federer have to sit out a tournament or two due to injury, or injure themselves while playing in one of these high-pressure draws. Federer alone has remained supremely consistent in the Grand Slams, and he has a host of other tournament titles to his name, 70 in total.

Roger Federer Analysis – Character and Persona

Beyond even the numbers and a recognition of Federer’s sublime fitness, any Federer analysis must also discuss the man himself and his game. Roger Federer has had all of the qualities that sportsmen treasure in a champion: he is humble, gracious, tenacious, kind, caring, competitive and an extremely hard worker.

In victory, he does not gloat. In defeat, he makes no excuses, crediting his conquerors. Off the court, he is a family man who gives time and money to numerous charities.

In short, he is the anti-type to the tennis brat that seemed to dominate the men’s scene for so many years. This well-developed character is probably why many tennis writers have been inclined to anoint Federer as the GOAT, and it is an essential part of any Federer analysis. Who Federer is as a person comes through when he is on the court.

A Federer Analysis of His On Court Prowess

On a tennis court, Federer is a little like a fairy, seemingly gliding all over the terrain and hitting any number of shots with consistency and beauty. Federer’s forehand is smooth and vicious, especially when he angles it.

His backhand might be the most beautiful on the men’s tour, full of one-handed purity and exquisite follow-through. His serve is deceptively fast and tricky, full of spins and pace. His volley is solid when activated. Federer has no perceptible holes in his game, another reason why people call him the GOAT.

That lack of holes is evident when you look at is record on all surfaces. Unlike most top players, Federer does not have a surface that is his bugaboo, like Pete Sampras and other great champions, the one major that constantly eluded him due to his inflexible game.

To prove this, Federer has gone out and won 6 Wimbledons, 5 U.S. Opens, 4 Australian Opens and 1 French Open.

He would have won several more tournaments at Roland Garros were it not for the emergence of Rafael Nadal, his primary nemesis to this point, having defeated Federer four times in the finals of that spectacular tournament. Any Federer analysis needs to include the name of Nadal; he is a central character in the Federer story.

A Roger Federer Analysis of His Remarkable Achievements

Yet, somehow, even those defeats burnished the Federer legend, making him appear more human and testing his graciousness in defeat, which he never lost. Nadal, for his part, demonstrated abundant cordiality in victory, refusing to compare himself with Federer as a champion and always deferring to his idol.

During his reign on top of the world, Federer grew tennis as a sport as millions of fans worldwide admired him for the versatility and splendor of his game and the attractiveness of his character off the court.

As for his ability to win on all surfaces, former champion Jimmy Connors summarized it well: “In an era of specialists, you’re either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist…or you’re Roger Federer.” Federer is able to gain victories on grass, clay and hard courts because of his speed and exception shot-making ability.

Federer stays on the baseline for the most part but shows no discomfort at the net. He is known as one of the best volleyers on the tour. Federer does not need to venture to the net often because his forehand is so lethal. Tennis commentator and former champion John McEnroe called the Federer forehand “the greatest shot in our sport.”

Federer Forehand Analysis

That forehand comes in several varieties as Federer often runs around his backhand, thanks to his exceptional quickness, and hits either an inside-out forehand or pulls one down the line. That inside-out forehand is a wicked shot, aimed at most players’ backhands when they are expecting a shot down the line to their forehand, the more natural motion. Many players, pro and amateur alike, have sought to imitate this inside-out forehand due to Federer’s success with it.

Federer Backhand Analysis

As for the Federer backhand, his ability to hit the ball with lots of pace and just one hand greatly increases his options. His slice is called the best in the game, and he uses it often to lure players to the net, where he then slaps a passing shot by them.

His topspin backhand also gives opponents fits and is beautiful to watch on the follow-through. Federer also is known for his “flick” backhand that he powers across the net using only heavy wrist action, usually on passing shots.

Federer Serve Analysis

The Federer serve draws praise for its routine consistency and its deceptiveness. With the same toss each time, Federer makes it impossible for his opponents to read what is coming. As he coils his back and turns it to his opponent, the receiver has no idea what type of serve is coming nor where it will be placed.

As many champions do, Federer often produces his best serves at key moments, as if he were saving speed for the right occasion. At these times, his serve rises about 10 mph, from 125 to 135, stunning his opponent with the occasional ace when he needs one.

Roger Federer Analysis of The Rest of His Game

Other famed strokes that should be mentioned in a Federer analysis are his half-volley from the baseline, his well-disguised drop shot off either side and even his between-the-legs shot that he uses to get lobs. Federer not only reaches these shots and hits them solidly between his legs, he adds another element by aiming such shots, which is nearly impossible. He used a “tweener” to get to match point against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open. Imagine the discouragement of hitting a lob that you think is a winner, only to see it zing by you as a tweener, aimed so well that it passes you at the net. Stunning, just like Federer’s overall game.

The sole question about Federer’s greatness is the trajectory of his career now. He has appeared in just one Grand Slam final in each of the years 2010 and 2011, winning Australia and losing in Paris. There are questions about Federer’s focus as his twin children grow and he confesses his deep love for his family and fatigue with the demands of the professional tour.

Roger Federer – The Greatest of All Time?

Add that element to the fearsome games of Nadal and Djokovic and you have a perfect recipe for quick decline. What keeps tennis fans interested, however, and Federer backers ready to make yet another case for GOAT, is the question of whether the old lion can summon one last great run to humble his new rivals.

Can Roger Federer pick up the intensity or skill of his game to a level that will again surpass all of the other men’s players?

With a 9-17 record against Nadal and a 14-10 record against Djokovic, this new “trivalry” will bear watching over the next year or two.

Either Federer will summon even more resources to the battle or he will fade from the tennis hierarchy as Nadal and Djokovic fight for the throne. Will they have the durability of Federer at the top? That remains to be seen. As this Federer analysis has demonstrated, if they can’t endure as all-court champions, then the argument for Roger Federer as the GOAT will remain strong.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Roger Federer Analysis – A Comprehensive Federer Analysis appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

The Birth of the Richard Gasquet Backhand

In the spring of 2005, Roger Federer was dominating men’s tennis, winning almost every tournament he entered. Although he was upset by Marat Safin in the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier that year, no one expected that he would lose anytime soon to any other player, especially a young and inexperienced one. But surprisingly, that is exactly what happened in Monte Carlo.

Federer came up against an 18 year old French player named Richard Gasquet. The kid was very good and was playing a game that was truly pleasing to the eyes. He had graceful strokes and moved smoothly and effortlessly – just like Federer. But while it was mainly the forehand of Federer that impressed everyone, this kid had a different shot that drew oohs and aahs.

It was the Gasquet backhand that garnered all the attention. It was flashy, powerful and had great variety. He could loop the ball high, drive it hard, create angles, hit passing shots, slice, drop and lob. He was using it to full effect and it helped him escape a Federer match point to create one of the monumental upsets in all of tennis for that particular year.

Gasquet actually had been a highly touted player since 2002 when he was 15. He played his first match on the main tour at that age. He also played his first grand slam match at Roland Garros that year.

The Federer win was his first big result against a top player. Since then, Gasquet’s results have fluctuated but he has frequently been ranked in the top 20. He has had some injury problems and been criticized for not being mentally stronger. But he has had his moments. In 2007, the signature

Gasquet’s backhand: A World Class One Handed Backhand

Gasquet backhand helped him produce an astounding 93 winners in an upset win over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Though he would go on to lose his semi-final match against Federer, to date it remains as his best performance at a grand slam event. But if you count doubles, then consider that he won the French Open mixed doubles title with fellow French player Tatiana Golovin in 2004 at the age of 17.

The Gasquet backhand is a very long and well-timed stroke. It begins as soon as he realizes that the ball is coming over to that side. He needs to have great anticipation because a swing as long and fast as his requires precise timing. He gets into a closed stance by stepping out to the ball with his right foot. Although his stance is closed, his right foot points a little to the net.

This will allow him to uncoil more fully into the shot later on. His knees are bent comfortably and his hips are perpendicular to the net. This entire position of the lower body at the beginning of the stroke provides a stable foundation for the swing.

Richard holds the racket in a strong eastern backhand grip. Back in the day when one-handed backhands were the norm, this was called the semi-western backhand grip. Compared to the traditional eastern backhand grip, this grip puts more of the hand and wrist behind the racket. His non-dominant left hand is also holding the racket but at the throat. This hand helps him take the racket back.

Gasquet Backhand Backswing

The top of the backswing of the Gasquet backhand is quite high; the racket head gets above the level of his head. His shoulder turn is so full that his chin is above his right shoulder. This exaggerated coil of the trunk enables him to store maximum potential energy that will be unleashed later on into the shot. His head is calm, low and facing the ball, focusing on it. Although Gasquet’s technique is great for creating a powerful shot, it is also difficult to time so not all players take a swing as elaborate as his.

With the ball approaching closer, Gasquet now begins his forward swing. From the apex of the take back, he now starts the circular downward and forward motion of the racket. The left hand remains on the throat until the racket head has dropped below the level of the ball. The right arm is straight and the wrist remains cocked back so that the butt cap of his racket is facing the net. As he continues to unwind his body, the wrist will later catch up to his arm at impact, creating immense racket head speed.

Gasquet Backhand Down Swing

At the moment of impact, the racket head is now moving at maximum speed. His body continues unwinding synchronously from the shoulders to the torso to the hips. His knees remain bent and his contact point is out in front of his body. The arm is straight at impact and it will stay so for the rest of the swing.

The Gasquet backhand strike zone has a good range of height – from knee level to around shoulder height. He can therefore handle a low skidding slice or a high kicking topspin shot equally well. The legs begin to lift his body up and carry him forward, transferring all his weight into the shot. His head remains still and focused on the ball. It remains so even after contact. This ensures that his shot will consistently have good control and minimizes the chance of any mishits.

Richard Gasquet Backhand Footwork and Weight Transfer

The Gasquet backhand has ideal weight transfer. At impact, body weight is has transferred completely to the front foot or right foot. The transfer of weight makes his left foot leave the ground as if he’s kicked off to launch into the shot.

With the legs lifting him up and the racket head going through the ball from low to high, topspin is applied to the shot. Throughout the swing, the left arm provides balance by extending backward.

A unique feature of the Gasquet backhand is a flick of the wrist at the moment of impact. This action provides him with disguise and variety. This snapping motion varies with the amount of topspin he wants to put into the shot.

Almost all of his regular backhands have topspin, but the degree of spin is greatly variable. As a consequence of this flick, his follow through will also have alterations depending on the amount of spin he has applied to the ball.

If he has hit with heavy topspin, his racket head will be above the level of his head at the end of the follow through. A flatter shot will end up just above shoulder level.

In either case, the arm remains straight and extends out fully into the direction of the ball and continues around his body. His racket will actually finish behind him as he opens his hips to face the net again.

Richard Gasquet Backhand Contact Point

In fact, if you superimpose a picture of Gasquet at the top of his take back over a photo of him at the end of the follow through, you will see that the racket heads on the pictures overlap significantly. Richard recovers for the next shot easily because he has unwound properly and has remained in perfect balance.

Richard Gasquet Backhand Follow Through

Gasquet’s picturesque backhand continues in the tradition of graceful single handers like Gustavo Kuerten and Justine Henin. Players who use one hand on the backhand usually count that wing as the weaker one but not Gasquet. He is at least as strong, if not stronger, from the backhand.

From this analysis of the shot, it is easy to see why. If you want to have his backhand, you have to make sure that you have his extraordinary sense of timing. It can be easy to copy the high take back, full swing and extra-long follow through but it will be very tough to time the ball properly. It would be more advisable to simply admire the grace, power and beauty of the Gasquet backhand.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Analysis of the Richard Gasquet Backhand Shot – The Gorgeous Gasquet Backhand Technique appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

When viewed in slow motion video, Rafael Nadal’s serve has changed considerably in terms of technique as well as the technical motion. This article will discuss the Nadal serve technique as well as point out areas of a proper tennis serve that ordinary tennis players can adapt into their own tennis serve motion.

The Making of the Nadal Serve

When Spain’s Rafael Nadal wraps up his tennis career in the future, he will go down in history as one of the greatest ever to play the game. In the beginning, it seemed like he would just be another one of his country’s numerous clay court specialists. Indeed it was on clay where he made his first breakthrough. Rafael Nadal led his nation’s Davis Cup team to a win in 2004 at home on clay.

Then in the spring of 2005, he swept through the clay court season, winning masters titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. It culminated in him winning his first grand slam title on the clay courts of the French Open, where he beat the smooth and stylish Swiss player Roger Federer along the way. These two players would establish one of the most extensive rivalries of all time.

But after winning the French Open, Nadal fell in the second round of Wimbledon; while his rival went on to win the title. Federer also dominated all the other events except those on clay. Nadal quickly realized that to be truly great, he needed to improve on other surfaces as well. Although he was good enough to win a few hard court titles, he wasn’t posting consistent results on the faster courts. So he went back and studied how to improve his game. One shot that needed vast improvement stood out. It happened to be the most important shot in the game.

The Improvement of the Rafael Nadal Serve

From 2003-2005 the Rafael Nadal serve was simply a means to begin the point. The fact that he was left handed made it more difficult to return than other players who similarly had mediocre serves. But as far as the ability to provide free points through aces and service winners, it was not a shot that he could rely on. His main focus was to get a high percentage of first serves. He hit it with a lot of spin and not much pace.

Nadal usually looked to make the opponent step back or out wide in order for him to dictate the point with the next shot, usually his forehand, which was, and still is, his main weapon.

Nadal’s motion featured a short take back similar to Andy Roddick’s. But while Roddick generated extreme torque on his motion due to his exaggerated coil and ultra-fast motion, Nadal let his racket face remain too parallel to the ground on the take back, robbing him of fluidity.

Above all, he simply did not throw himself upward and forward enough. Most of the power and spin came from the action of his arm and wrist. At least this provided great control

Nadal Serve: The Challenge to Win Different Grand Slam Surfaces

As one of the truly great competitors any sport has ever seen, Nadal relished the challenge of trying to win Wimbledon, the tournament many people believed would be impossible for him to claim. One year after losing in the second round, he surprised everyone by reaching the final where he lost a relatively one-sided match to Federer.

Rafael Nadal did however win one set and it was the only set that Roger lost throughout the entire tournament. The following year, he reached the final again, losing this time in five sets. He had chances in the fifth set but couldn’t convert his break points. He surrendered his serve twice and lost. Throughout this period, Nadal had been tinkering with his service motion, looking for ways to turn into more of a weapon. The changes were happening gradually.

The first objective for the Nadal serve was the addition of extra power. To succeed on faster courts, he knew he had to have the ability to serve aces and just generally make it more difficult to return. He also knew that a player with a big serve could also put more pressure on his opponent. He modified his technique.

The Changes to Rafael Nadal’s Serve Technique

The changes that were seen on the Nadal serve included an exaggeratedly higher take back, greater lift and more weight transfer. The higher take back took the racket way above his head with his elbow above the height of his shoulder. This provided an increase in the distance that the racket head travelled allowing him to build up more speed. It slightly compromised his accuracy but the added momentum yielded greater power. He was able to add about 15 miles per hour to his average serve speed.

He used this newfound serving power to finally win Wimbledon in 2008, beating Federer in one of the greatest matches of all-time. He capped his year by grabbing the Olympic gold medal in singles and gaining the number one ranking for the first time.

Nadal now set out to conquer the hard court slams. He succeeded when he again beat Federer to win the 2009 Australian Open, reducing his great rival to tears. But the US Open remained elusive. The courts there were faster and slicker than in Australia, where the ball bounced higher, complementing his topspin.

The US Open required even more first-strike tennis. Nadal had never even reached the final there and in that same year, he was blown away in the semi-finals by eventual champion Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina. It was one of his worst losses in a grand slam event. Injuries had also threatened to ruin his career. His grinding style was too stressful for even his powerfully built and seemingly sturdy physique.

Nadal’s Serve Motion: Technical Changes

It was now imperative that Nadal learns how to win points more efficiently, otherwise, he would be putting too much stress on his body by continuing to play his grinding style, especially on hard courts. There was no way to win points more quickly than to serve even more aces.

To produce more aces, the Nadal serve had to be even faster but still remain as accurate as possible. He went back to using a service motion that more closely resembled the one he used earlier in 2005. He took the racket up but not beyond shoulder level. His wrist was still slightly bent while moving up on the take back but he was doing a better job of straightening it at the top of the take back.

This ensured that he could cock the wrist more before impact and impart more speed and spin. He also changed his grip very slightly. He also used the continental grip before but he now made a minor adjustment on the way his fingers are spaced on the handle. He now tossed the ball higher and really launched up to hit it at its highest point at full extension. There was also a consequent further improvement in his forward weight transfer.

The whole result was an additional 5 miles per hour coupled with greater accuracy. This resulted in more aces, service winners and unreturnables. There were easier put-aways earlier in the rallies. And ultimately, there was the 2010 US Open trophy. The Nadal serve was now truly a major weapon.

Breaking Down the Rafael Nadal Serve

The Nadal serve has become a serve motion that is more technically sound, and unsurprisingly his serve now shares many of the same commonalities of the top pro servers on tour. The following is a brief breakdown of the Nadal serve:

• Rafael Nadal uses the pinpoint stance, where the back foot moves close to the leading foot during the take back of the racket. Federer, in comparison, uses the platform stance, where the feet remain apart.
• For a flat serve, Nadal’s serve involves a different serve where the toss of the ball is higher and more forward. The height of his toss is optimized to allow him to hit the ball at maximum extension.
• The take back is at an ideal height that his elbow doesn’t rise above the level of his shoulder.

• Nadal coils his torso and tilts his shoulders, just as he bends his knees and gets ready to jump up and into the court later.
• Nadal jumps up, uncoils the torso and unleashes the upper body to hit the ball.

• Nadal fully pronates and uses the power of his arm to generate additional racket head speed. It is now a natural consequence of the correct mechanics he has adapted from ground up, instead of a muscling kind of effort which he used before.
• Nadal follows through completely and recovers quickly just like any other great server in the history of the game.

The Nadal serve has truly come a long way. It is an inspiring testament to what goal-oriented hard work can do for your game.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post The Evolution Of The Rafael Nadal Serve appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

He is even considered by some as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He is named as the “King or Master of Clay” due to his phenomenal domination in tennis clay matches. Some experts even called him as the greatest player on clay.

He has won several titles, eighteen (18) ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour Masters Master Tours, nine (9) grand slams. He won two (2) Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010, he also won one (1) US title in 2010, one (1) Australian open in 2009 and 6 French open in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. He did not win the 2008 but he was not in the final because of some injury. Because of this achievement, he now belongs to the elite group of tennis players like Roger Federer and Andre Agassi who won all the grand slam titles.

Rafael Nadal is the present top ATP player and this is made possible because of the Nadal forehand which is one of his most powerful assets either as an offensive or defensive weapon. The Rafael Nadal forehand creates so much power and topspin that it enables him to outplay his opponents. Nadal’s forehand combined with his excellent foot speed allows him to execute the topspin forehand perfectly.

Grip type and backswing technique

The Rafael Nadal forehand is considered as one of the fiercest forehands in modern tennis and this contributes to his wins and many titles. He hits a strong and powerful topspin forehand and as the result, a very sharp brushing effect is created as the back of the ball comes in contact with the racket head.

Rafael Nadal uses a forehand grip close to a full western, which places the palm of the hand underneath the racket handle. Rafael Nadal’s forehand allows the ball to clear the net with a high net clearance as Nadal uses an upwards swing; as a result more topspin is produced. This means that the Nadal forehand is hit the ball from underneath creating the topspin.

The way Nadal grips his racket enhances the downward inclination of the racket face when he does the backswing. Then as he swings his racket forward, the face of the racket is positioned in vertical manner.

Semi-Open or Fully Open Stance

Nadal forehand stance or posture is one of the most amazing stances in tennis. When Rafael Nadal is executing a forehand groundstroke, the majority of the time he uses a semi-open and fully open stance. In this way, he is able to exert more rotational energy as he swings and at the same time allowing for his legs to produce linear force to move forwards at a very fast pace.

Backswing and Preparatory Racket swing

The Nadal forehand is also unique in some sort. The early part of his swing is characterized with the uncoiling of this body which is very evident the way his upper body twists during the shot. Nadal positions his racket below the ball to allow him to be able to brush the ball with his racket face in upwards direction producing spin. In the same instance, his legs lift from the ground pushing his body upwards resulting in the heavy topspin Nadal forehand.

When Rafael Nadal is already suspended in the air, his whole body tends to rotate towards the net but at the same time, he is able to position his head that it is locked to where the ball is. This is called the open stance which is very critical because if the player loses sight with the ball before the contact (ball hitting the racket face) it can result to mishits.

Nadal’s forehand spinning with heavy topspin makes it difficult for his opponents to return, resulting in short balls that Nadal can attack.

Forward Swing

A couple of seconds before the ball contact, the gap between Nadal’s racket and the ball is about 6 inches but in an instant he accelerates his swing and hits the ball. This shows his speed in hitting the ball resulting in a very powerful forehand shot. If you watch him play you will notice the “flicking” effect when he executes this part.

Nadal’s wrist lays back during the forward swing. During this phase, the racket is not perpendicular to his forearm. At the time of contact, the layback position of his racket disappears as he accelerates the forward movement of his racket.

Point of contact

As the ball touches the racket face, Nadal automatically adjust his racket face from an angled one (during his backward swing) to a vertical position. In this instance, he is already using a ¾ grip, which is ideal to meet the ball at a perfect distance from his body.

Just after point of contact

Immediately after the ball hits the racket face, Nadal’s forehand quickly raises his racket with the same speed as his return indicating how powerful his topspin is. Nadal is very clever in using his topspin which produces strong drives and creates high bouncing shots making his opponent vulnerable. This results in mistakes from his opponents, giving Nadal the advantage.

Reverse Follow Through

Another unique element of Rafael Nadal’s forehand is his reverse forehand. The reverse forehand is hit the same way as his usual forehands, the only difference is that his follow through moves to the opposite side of this head. This follow through wraps around creating additional topspin. Amazingly, he is still able to fixate his head at the point of contact despite the massive rotation. He also uses his back foot to support his body. This forehand variation is used when Nadal wants to create extra topspin.

Windshield Wiper Follow Through

Nadal’s forehand utilizes a same side follow-through wherein his racket swings exactly in the same side after he hits the ball. He usually uses this follow through as he moves his racket back.

Another interesting aspect of Nadal’s follow-through is the windshield wiper forehand follow through. He normally use this finish when he hits the ball in a more forceful way then he normally does. The result is a heavy topspin ball in combination with massive racket head speed.

Nadal’s Athleticism

As a counter attack to the Nadal forehand, his opponents try to outwit him by forcing him to hit low balls to his forehand side. This is because, with the type of Nadal’ grip which is ¾ western grip, it is awkward for Nadal to produce a topspin since he has to position himself low. But Nadal is still excellent in counteracting this tactic by bending his knees quickly to hit the ball underneath and still producing enough topspin to hit the ball.

As Nadal bends his knees for the forehand, he often executes the neutral stance. He only uses this stance when the ball return of the opponent is low. The good thing about Nadal is he is a very quick player, so he can arrive to the ball in position and still hit an aggressive shot that some players cannot equal or surpass.

Nadal’s Forehand on the Defensive

Rafael Nadal’s forehand is not only excellent as an attacking shot, but he also uses his forehand as a very effective defensive weapon. Because of his speed, Nadal can outrun any opponent at the professional level. Even Roger Federer has a hard time keeping Nadal on the defense.

Nadal’s forehand allows him to be one step ahead of his opponents, frequently turning the situation of being the defensive player into the offensive one. This is one of the reasons why Nadal’s forehand is such a dominating weapon in the modern game and why tennis fanatics all around the world enjoy watching him play.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Nadal Forehand – Analysis of the Rafael Nadal Forehand appeared first on Tennis Instruction.