Tip of the week: The optimal forehand grip

When assessing the best grip to use it’s important to understand that the grip used will affect the mechanics of the swing. Therefore different grips may be optimal for different players depending on their physique and style of play.

The traditional Eastern forehand grip, so called as it was used on the low-bouncing grass courts of the east coast of the US, is when the hand is behind the handle (at contact). This grip is great for driving through the ball for a deep and powerful forehand that stays low over the net. However higher balls that climb above chest height can be difficult to control. Federer and Del Potro are two of a small number of pros who currently use this grip.

The Semi-Western (and the extreme Western) forehand grip, so called as it became prevalent on the higher bouncing courts of the west coast of the US, is when the hand is partly (or completely) under the handle. This grip helps to prevent the racket face from opening on higher balls and adds more spin, allowing the player to remain aggressive. Nearly all pros use some form of the Semi-Western grip today, however Ferrer is a standout master of taming the high ball.

The prevalence of more extreme forehand grips is not completely justified in my opinion. It’s ideal for smaller players like Ferrer who have to use extreme rotational forces to generate power and are regularly hitting at shoulder height. However, their is little benefit for taller players like Del Potro, for whom the same ball is not high at all. With his Eastern grip he can effectively crush the ball with raw power. See you on the court!

Festive season begins early for top players

The festive season begins early for the top players on the ATP and WTA tours as they prepare for the lucrative end of season championships. The tournaments' sponsors are required to be very generous at this time of the year since each event has a total prize pool of $7,000,000! So who are the players likely to walk away with the biggest cheques this year?

each event has a total prize pool of $7,000,000!

For the women, the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore starts today. The field, confirmed only as of yesterday, will be Halep, Sharapova, Muguruza, Kvitova, Radwanska, Kerber, Pennetta and Safarova. Serena is notably absent, having called it quits for the season after falling agonisingly short of achieving a calendar Grand Slam. Had she been participating there wouldn’t be much debate over who is most likely to raise the trophy. But it's lucky (in a way) for us fans as it makes the event far more interesting.

Of those players struggling to put an end to Serena’s domination, Kvitova is perhaps the most likely to step up in her absence. She has experience, being one of only two players (along with Radwanska) to have made the elite field for the last five years. She has no mental barrier to overcome since she previously won the event on debut in 2011. She has had some great success this year having won three Premier-level titles. And to top it off she is also the only player this season to have beaten Serena in straight sets, perhaps a sign that she has the game to eventually inherit Serena’s throne. So if she plays her best she’ll be tough to beat.

The men have to wait until mid-November before they battle it out for their end of year bonuses in the Barclay’s ATP World Tour Finals. The field so far features Djokovic, Murray, Federer, Wawrinka, Nadal and Berdych. Currently Nishikori and Ferrer round out the elite eight in the standings, however Tsonga, Gasquet and Anderson all have a chance of taking their places. But realistically only the top four have a chance to lift the trophy…and it’s hard to see anyone stopping Novak from winning for the fourth consecutive year.

Djokovic has been in superb form this season, which alone makes him the favourite. But when you also consider his love of indoor courts and his previous form at this event, in particular last year when he absolutely crushed Cilic, Wawrinka and Berdych in his pool matches, it has to be his title to lose. Perhaps only the veteran, Federer, has a chance to grab another title if Novak slips up. In the big finals this season Novak got the better of Roger, winning both the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open in four sets. However, Roger was one of the few players able to take a match off Novak this season, defeating him in the finals of Dubai and Cincinnati.

Another Federer/Djokovic final is just what the fans want. The two have some unfinished business given that Novak won the title last year after Roger had to pull out of the final. Also at stake is their epic head-to-head record which Novak recently tied at 20-20. Bring on the “sneak attack,” Roger!

Tip of the week: Open stance for quicker setup

Last time I talked about the advantages of hitting ground strokes using an open stance, which at the extreme means preparing to hit with the lower body facing the net. But between open stance and closed stance (body side on to the net) there is a range of footwork that can be employed for different situations. So how do you decide which is best?

Well, the main advantage of the open stance is being able to generate extreme power, by using the body's rotational force, even with a small backswing. Its weakness is that it requires very good balance since if you lean slightly forwards or backwards during the stroke you will begin to fall and ruin your stroke as your body automatically tries to rebalance. The main advantage of the closed stance is great stability, especially when leaning forwards (towards the net), while its weakness is reduced power and spin potential.

So the strength of each stance compliments the weakness of the other. Therefore a hybrid stance that can combine the features of both would be optimal. That's exactly what the semi-open stance is. By positioning your body diagonally to the net you can still generate very good rotational force. However, by having one foot closer to the net it also allows you to lean slightly forward without losing balance. Try it out and watch both your power and consistency improve! See you on the court!

Is a shorter season the answer?

As the tours prepare for their end of season championships, which signals the start of a rest period for most players, mounting injuries have resulted in calls from some players for a shorter season. It’s not the first time this issue has arisen and no doubt won’t be the last. I’ve discussed it before but it’s worth revisiting.

(Extra tournaments can) directly affect a cash-strapped player’s ability to continue on the tour for another season

The women’s tour in particular has been decimated by injuries of late. Last week Muguruza forfeited the Wuhan Open final, then this week at the China Open Sharapova is out injured, Halep retired in the first round and Bouchard quit after still feeling the effects of her earlier concussion, although in fairness this was a result of slipping in the locker room. But perhaps the biggest blow was Serena Williams announcing her season was over to take “time to heal."

Agnieszka Radwanska has led the call for a September cut-off saying that she would be willing to forgo the prize money from playing more events and she thinks a lot of players agree with her. I’m sure she does have support from the top-ranked players, which makes a compelling case for a shorter season. But let’s not forget about the rest of the players (not top-ranked) on the tour, who make up the vast majority, and whose voices are rarely heard.

I suspect most players welcome the 15 WTA and 14 ATP tournaments that are held after the start of the US Open (late August) as it’s a chance to earn extra money and ranking points. This can make or break their season and directly affect a cash-strapped player’s ability to continue on the tour for another season. It’s easy for top ten players, who are typically multi-millionaires, to say they are willing to give up the extra cash, but they're in the minority!

Most of these tournaments are not mandatory, so if a player wishes to call an early end to their season they can. Yet typically those players calling for an early finish don’t do that. That’s probably because they feel pressure to maximise their ranking points. And why is that? Maybe to keep sponsors happy? Or perhaps to increase their chances of making the lucrative season ending championships featuring the top eight players? So while the figure may vary, ultimately all players have their price!

Tennis is a professional sport and like any competitive profession you can’t stop people from trying to gain an edge by working harder or smarter than the next person. That’s what drives progress and propels participants to new levels. So an abundance of injuries alone is not a good enough reason to make drastic changes. Players must adapt to the ever-changing competitive environment as they always have by getting fitter, stronger, healthier and smarter. There’s no point yearning for simpler times. Embrace the future or get left behind.

Tip of the week: Open stance for quicker setup

These days the vast majority of players hit most of their forehand drives with their stance “open" to some degree. By open we mean that the lower body is facing more towards the net, both in setup and at the contact point, compared to the traditional closed stance technique - setting up side-on to the net. It is achieved by ensuring your final setup step, when moving across the baseline, is with the right leg (for a right-hander) rather than the left. At the extreme (fully open stance) both feet are equal distance from the net, for example on the baseline. 

This change in preferred footwork is mainly due to the reduction in racket weights - around 9-12 oz for a modern racket compared to 13-16 oz for an old wooden racket - and the subsequent increase in power which has resulted in more movement across the baseline to retrieve balls and less opportunities to step into incoming balls (towards the net).

The advantage of this stance is that it promotes a shorter backswing and gives the player more opportunity to meet the ball in front, and therefore have more control, by discouraging excessive rotation of the body away from the net at setup. However, when time permits the player may still rotate the shoulders away from the net, by bending the knees, and produce more power with the body’s rotational force than can be achieved by stepping into the ball with a closed stance. Try it out. Next time we’ll discuss variations. See you on the court!