Attacking a Two-Handed Backhand at all levels
Moving your opponent is the best way to neutralize a two hander.
For years, hitting the backhand with two hands instead of one has been the preferred style at both the pro and recreational levels. In a perfect world I would teach a player to use a two-handed backhand for service returns and topspin drives, but still be adept at the one-handed slice for variety, defense, and volleying. But most players rely on one style over the other and accept the limitations. In the case of the two-hander these occur when a player has to reach to hit a ball on the run. And since two-handers tend to be deadly when stationary, it becomes that much more important to force them to move. Here’s how you can make things uncomfortable for opponents with two-handed backhands.
BEGINNER
OBJECTIVE 1: Take advantage of an abbreviated swing.
When players first learn the two-hander, they can be consistent with the shot, but they tend to have a somewhat restricted swing. Instead of a free-flowing, accelerated stroke, it’s more of a bunt or block. With that being the case, it becomes much more difficult for them to control the ball when they’re on the move. And at this level, you don’t have to move your opponent far.
A simple way to do this is to hit several balls in an offensive manner to the forehand side of the court. This will get your opponent to move to that area and open up room on the backhand side. Don’t aim at the lines, as just making a player hit on the run with both hands on the racquet (or, even better, forcing him to take one hand off of it) can cause huge balance problems.
OBJECTIVE 2: Keep the ball deep in the court.
Another limitation of an abbreviated backhand stroke is that it makes it difficult to hit balls that land close to the baseline. Since you may have a two-handed backhand as well, you’d be wise to try to back up your opponent. That way, he’s hitting from deep in the court and you can move up close to or in front of the baseline. This gives him a small target to hit to, while you have more options.
To hit deep shots, concentrate on the height of the ball over the net rather than the pace. If necessary, take something off the ball and give yourself plenty of net clearance so you have a large margin for error as well as a deep shot. This will put pressure on your opponents, which can cause errors on the two-handed side.
INTERMEDIATE
OBJECTIVE 1: Force your opponent to hit a variety of two-handed backhands.
Even if the two-handers you’re playing have a measure of versatility, they still won’t be completely comfortable hitting when they’re off-balance. So along with backing up your opponent with a series of deep balls to the backhand, you should also mix in some short and low shots as well. That way they’re struggling to reach the ball, and generating racquet-head speed while moving forward can be difficult. Ideally you’ll force them to remove the nondominant hand from the racquet, which will likely result in a poor shot.
Another way that you can make your opponent uncomfortable is to jam a serve into the body. Having both hands on the racquet can make for an awkward reply on a hard serve right at the chest or hip.
OBJECTIVE 2: Pick on the backhand volley.
By testing your opponent’s two-handed backhand with a short ball, you’re also bringing him closer to the net. While it’s not always the case, many players who have two-handed backhands don’t volley as well as players with a solid one-handed slice. Given that, if your opponent chooses to follow a midcourt ball to net, test him on the backhand side. You don’t have to hit a perfect shot; if you can hit it low and make your opponent volley up or stretch, you’ll be in great shape on the next shot.
ADVANCED
OBJECTIVE 1: Try to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm.
For a highly skilled player, the two-handed backhand will often be a dominant shot. It’s usually not as overpowering as his or her forehand, but it’s steadier.
Most two-handed players enjoy getting into a rhythm in which they’re hitting the ball somewhere between thigh and chest height. That’s generally the strike zone, and they don’t miss too many balls in that area.
If that’s the case, what you want to do is mix up your shots so your opponents are forced to make contact with their backhands out of their comfort zones. On one ball, hit a slice that makes them reach below their knees, and back it up with a high roller that moves the point of impact to the shoulder. At this level, the more you show your opponents different heights and spins, the better off you’ll be.
OBJECTIVE 2: Use your serve to stretch the court.
Two-handers are good fastball hitters—having the extra hand on the racquet makes it difficult to overwhelm them with a serve. But because their reach is limited, a spin serve that jumps away from them will cause them problems. For instance, if you and your opponent are right-handed, use a kick serve in the ad court that jumps up and away from his backhand. Or if your opponent is a left-hander, a slice serve out wide on the deuce side will stay low and skid, potentially forcing him to return the ball with one hand on the racquet.
Article by Paul Annacone, Illustrations by Craig Zuckerman – Tennis.com
