Split Grips to One Handers: Grip Series Turns to Backhands

[jimlosaltos]

As I compiled this month's Tour Portrait, the Backhand album in the Grip Series, I looked for variety. But I was surprised at the number of split-grip backhands. I guess Daniil Medvedev isn't alone! For context, I resurrected a photo of Kei Nishikori's split grip from when I last did a grip series for John Yandell, many years ago.

Also, stumbled on Frenchwoman Diane Parry, who I'm told has perhaps the best one-handed backhand on the WTA. Not sure how much competition Parry has, though. The singleton being far less widely used on the WTA even than the ATP lately.

So, from Sinner and Alcaraz to Iga and Aryna, from Dimitrov to Parry, here are 19 photos showed top ATP and WTA pro's backhand grips.

Here's two favorites:

1 of 2 ( Both taken at BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, different years (c)jfawcette )

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2 of 2

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[tennisskip1515]

Do we owe David Ferrer a nod because he was the first (that I'm aware of) to show the legitimacy of the split two-handed grip? However much I disparaged the technique when he was active, its validity is clear given the number of players who make it work, and work well.

[stotty]

Check our Xavier Malisse. I seem to remember watching him on an outside court and was amazed how split his two-handed backhand grip was. Some backhands were more split than others, which I found extraordinary.

There are a couple of overlappers out there, too, no doubt.

[jeffreycounts]

Check our Xavier Malisse. I seem to remember watching him on an outside court and was amazed how split his two-handed backhand grip was. Some backhands were more split than others, which I found extraordinary.

There are a couple of overlappers out there, too, no doubt.

YES! Great memory. I have some video of him - i'll post some stills here of his backhand grip.

[jimlosaltos]

Check our Xavier Malisse. I seem to remember watching him on an outside court and was amazed how split his two-handed backhand grip was. Some backhands were more split than others, which I found extraordinary.

There are a couple of overlappers out there, too, no doubt.

Here you go. X-Man on command

From SAP Open 2011 vs Ricardo Berankis. Malisse was among few then to use an extra long Prince racket. Swung that big long-neck like a boat oar.

Also, Kei Nishikori varied his backhand grip widely depending on the shot, i.e. high kicker on Rafa's serve got a big split ( presumably for stability?), while normal ground stroke a smaller one. Here's a TPN tour portrait that includes some. Also had a short portrait of Kei and Ernest Gulbis, who had a split grip on his quite excellent service return, one of the few that came way in to returns from the likes of John Inser and Ivo Karlovic )

Links to Golden Oldies

Portrait of Kei at link

Kei & Gulbis grips

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[neilchok]

image.png
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Agassi on https://www.udemy.com/course/andreagassi/

explains his backhand grip. I had to crop it to upload it. He says he has his bottom hand where his base knuckle on his bottom hand is on bevel 2 (he calls this continental). His top hand is making a v on bevel 1.

-He said with the grip he could hit the ball late as his top hand wrist was laid back, and it allowed him to maximize the time he is in the strike zone. He says when he would hit it, he would think of it as hitting with the back of his bottom hand. Mind you, Nick Bolliteri says Andre could hit with his other hand and practiced it a lot.
-I know one tennis pro who played for the australian davis cup team said he watched him practice at davis cup and he said his lefty forehand was so good you would think that was his normal hand. This pro said it was the most impressive thing he has ever seen on the tennis court. This was from a podcast I heard

-Andre said the most important rule in tennis is the 12 inch rule in the udemy video. What you do 12 inches before you make contact, and 12 inches after you make contact. He says that should be driving as much as possible, and if you were to let go of your racket it would hit the back fence on the fly.

[neilchok]

fyi Australian players sometimes lay there thumb on the the back of the grip for one handed backhands. Laver from his book would do this on high backhand volleys based on what his junior coach told him to do. He said it was like he was pushing a postage stamp with his thumb.

[neilchok]

As I compiled this month's Tour Portrait, the Backhand album in the Grip Series, I looked for variety. But I was surprised at the number of split-grip backhands. I guess Daniil Medvedev isn't alone! For context, I resurrected a photo of Kei Nishikori's split grip from when I last did a grip series for John Yandell, many years ago.

Also, stumbled on Frenchwoman Diane Parry, who I'm told has perhaps the best one-handed backhand on the WTA. Not sure how much competition Parry has, though. The singleton being far less widely used on the WTA even than the ATP lately.

So, from Sinner and Alcaraz to Iga and Aryna, from Dimitrov to Parry, here are 19 photos showed top ATP and WTA pro's backhand grips.

Here's two favorites:

1 of 2 ( Both taken at BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, different years (c)jfawcette )

filedata/fetch?id=106892&d=1744232522&type=thumb

2 of 2

filedata/fetch?id=106891&d=1744232522&type=thumb

#

Wow I can't believe Medvedev has his top hand basically on the throat!!!!

[jimlosaltos]

Wow I can't believe Medvedev has his top hand basically on the throat!!!!

Yup. I call it "A Shovel Grip".

[jeffreycounts]

Jim - I like how you referred to Malisse swinging the racket like a boat oar on his backhand, putting his hands wide apart on the grip. It's a great description! I found this video I shot years ago of Malisse hitting a backhand. Here is is, swinging that boat oar!

[jimlosaltos]

Jim - I like how you referred to Malisse swinging the racket like a boat oar on his backhand, putting his hands wide apart on the grip. It's a great description! I found this video I shot years ago of Malisse hitting a backhand. Here is is, swinging that boat oar!

Great video! X-man was also a very good, if infrequent as I remember, doubles player. Won Indian Wells with .... Dolgopolov over Fed-Wawrinka, perhaps? As I recall, Fed credited their "unconventional doubles" <g>

Used that big oar well to return serve, one key to his doubles.

[jeffreycounts]

Great video! X-man was also a very good, if infrequent as I remember, doubles player. Won Indian Wells with .... Dolgopolov over Fed-Wawrinka, perhaps? As I recall, Fed credited their "unconventional doubles" <g>

Used that big oar well to return serve, one key to his doubles.

Even better, he won the French Open doubles with 5’6 Olivier Rochus!

[jimlosaltos]

Even better, he won the French Open doubles with 5’6 Olivier Rochus!

Which is taller, Rochus or X-Man's Prince ?