July 22, 2011
Where to hit the Drop Shot
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Forehand Variations within the Advanced Foundation Dave Smith In my 35 years of teaching tennis, what I find interesting is the way each and every player evolves and embellishes the foundation. Some teaching pros believe if you teach the same exact stroke patterns to every student, you will end up with a bunch of tennis “clones.” But that is clearly not the case. There are so many variables within each individual student that, just like the unique genetic pattern every human possesses, every tennis student will emerge from learning the same foundation with particular idiosyncrasies within their games.
From personality to perceptions to actual athletic prowess, each student will take the same technical training and adapt it over time. We see this in all sports. While every top pro golfer has the same foundation and swing elements, there are many peculiarities and idiosyncrasies that differentiate a Rickie Fowler from a Rory McIlroy, or a Tiger Woods from a Jack Nicklaus. If we compare jump shots of NBA stars like a Kobie Bryant or a Michael Jordan, we can see core similarities that are in line with all NBA stars…but both with a different personality and style that makes their foundation unique to them. Tennis is no different. We can compare nearly every single top ATP and WTA tour player, and we can identify similar foundation elements in their strokes. Yet, each has a style or what I call “evolved characteristics” that have developed from this foundation. So ,I guess Sly Stone had it right, "different strokes for different folks," although I'm almost certain he wasn't referring to tennis. Same Player…Different Strokes We can also look at an individual player and identify how he or she has developed different specific strokes (based on this advanced foundation) for different situations. In fact, if we look specifically at swing and footwork patterns, you will definitely find variations even within each individual player. In skilled players, you will indeed find both open and closed stances, wrap and reverse finishes, and many other variations depending on the situation.
Once a player develops a solid foundation in a stroke, one that implements a reliable, repeatable swing path with reliable, repeatable results, the player is then able to embellish this foundation, adding to the stroke with measured effects. For example, a player who hits with a general and similar ball rotation on a topspin stroke, that player can then add more or less topspin with generally expected results. Petra Kvitova Let’s look at an up-and coming player and this year’s Wimbledon Champion, Petra Kvitova. In the following clips you will see her forehand hit with different patterns based both on situations as well as intent. In the first video (above) Petra uses some “old school” elements: Neutral Stance, over-the-shoulder wrap finish, and even the classic, “catch the racquet with the non-dominant hand” element. Notice also that even though Kvitova doesn’t use a huge front leg drive, her weight is clearly on this front foot throughout the majority of the stroke. Video two shows Petra hitting a more “modern,” attacking forehand. Here she uses an open stance (although not a fully open) with a more classic weight weight transfer from back foot to front, and an explosive thrust that literally propels her off the ground. Note also the difference in the finish of the stroke: a lower drive with the finish across her side and not over the shoulder as she did in the video one. This is a far more aggressive forehand and she hits a much flatter ball compared to the videos below. In many situations, it is advisable to stay down within the stroke instead of standing up in the classic way. This can help a player control the contact window simply because the core of the body is not moving vertically within the stroke. In Video three, Petra again uses a neutral stance and remains down throughout the contact phase. While some teaching pros actively teach players to stand up, you will see touring pros staying down in many situations. Here you can clearly see Petra drop down in a bent-knee position as her racquet drops down out of her loop swing. Yet, her hips, while rotating forward as she brings her racquet into the contact phase, barely move from the moment of contact to well into her relaxation phase. In this case, her swing path is far more vertical than in the previous video, indicating a far less aggressive shot selection. Here, Petra is not attacking but playing a very conservative forehand for control. When players are on the run, you will almost always see them bring the front leg across at some point during the stroke. This is to help maintain balance within the swing. If a player were to plant the inside foot (as in an open stance forehand) while on the run, he would end up falling backward during the stroke, causing the player to lose balance and make recovery more difficult. In the fourth video, Petra is on the run slightly. Note how she establishes a good position on the ball, gets her front leg to come in slightly (in what I call an “open-to-closed” stance footwork pattern), and is able to hit a flatter, driving forehand with her finish more up over the shoulder. Again, she catches the racquet with her off-hand, and has a high hitting elbow after the finish of the stroke. Video five offers a little more modern, open stance forehand, Kvitova loads her left foot early before contact and transfers her weight across to her right foot. Notice the more prominent “wiper” move as Kvitova brushes up and across the back of the ball adding more topspin as opposed to driving it as she did in video two. As you can see, there are many variations in a player’s stroke preference. This can be based on situations or intent. But, most important, notice the foundation of the swing when observing any professional stroke. The key here is to make sure you are keeping the “plane the same” within the stroke. This idea, to keep the hitting surface of the string bed the same as long as you can within the stroke, helps players gain control and opens the door to embellishing the stroke and adding more variety as well.
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