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The Left Hand’s Role on the Backhand
Part Three of a Four-Part Instructional Series
By Joe Dinoffer
 Like
the first two articles, this instruction is not solely for
left-handed players; nor is it exclusively for right-handers.
The word left is being interchanged with non-dominant; thus,
right-handed players should read this article as it’s
written, while left-handers should substitute left hand with
right hand (which is their non-dominant hand).
The goal of these articles—which cover the serve, forehand,
backhand and volley—is to improve both your game and
your understanding of how to more efficiently and effectively
play tennis. For the role of the left hand on the serve, refer
to the June 2004 issue of Tennis Life Magazine. The role of
the left hand on the forehand was covered in the August 2004
issue.
From 1978 to 1983, the sport was booming, and at that time
I was directing summer tennis camps in Austria while working
with Peter Burwash International. Adult recreational players
would flock from all over Europe to attend the weeklong camps.
At the end of each five-day session, the instructors distributed
prizes—some serious, some not. One of the attempts at
a humorous award was for players who continued to hit their
backhand without using their non-racket hand.
 Imagine
a right-handed player hitting a one-handed backhand with his
or her left hand just dangling during the entire shot. If
you are creative, you will visualize a player who resembles
a gorilla with its long arm hanging down. In good-natured
humor, we awarded these “gorilla” players with
a banana. Of course, in hindsight, I fear that we may have
offended a few people. After all, who would like to go on
vacation and receive such a dubious award?
Anyway,
you should get my point (without the banana): The left hand
is critical to hitting a successful backhand. In fact, of
all the shots in tennis, the left hand is probably most involved
and most influential on the backhand groundstroke. The left
hand plays an important role in the following areas.
Ready Position
 In
the ready position (see photo 1), it’s critical to relax
the racket hand in order to quickly prepare the racket for
a stroke. As mentioned in the previous article about the left
hand’s role on the forehand, the left hand supports
the racket head, ensuring your right hand stays relaxed while
in the ready position. Because most players hold a forehand
grip in the ready position, the left hand’s support
is even more important when a backhand shot must be hit, as
they will need to make a grip change.
Grip
Change
In photo 2 the left hand is in the process of taking back
the racket and changing the grip to set the angle of the racket
face for a one-handed slice, or backspin, backhand. The right
hand will then slide into the correct grip position. The only
thing to double-check is that the racket hand ends up in a
grip with a neutral wrist position, or a position of strength.
Racquet Preparation
 One-handed:
The classic backswing for a slice, or backspin, backhand is
shown in photo 3. Notice the left hand in place, with the
index finger feeling the slightly open angle of the racket
face. Photo 4 shows racket preparation just before contact
on the topspin one-handed backhand. Just be aware that, unlike
the straight-back backswing of the backspin one-hander, a
looped and rhythmic backswing is recommended for the topspin
alternative.
Two-handed:
For those of us who remember former World No. 1 Jim Courier’s
two-hander, we should recall that his style was more the exception
than the rule. Right-handed Courier hit his two-fister with
a dominant right hand. Most players either balance the workload
of the swing between both hands or use their left hand to
push the racket from behind to generate most of the swing
force. A good two-part exercise to get a better feel for the
role of the left hand is to simply hit some topspin lefty
forehands. The next step is to place the racket hand on the
grip but only hold it with the thumb and index finger to ensure
that the left hand remains the primary force swinging the
racket. This simple progression can quickly improve most two-handed
backhands in minutes. After a dozen or so balls in each step,
just hit a two-hander with both hands fully on the grip; however,
continue to emphasize the dominant effort of the left hand.
 Balancing
on the Follow-Through
Photo
5 shows a solid finish for a one-handed slice backhand. Notice
the balance displayed with the left hand as it finishes behind
but on the same level as the racket. At first, I recommend
finishing as much as possible with the racket strings facing
in the direction the ball was hit. This finish should result
in more solid contact with the ball to help with control and
consistency. As players progress, the racket head will naturally
accelerate more and the follow-through may continue past this
forward-pointing position.
See
photo 6 for the finish on the topspin one-handed backhand,
noting that the finish is high as the back of the ball is
brushed up on to create topspin. The left hand finishes behind,
as in the backspin backhand, but lower to counterbalance this
high follow-through. I often suggest using the following checkpoint:
Pretend there is a crowd sitting in the bleachers above the
back court that you are facing and you need to show the audience
the logo on your strings. As a player advances in skill, the
one-handed topspin backhand, like the backspin backhand follow-through,
may naturally finish a little farther around than the photo
indicates.
 An
Aid to Running Quickly
Finally, the left hand aids in running. Many players make
the error of taking the racket back too early and keeping
the left hand on the racket while running. However, everyone
knows that arm pumping while running actually speeds up the
stride rate, and therefore, the runner’s speed.
Please keep in mind that this article presents general guidelines
for different types of backhands in the context of the important
role of the left or non-racket hand. While players may develop
their slightly unique swing patterns, the active involvement
of the left hand in tennis is critical. After all, trophies
are much better awards than bananas!
Joe Dinoffer is a Master Professional in
both the PTR and USPTA, a distinction awarded to only a handful
in the tennis industry. He has published numerous books and
videotapes and is a frequent speaker at tennis conferences
around the world. For more information about Dinoffer, visit
www.oncourtoffcourt.com.
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