# Racquet sports enthusiasts - I'm taking up tennis **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287 "2010-06-15T12:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/21 "2010-06-16T20:57:56Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s the best. Actually, in sport techniques it does. At the highest level professionals are going to adopt the most successful techniques, equipment, training etc. How many high-jumpers still use the straddle? Your anecdote can hardly carry any weight - you were probably just better than him. If a better player than you beat you with a 2hbh and Western grip, would that make you think those were better? Of course not. ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/22 "2010-06-16T21:08:33Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Actually, in sport techniques it does. At the highest level professionals are going to adopt the most successful techniques, equipment, training etc. > > How many high-jumpers still use the straddle? > > Your anecdote can hardly carry any weight - you were probably just better than him. If a better player than you beat you with a 2hbh and Western grip, would that make you think those were better? Of course not. Yes, but have you noticed that Federer, who plays the game in the classic way, Has tended to be Number 1? And he’s been number 1 since when? 2004? And Before him Sampras OWNED the nineties. Fed modelled his game after Sampras, who modelled his game after Laver. Sampras actually changed from a 2 handed to a one handed backhand early in his career. Did you know that? D. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/23 "2010-06-16T21:26:45Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > Sampras actually changed from a 2 handed to a one handed backhand early in his career. Did you know that? Yes - it was necessary for his serve & volley and chip & charge style. But his backhand was a liability in ground stroke rallies. ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/24 "2010-06-16T21:42:13Z")
“At the highest level professionals are going to adopt the most successful techniques, equipment, training etc.”. Well, I think in tennis I wouldn’t call this a fact, and it’s because beginners have a few options when they are learning over style they choose to play. Their final choice is going to be influenced by professional tennis players whom they’ve admired and rooted for in the past. The number 1 players historically have not been the most popular players, and Heaven knows the Criticism Sampras has taken for not having much personality on court. Hence, people grow up admiring Agassi, Borg, Evert, Nadal…All players that have been underdogs to the top dogs… and so more people will try to emulate their style of play, and hence more people play with this style, and not the style that Sampras or Fed plays. So, this is not necessarily the best style of game, but it’s the most popular. In this way, your ascertion does not hold water. D. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/25 "2010-06-16T21:59:32Z")
I played seriously up to the college-team skill level. Unless you are playing with a goal toward serious competition (amateur club tourneys, college, and higher) my advice is… You want to build consistency above all else. Power, reach, grip, tactics, none of these matter if you can’t repeat the same shot 98% of the time. The most consistent techniques are the western grip for forehand (consistent top spin and good margin for error), and a two-handed backhand. I started this way, had coaches move me to a one-hand back and a flat forehand, but ultimately preferred the tactics of the western/two-hand and settled there. This was the 80’s, but playing amateur hasn’t really changed that much. That said, as you gain confidence and consistency, you should move toward flattening out your forehand, and adding a one-hand backhand to your toolkit to build your net volley game. _Spend serious time with a ball machine or a very patient and consistent partner_, don’t use matches or random friends to try and learn your new strokes because you’ll just fall back into old “what works” techniques and won’t grow your game. Now, being able to slice a backhand or rip a power backhand is a nice-to-have tactic that I can use in addition to my regular two-hand. ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/26 "2010-06-16T22:50:57Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Yes - it was necessary for his serve & volley and chip & charge style. But his backhand was a liability in ground stroke rallies. Yes, but why did he keep it? Why does he still play with the one handed backhand and dominating the senior’s tour now? If it’s such a hindrance, why doesn’t he go back to the 2 handed? Have a good long think about that one Amarone. D. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287/27 "2010-06-17T01:41:48Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > The number 1 players historically have not been the most popular players, and Heaven knows the Criticism Sampras has taken for not having much personality on court. > > Hence, people grow up admiring Agassi, Borg, Evert, Nadal…All players that have been underdogs to the top dogs… and so more people will try to emulate their style of play, and hence more people play with this style, and not the style that Sampras or Fed plays. Yeah, nobody liked Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg, Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racquet-sports-enthusiasts-im-taking-up-tennis/543287.md?page=1)