Mastering the One-Handed and Two-Handed Backhand in Tennis

Based in Hinsdale, Illinois, tennis professional Roger Clarke teaches learners of all ages, emphasizing the link between broader life success and tennis skills. At Hinsdale Racquet Club, Roger Clarke instructs his students in fundamental strokes that include the backhand. 

The one-handed backhand offers the benefit of superior reach and is ideal for shots that come into the body and require flexibility in the angle used. The two-handed backhand has advantages in terms of control and stability and can help when reaching for high shots. 

For both types of backhand, a key is not to shorten the backswing, as this can make the return shots weak and without sufficient range to clear the net with accuracy. This can be accomplished with the two-handed backhand through ensuring that the non-dominant hand is used at least as much as the dominant hand. This helps to lengthen the extension as you follow through. 

In addition, proper balance is essential, with shots anticipated and leaned into whenever possible. The savvy opponent will seek to exploit any weakness in the backhand until you prove that you can return equally effectively from any position.

Choosing the Right Tennis Racquet

For more than a decade, Roger Clarke has worked as a tennis professional in Hinsdale, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Roger Clarke works with Hinsdale-area tennis students year-round, regardless of their age or athletic ability.

Choosing the right tennis racket often begins with determining whether a player needs a power or a control racket. In most cases, this depends on their skill level. Those who are newer to the game are best suited for a power racket. These rackets are lighter in weight, have an oversized head, and are longer. They allow players to hit the ball more frequently and create more power when the player cannot. Meanwhile, skilled tennis players who can create their own power should look at control rackets. Featuring a smaller head and heavier weight, control rackets are easier to move around.

Once players know what kind of racket they need, they can start looking at string types. Pre-strung rackets are often cheaper and are normally fine for children and beginners. As players advance, they should start looking into premium frames. These frames are unstrung and may cost between $100 and $250. 

The string pattern also plays a role in players’ overall abilities. Open string patterns add more topspin to the ball and allow players to hit harder without sending the ball out of the court. Dense string patterns, on the other hand, provide more control over the ball’s direction.

Benefits of Tennis for Children

Since 2011, Roger Clarke has served as a tennis professional at the Hinsdale Racquet Club in Hinsdale, just outside of Chicago. Roger Clarke welcomes Hinsdale Racquet Club students of all ages, including children 3 years of age and older.

Playing tennis helps children to develop physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. On the tennis court, children learn how to take ownership of their own decisions and adapt to a changing situation in the moment, as no one can respond for them when their opponents make unexpected moves. They practice staying calm in stressful situations and learn to control their emotions when their performance is at stake.

A child on the tennis court also learns to win and lose gracefully. In experiencing both of these at varying times, the child comes to understand the importance of respecting an opponent, whatever the results of the game. 

Doubles games play a particularly crucial role in the development of these skills. Children playing doubles must learn to work as a team and communicate with their partner, while also engaging in fair competition with their opponents.

At the same time, children learn how to become better athletes. They benefit from hard work and dedication, which pay off in improved performance on the court. They come to understand that planning and goal setting yield better results than simply reacting spontaneously in the moment, and they learn how to rely on these strategies even when emotions are running high.

As children develop their tennis skills, they become stronger and more flexible. They increase their endurance through high-intensity exercise, and they build their hand-eye and gross motor coordination. These practices help children optimize their physical well-being in their formative years. The mental and psychosocial aspects of tennis help them grow in those capacities as well.