Forehand Loop or Not To Loop

There has been a lot of discussion about the backswing on the forehand groundstroke.  People have made a living off of both but the modern game seems to lean more toward having a loop.  Here I will discuss the pros and cons of each, give you some suggestions on how to perform each and let you make an informed decision on your own. The advantage of hitting a loop backswing is that it builds up more speed on the racquet head at contact point.  During the wind up the racquet travels a longer path and has the time to get moving at a faster rate and therefore hitting the ball harder. In the modern game of tennis, power is the name of the game … hit it hard or go home.

The straight back racquet preperation is usually easier to learn. When the racquet goes behind you and out of sight, most players don’t know where it is and when they see it on video they are amazed. A straight back turn is usually nice and compact and easy to keep in control.  The true advantage to a straight back turn is the short amount of time that you can get to the contact point.  Now that reaction time means so much with the fast serves and hard shots coming toward you, a compact swing allows you to be prepared and get to contact point sooner.  Not only can you react to faster shots coming to you but you can move up into the court and strike the ball earlier.

So the decision you are making is do you want to be on the offense with a loop or defense with a straight back turn.  Andre Agassi is great example of a straight back turn and he was known for stepping up in the court to hit groundstrokes giving his opponent less time to react to his shots.  Also, Andre is well known for his return of serve because of the short backswing, he was able to step up in the court and return the fast serves giving his opponents little time to recover. Rafa Nadal is one known for his loopy strokes and his power that he is able to generate from his groundstrokes.  His power is what keeps his opponents off guard and his ability to hit any shot offensively for anywhere in the court (not to mention his court coverage).

If you are going to hit a loop, be sure to find a set point at which your groundstroke starts so when you are moving to the ball, your racquet isn’t waiving around in nowhere land but his a distinct place to be and should be supported by your non-hitting hand.  If you are going to hit a straight back swing, make sure to start the racquet in tight to your body giving yourself a starting check point from which to swing from.

Both of these options are good but it is your job to figure out which one fits your game.  Aggressive baseliners will usually find a loop to work well for them but can also use a straight back swing.  Attacking players should use the more compact and consistent swing of the straight back motion so they can get to the net where they are the most comfortable putting the ball away.  Counter punch players usually fall to the loop because they have more time to make the preparation for the swimg as their normal position is several feet behind the baseline.