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Marion Bartoli: Mirrored Strokes

David W. Smith, Senior Editor TennisOne

It is no surprise that Marion Bartoli grew up idolizing Monica Seles. Or, I guess we could say that Marion’s father studied Monica and modeled his daughter after her game. Obviously, Marion is right-handed compared to Monica’s left-handed game. Stroke-wise, Marion’s is indeed very similar to Monica. However, I don’t think Marion has captured Monica’s mental prowess nor is that something that can be easily taught.

However, Marion has showed that even in today’s high-powered women’s game, the two-handed stroke off both sides is something that can be competitive.

Ironically, neither Marion nor Monica had the foot speed we generally associate top ranked players like the William sisters, Clijsters, Ivanovic, et al – all seem to cover the court with more grace, quickness, and athleticism than Marion or Monica before her. I say “ironically” because one of the key postulates that detractors of the two-handed forehand pontificate is that the stroke provides far less reach than the conventional forehand. My conclusion is that if these slightly slower women have been able to reach high levels within the professional ranks using a two-handed forehand, (Monica reaching #1 before being stabbed and Marion holding a top 20 world ranking for several years now), I wonder what players with far superior speed and grace might do with the shot if given the opportunity to master it?

Beyond the speculations, the shot has many attributes, both from a learning standpoint as well as a weapon standpoint. While my previous articles here at TennisOne have focused on some of these issues, this is the first time we will really look at Marion Bartoli’s forehand from two distinct concepts using SportsCAD stroke comparison software: One, comparing it to her backhand as a “mirrored” image stroke; and two, showing how the stroke offers many advantages to traditional forehand learning models.

Two-Handed Forehand Overview

Though the two-handed forehand is still considered an anomaly and somewhat limiting by many (if not most) teaching professionals (no different than the initial resistance that we experienced in the early 1970’s when the two-handed backhand was emerging), the fact is, there are more and more two-handed forehand players among both juniors and professional ranks.

The arguments I’ve heard against the two-handed forehand are simply made out of either ignorance or a preconceived notion that the stroke is just not viable for the modern game.

Obviously, players like Monica Seles, Fabrice Santoro, Marion Bartoli, Jan-Michael Gambil, Akiko Morigami, Gene Mayer, and a number of other past and current ATP and WTA players, (as well as a host of up-and-coming top-ranked junior players), have demonstrated that the stroke can indeed be taken to the highest levels within all ranks. Yet, among so many teaching professionals who have never attempted to teach the stroke, the resistance is widespread.

Yet, even I don’t deny that the best one-handed forehand trumps the best two-hander. But this statement is not without some reservations and considerations.

With one-handed strokes, the concept of wrist and whip motions are far more available, creating significant racquet head speeds…but at a cost of significant control.

When we see a top player successfully whip a forehand crosscourt or down the line with a ton of spin and pace, we often ooh and aah. But, as is our nature, we also see a high number of missed, and yet somehow, at the office the next day, it is only running, impossibly angled, crosscourt winner we talk about. The reality of tennis is that the best players in the game hit with very little wrist. In fact, as most teaching pros will attest, the idea of learning to play tennis is usually done with emphasis on limited wrist movements. One of the major problems beginners and intermediate players who are not progressing further have is the over use of the wrist (intentionally or no). Therefore, any technique that can help train players to minimize the role of the wrist is often a big plus. This is where two hands can be a viable teaching and hitting method.

Two hands provide players with much greater stability. We have seen this emphatically on the backhand side, which helps explain the tremendous influx of men and women using the two-handed backhand (well over 90% of the top 100 women and around 75% of the top 100 men). And, what was often recognized as a consistent stroke has taken on new levels of offensive pace and effect in recent years, a result, in my opinion, of the added confidence the stability provides. When players have confidence in strokes, the elements of the stroke are naturally emphasized.

However, beyond whatever stroke advantages or disadvantages the two-handed forehand provide, there are extrinsic values in learning the stroke as well.

Dual Brain Halves

As documented in many studies, the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and, conversely, the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. In addition to this physiological phenomenon, the right side of the brain tends to be the more creative side while the left side is more the analytical side. (I’m sure these studies have variances and exceptions within each study group.) We also know that some people are more “right-brained” oriented while others engage the left side more. When we play tennis with one side of our body, we are using the opposite side of our brain more. When we engage both sides of our body in any activity we involve both sides of our brain more appreciably.

Here is where I believe both the two-handed backhand, and now, the two-handed forehand is helping players not just learn the game faster, (in addition to the stability factors discussed), but helping draw out the stronger parts of a person’s natural strengths as they may apply to the sport.

Learning Tool

One thing I’ve noticed among the hundreds of players I’ve taught or I’ve seen taught the two-handed forehand, is that the stroke almost never prohibits excellent one-handed strokes if the player is so motivated to switch over. I’ve seen this both on the backhand side as well as the forehand side. While I will acknowledge some exceptions to this statement, they are exactly that, exceptions. The vast majority of players gain a more complete understanding of the forehand using two hands than using one.

Mirrored Images

For the best player using a two-handed backhand, the two-handed forehand offers nearly an exact “mirrored image.” When what happens on one side of our body is very similar to the other side of our body, most players quickly relate and understand both sides more effectively.

Conclusion

Quite frankly, Marion Bartoli has the best two-handed forehand in the game and is the perfect model to learn from. To make things more apparent, I have flipped her two-handed backhand in the videos to make it appear as a forehand. As you will see in each video clip, the concepts I’ve discussed above are clearly part of Marion Bartoli’s stroke pattern.

From a learning perspective, two-hands provides a more natural, stable swing pattern and often helps players develop or improve the topspin component of their forehand. It helps bring both halves of the brain together in a proverbial melding of both sides of the body, increasing the potential for optimization of the role of the brain in creating skilled swing patterns.

The fact that the two-handed forehand can literally mirror the two-handed backhand can help players build on each stroke from the development of the other. The two-handed forehand tends to stress better footwork patterns as opposed to players simply reaching out for the ball with one hand using minimal footwork. The stroke’s natural ability to develop an excellent unit turn, shorter backswing and a more balanced core are also positives to consider. Finally, the two-handed forehand is very similar in terms of overall mechanics as a conventionally “modern” forehand. So, those learning the stroke can easily transition to a solid one-handed forehand if so inclined.

As side note to this stroke, the two-handed forehand can be used to improve or repair a flawed one-handed stroke. I have seen many a player with a flawed stroke, either using too much wrist, not developing a good swing path for topspin, inconsistency in a repeatable swing pattern and the like temporarily go to a two-handed stroke to help ingrain a concept.

Trying to repair such deficiencies with a conventional one-handed stroke is too close to their flawed one-handed stroke to easily take affect. The likelihood of reverting back to the flawed elements is very strong because they are too similar to the new patterns the students are trying to correct. The two-handed forehand offers a significant difference in the stroke by the influence of the other hand on the racquet. This difference allows for players to differentiate the new, more desired swing pattern from that of their old more comfortable, but flawed pattern.

If you are a teaching pro or coach with high numbers of students, I challenge you to try this stroke with any particular group of players for a reasonable period of time. Obviously, like any stroke, the right teaching progressions, tools, and methods contribute to the success. However, as I and a number of other pros have discovered, the two-handed forehand can help create far more successful players and far higher numbers of them too, as well as help many from learning bad habits that can often occur in players as they are trying to learn the game.

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Dave Smith's article by emailing us here at TennisOne .

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Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about this article by emailing us here at TennisONE.

David W. Smith is the Director of Tennis for the St. George Tennis Academy in St. George Utah. He has been a featured writer in USPTA's magazine ADDvantage in addition to having over 50 published articles in various publications.

David has taught over 3000 players including many top national and world ranked players. He can be reached at acrpres1@email.msn.com.