Steffi Graf Forehand (BJK on Steffi's Forehand)

Steffi Graf Forehand, Billie Jean King on: Here Billie Jean King analyzes Steffi's technique on the forehand. Note that she is careful not to say that the technique is flawed or incorrect. Instead, she asserts that the late point of contact works for Steffi because of her overall dynamics on the shot, her racquet work, her racquet speed, and her leverage on the shot. Let me add one more thing that follows from what she says. By having a later point of contact, Steffi keeps the ball on her racquet longer. Along with addressing the ball on its outside edge, this gives Steffi tremendous control over the direction and flight of the ball. Jim Lampley glosses on what Billie says by adding that it takes an amazing athlete to hit a forehand like that. He is absolutely right. The problem average athletes would have with this technique is that it is almost impossible from such a late point of contact to hold the ball on the racquet long enough to execute the shot. I know I've tried. In my experiments, the ball always tended to fly off to the right before I could complete the shot. Wimbledon 1999

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Steffi
• Graf
• Forehand
• Billie
• Jean
• King
• on
• forehand
• technique

[RaleighNC306]

BJK and Virginia Wade are the ONLY two commentators who have taught me about the game of tennis while listening to them.

[Cellchuuk]

hingis never won another grandslam

good pick from 14%

[Flipboy5]

That technique might not be great to teach but if you learn it, I don't think you'd mind the results. Steffi is an exceptional mover and her slice backhand was the perfect complement to her forehand, the single greatest shot in Women's Tennis (I heard BJK say that somewhere.)

By the way, I wasn't a big fan of Hingis at the time but she did make a couple more GS finals but her not winning anymore since then was interesting

[atomcrush]

@Raleigh - I agree, they're both really good commentators. Another one, who I don't really like as a commentator, but she does analyze the game fairly well, is Tracy Austin.

[volvariella]

After such a big meltdown in FO 1999, some people did have a slightest feeling that Hingis might never win another slam.

But logically, they still thought she could win at least one. Because she's young and at her peak. Too bad Hingis really couldn't win another one.

Shortly after the incident, all those big babes started to take charge and made it very difficult for her to win a slam final.

[saar144]

@Cellchuuk

noone in his right mind could have predicted that hingis would never win a grand slam title. it's like saying today that nadal would never win a grand slam (which i hope will be). not very likely...