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About Jim Leupold
Expertise
I feel very confident answering any questions regarding technical aspects of the game -
from stroke production to strategy. My strengths, because of my extensive training, is
keeping the game very simple, energy-efficient and effective, eliminating injuries and
mistakes at the same time.
Experience
I've been the director of tennis and teaching tennis fulltime for 23 years, 21 at one of the top tennis resorts in the US and the world, the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. I've traveled to 20 countries around the world, playing and teaching tennis and performing comedic and entertaining tennis shows. I work with Peter Burwash International (PBI), a company which trains professionals for 400 hours before the first lesson can be taught. That's compounded by continuing education, including a mandatory 60-hour annual meeting and 360 educational newsletters from PBI professionals received every year.
Organizations
Peter Burwas International (PBI), the world's foremost tennis management company with 90 professionals in 20 countries worldwide
Education/Credentials
I received a B.A. in Journalism in 1985.
Awards and Honors
* Tennis Magazine's Ten Greatest Tennis Resorts - twice
* Tennis Magazine's 50 Greatest Tennis Resorts - every year since 1990
* TennisResortsonline.com - Always in the Top 75 Resorts in the world - always in top 25 and as high as #3.
* PBI Rookie of the Year runnerup
* PBI Most Improved Professional of the Year
* PBI Professional of the Year
* Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa's Customer Service Manager of the Year
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You are here: Experts > Sports > Tennis > Tennis > backhand
Expert: Jim Leupold
Date: 10/11/2008
Subject: backhand
Question
I'm going to ask the age old question in which I seem to never get a clear answer. How do you handle a high ball to your backhand (2-handed)? I really have trouble handling those balls. What is your advice?
Answer
Brian,
You may never get a clear answer because, as with so many different parts of tennis or any other sport, the answer is...it depends. But I'll do my best anyway.
One of the advantages of a two-handed backhand is that you CAN create a little bit more power and that you can hit crosscourt on a ball that has gotten behind you.
Hititng a two-handed backhand, you may know, is best thought of as an opposite-hand forehand. In other words, if you're right-handed, the two-hander is mostly a left-hand forehand. One of the best ways to practice the shot in general is to take off your lead hand and hit one-hand forehands with your opposite hand. If you're not used to doing this, it will be pretty awkward for a while.
One of the pro players we had at our resort years ago hit opposite hand forehands on the ball machine for about 7 hours over two days and swore that his two-hander improved 25% in those two days....and his highest ranking for 42 in the world, so he wasn't too shabby!
You can do the same on the high backhand. Try hitting them with the opposite hand for a while, mimicking exactly the same thing you do with the high forehand.
Having said all of that, it depends from where you're hitting the high backhand. I'm assuming singles situations here. If you're way behind the baseline and hitting a high backhand, all you're usually trying to do is hit the shot back high and deep to stay neutral in the point. Players often try to hit too big a shot just because the ball is high.
This is a great time to learn (if you don't already have one) a good underspin backhand as well. Every two-hander should also have a solid underspin backhand for defensive purposes at least. It's also important to keep the ball low against opponents in a lot of situations. You may find that hitting a fairly high, medium-speed underspin backhand is another great way of staying neutral in this situation.
If you have a high backhand from the mid-court area, this is a shot you'll want to learn to hit as a winner. Again, treat it like a left-hand forehand, keep the swing fairly short but eventually quite fast as you gain feel and control.
I hope this has helped. If you were in front of me on-court, I'd be able to help you out a lot more. If you need more clarification or specifics, let me know.
Best of luck.
Jim Leupold
PBI Director of Tennis
Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa
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