The Backhand: Tennis’ Most Neglected Shot
Ask any coach or watch any warm-up: the backhand is almost always the undertrained side. Players naturally gravitate towards their forehand—it’s their dominant, comfortable side. But if a player can’t get the ball in the court with their backhand, we’ve got a problem.
In fact, even at the highest level of tennis, around 60% of shots hit in a match are forehands. So yes, we should lean into forehand development. But we can’t neglect the backhand. If it’s the weakest link, it’ll get exposed.
So how do we develop a backhand that players can trust under pressure?
Volume Without Mindless Repetition
We don’t need endless drills. What we need is volume with intention. More backhand exposure, more decision-making, and more realistic situations where the player learns when and how to trust the shot.
Here’s a simple practice design I’ve used with real beginners to build backhand confidence and skill:
The Constraint: Backhands Only
- The rule is simple: the player may only send the ball with a backhand.
- If the ball lands on their forehand side, they must take an extra touch to reposition or reset.
- Even on the backhand, if the player is under pressure or struggling, they are allowed to take an additional touch.
This simple constraint does a few powerful things:
✅ Increases backhand volume ✅ Promotes decision-making (when to hit vs. when to control) ✅ Teaches players about defensive play
Why the Extra Touch Matters
This isn’t about slowing the game down unnecessarily. It’s about building awareness.
When a player is under pressure, we don’t want them swinging wildly at the ball. We want them to:
- Recognise they’re in a defensive position
- Adjust their movement and timing
- Shorten their swing and find control
By allowing them a second touch, you’re helping them understand what defensive tennis feels like. Later, when they face tough rallies in matches, they’ll be more composed because they’ve trained that scenario.
Transfer to the Real Game
Most top players, when in a defensive position, block or punch the ball back with a shorter swing. They’re not trying to win the point—they’re trying to survive it.
This simple backhand-only constraint practice is already teaching your players the skills they’ll need later—skills that translate to real match play.
And here’s the best part:
- More volume leads to better timing
- Better timing leads to more confidence
- More confidence leads to players choosing the backhand instead of avoiding it
Final Thoughts: Build the Backhand, Build the Player
If your player lacks confidence on their backhand side, it’s probably because they’ve never been given enough reps with purpose.
You don’t need to shout “follow through!” every five seconds. Just design the task to naturally draw out the behaviours you want. Like in this session: constrain the forehand, prioritise the backhand, and watch the learning unfold.
If you found this helpful, let me know in the comments. And if you’d like a PDF with 5 game-changing drills for your sessions, check out the link below.
#TennisCoaching #BackhandDevelopment #GameBasedLearning #ConstraintsLed #BeginnerTennis #PlayerProgression
