All credit to Radwanska for coming up with a solution (however funky) to the western grip's achilles' heel (mixed metaphor intended): dealing with low balls to the forehand. Grab a racquet like you would a frying pan (more or less) and reach the head to a low ball and the racquet is closed, way closed. Whatever obstacles the crouch creates for recovery after hitting the shot it makes it possible to handle hard (and especially flat) balls hit deep in the court. It's the same grip-conundrum that Ashe exploited by hitting soft, low, no-pace balls to Connors' hammer grip forehand at Wimbledon in 1975.
Osaka's post match comments re how her Plan B only gave Swiatek openings to step in highlights the lack of a Plan C imo. If your only alternative to cracking the cover off the ball (Plan A) is to hit the same ball but slower, and not to maybe, just maybe, hit a *different* shot entirely (heavily angled, perhaps, chip-and-charge even?) then yeah, .you probably are out of options.
Apr 3, 2022·edited Apr 3, 2022Liked by Matthew Willis
Wonder if Wiktorowski (her coach) suggested/worked with her on the kneeling FH given it was his former player's (Radwanska) trademark. It was a remarkably effective counterattacking shot against big flat strikes down the middle of the court (which c.6-8 years ago were very prevalent at the top of the women's game - e.g. Sharapova, Kvitova, Muguruza, Venus Williams) for Radwanska and Kerber, but neither of them had anything like the high margin offensive game Swiatek does (both strongest on grass and fast hard courts and weakest on clay - whereas Swiatek has already won RG), or anything like as developed and protected a 2nd serve.
I also note Barty was on a run of 22 consecutive unbeaten sets when she retired (I think the last player to manage a run of 20+ consecutive sets won before her on the WTA Tour might have been Serena in 2013 (from USO F to WTA Champs RR); Azarenka twice managed 18 in 2016). Swiatek now has an ongoing run of 20 (as well as a 17 match win streak).
It's a great point RE Wiktorowski. He probably played a part in that kneeling proficiency we are seeing now. Although I did see Swiatek use the kneel in 2019 and 2020, just less often and less effectively than 2022 Iga.
All credit to Radwanska for coming up with a solution (however funky) to the western grip's achilles' heel (mixed metaphor intended): dealing with low balls to the forehand. Grab a racquet like you would a frying pan (more or less) and reach the head to a low ball and the racquet is closed, way closed. Whatever obstacles the crouch creates for recovery after hitting the shot it makes it possible to handle hard (and especially flat) balls hit deep in the court. It's the same grip-conundrum that Ashe exploited by hitting soft, low, no-pace balls to Connors' hammer grip forehand at Wimbledon in 1975.
Osaka's post match comments re how her Plan B only gave Swiatek openings to step in highlights the lack of a Plan C imo. If your only alternative to cracking the cover off the ball (Plan A) is to hit the same ball but slower, and not to maybe, just maybe, hit a *different* shot entirely (heavily angled, perhaps, chip-and-charge even?) then yeah, .you probably are out of options.
Wonder if Wiktorowski (her coach) suggested/worked with her on the kneeling FH given it was his former player's (Radwanska) trademark. It was a remarkably effective counterattacking shot against big flat strikes down the middle of the court (which c.6-8 years ago were very prevalent at the top of the women's game - e.g. Sharapova, Kvitova, Muguruza, Venus Williams) for Radwanska and Kerber, but neither of them had anything like the high margin offensive game Swiatek does (both strongest on grass and fast hard courts and weakest on clay - whereas Swiatek has already won RG), or anything like as developed and protected a 2nd serve.
I also note Barty was on a run of 22 consecutive unbeaten sets when she retired (I think the last player to manage a run of 20+ consecutive sets won before her on the WTA Tour might have been Serena in 2013 (from USO F to WTA Champs RR); Azarenka twice managed 18 in 2016). Swiatek now has an ongoing run of 20 (as well as a 17 match win streak).
It's a great point RE Wiktorowski. He probably played a part in that kneeling proficiency we are seeing now. Although I did see Swiatek use the kneel in 2019 and 2020, just less often and less effectively than 2022 Iga.