Nadal....left handers

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 20:30

If Nadal was right handed, would he just be another Hewitt? Not that that is a bad thing, Hewitt being a grand slam winner.

Having played badminton since I was 8, as well as racket ball and some squash, left handers always pose a problem. They have the ability to create angles from positions that you are not used to seeing on a regular basis. Very similar in many ways to south paw boxers. It is obviously just a natural advantage, but in my opinion, an equally talented right hander will be lower in the rankings than a left hander.

BaZ87 · 14 Jul 2007 at 20:35

Not sure if you know this already and was the reason for the thread but......

Nadal was actually a right hander and his uncle told him to switch to his left hand when he was younger.

Note: i know **** all about tennis just heard it during the final the other day.

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 20:40

BaZ87 said:
Not sure if you know this already and was the reason for the thread but......

Nadal was actually a right hander and his uncle told him to switch to his left hand when he was younger.

Note: i know **** all about tennis just heard it during the final the other day.

It wasn't the reason, but is useful to know and confirms my suspicions a bit.

weringo · 14 Jul 2007 at 20:55

Why would being left handed create any new angles from any position in the court that a right hander couldn't create from the opposite side of the court?

TinnionA · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:15

It's a case of what you're used to. There's a LOT more right-handed players on tour so the players will be used to the spin coming from a certain angle and suchlike. Nadal is nothing like Hewitt, he has ridiculous power in his own right whereas Hewitt is a counter-puncher.

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:23

weringo said:
Why would being left handed create any new angles from any position in the court that a right hander couldn't create from the opposite side of the court?

The right handed backhad crosscourt would go to a right hander's backhand. A left handed hitter would be hitting a forehand with more topspin from that position causing a higher bounce for the reciever to deal with.

It's more to do with differences of shots coming from the same angles I guess.

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:24

TinnionA said:
It's a case of what you're used to. There's a LOT more right-handed players on tour so the players will be used to the spin coming from a certain angle and suchlike. Nadal is nothing like Hewitt, he has ridiculous power in his own right whereas Hewitt is a counter-puncher.

I disagree, his play is about energy, pace, court coverage, never giving up on a shot and hitting every shot as hard as he possibly can. The same as Nadal really.

weringo · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:32

SpeedFreak said:
The right handed backhad crosscourt would go to a right hander's backhand. A left handed hitter would be hitting a forehand with more topspin from that position causing a higher bounce for the reciever to deal with.

But a left handers crosscourt backhand would go to a right handers forehand, so I fail to see how either player has an advantage over the other, it's just about adapting your game to your opponent.

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:34

weringo said:
But a left handers crosscourt backhand would go to a right handers forehand, so I feel to see how either player has an advantage over the other, it's just about adapting your game to your opponent.

Yes it would go to the right hander's forehand, but would come at a different height to that of a right handed forehand.

weringo · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:38

SpeedFreak said:
Yes it would go to the right hander's forehand, but would come at a different height to that of a right handed forehand.

As I say it's surely just about adapting your game to your opponents.

About Nadal vs Hewitt, Nadal can hit the the ball harder than Hewitt, he can generate more topspin with his forehand and he's faster & better balanced. Both are similar players but Nadal is better because of his skills rather than his right hand/left hand preference imo.

SpeedFreak · 14 Jul 2007 at 21:42

weringo said:
As I say it's surely just about adapting your game to your opponents.

About Nadal vs Hewitt, Nadal can hit the the ball harder than Hewitt, he can generate more topspin with his forehand and he's faster & better balanced. Both are similar players but Nadal is better because of his skills rather than his right hand/left hand preference imo.

I'm not so sure. I think Nadal would be 50-50 to beat Hewitt when he was at his peak around 02/03