Developing Frances Tiafoe: Fixing Hips, Forehand & Backhand

Key Points

• Holding the non-dominant hand on the racket for longer on the forehand helped Francis iron out some technical issues with his swing path
• Getting over the top of the ball on the forehand and developing a flatter shot was a big focus during this stage of development
• “Bunting” the backhand and taking a short swing can work in juniors when you are playing closer to the baseline, but on the pro tour you are playing from much further behind the baseline and need that extra height, rip and rotation on your shots to stay competitive
• Francis couldn’t generate power and “coil” on the serve and forehand due to tight hips
• Coil and rotation are vital on the serve to take pressure off the arm and shoulder
• Collaboration between a team of physios, trainers and coaches were important to help work on imbalances and weaknesses in Frances Tiafoe’s body
• Within a group of players and training environment, it’s important to have players with different or higher skill levels to help motivate and push everyone to improve