World No. 9 explains why his backhand is stronger these days.
Even champions can use a helping hand every once in a while.
Renewed confidence in his two-handed backhand has helped Juan Martin del Potro crack the Top 10 again.
Del Potro, who opened the season advancing to the Auckland final, re-entered the Top 10 last month—his first Top 10 appearance since the week of August 4th, 2014.
These days, del Potro is thumping his two-hander with more pace providing a stiffer contrast to his one-hand slice backhand.
During del Potro's loss to eventual-champion Frances Tiafoe in Delray Beach last week, Tennis Channel analyst and former Top 10 player Jimmy Arias said del Potro was hitting his two-hander the best he has since his comeback from wrist surgery.
While Del Potro says it's an improved shot, he knows must sharpen it to beat the elite: he was 0-7 vs. the world's Top 2 last season.
"I improve it a lot my two handed backhand so I now I have the chance to choose between the slice and the two-handed backhand it's good thing for my game," del Potro told Tennis TV. "But I know I need to keep improving a lot if I want to win good tournaments and beat the best players in the world."
Multiple wrist surgeries, including two surgeries to his left wrist in 2015, sapped the sting and conviction from del Potro's once dangerous two-handed backhand.
Returning to the tour two years ago, del Potro primarily played the one-handed slice backhand in his initial comeback.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
The 2017 Stockholm champion hit his backhand harder during his 20-5 run over the final weeks of the 2017 season while showing superb control over his one-handed slice.
The sixth-seeded Argentine will put his two-hander to the test against veteran war horse David Ferrer in tonight's Abierto Mexicano Telcel second-round clash.
The 35-year-old Spaniard has won six of their 11 encounters, but the 2009 US Open champion has beaten Ferrer three times in a row—all in straight sets. Ferrer will be feeding a steady stream of inside-out forehands to del Potro's weaker wing.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
