Learn the Double Handed Backhand From the Grip Up

A double handed backhand, also called a two-handed backhand, uses both hands on the racket to hit from your non-dominant side: the left side for a right-handed player, the right side for a left-hander. The LTA recommends it as a beginner option because two hands can give the shot more stability. LTA backhand guide

Start with a repeatable grip, a comfortable contact point and enough space to swing. Pace comes later.

1. Set the two hands

Your dominant hand goes at the bottom of the handle, nearest the butt cap. Your other hand goes above it—each hand holds the handle rather than one covering the other.

A useful starting combination is:

• Bottom hand: continental grip. Use our continental grip guide to find the hand position.
• Top hand: Eastern forehand grip. Hold it as though you were playing a forehand with that hand. Our Eastern grip guide explains both right- and left-hand positions.

For a right-hander, that means a right-hand continental and a left-hand Eastern forehand. Left-handers reverse the hands. This is a conventional starting combination, not the only valid one: an analysis published in the ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review documents variations in both hands’ grips. ITF grip analysis

Hold securely without squeezing continuously. Make a slow practice swing and pause at an imagined waist-high contact point. Check that the strings can face your target without an awkward wrist twist. The USTA emphasizes racket-face control and a relaxed grip over simply choosing a grip label. USTA backhand basics

2. Turn early, then find your spacing

Begin facing the net, knees slightly bent, racket in front. As soon as you recognize a backhand, turn your shoulders and bring the racket back with both hands. This coordinated preparation is often called a unit turn.

For a right-hander, the right shoulder turns toward the incoming ball; for a left-hander, the left shoulder does. The LTA uses the dominant shoulder as a cue for tracking the ball during preparation. LTA positioning guidance

Move toward the ball, then use small adjustment steps to leave room between your body and the intended contact point. On an easy feed, begin from a comfortable sideways position rather than trying to master every possible stance.

Check: Can you swing forward without trapping your elbows against your torso or lunging sideways? If not, fix your distance from the ball before changing the swing.

3. Meet the ball forward and to the side

“In front” does not mean directly in front of your stomach. Meet the ball slightly forward of your body and on your backhand side. That forward-and-sideways position is the USTA’s beginner contact cue. USTA contact guidance

For early practice, ask for feeds that let you contact between knee and waist height. Let the racket travel forward through contact, then upward into a comfortable finish over your dominant-side shoulder—right shoulder for a right-hander, left for a left-hander. These contact-height and finish cues follow the LTA beginner progression.

Keep both hands involved. If the bottom hand is doing all the pulling, think of the top hand helping drive the swing. The USTA uses a “driver” cue for the non-dominant hand; treat it as a learning feel, not a reason to make the other hand limp. USTA two-handed backhand tip

4. Practise with slow feeds

Setup: Stand near the service line. Put a partner near the service line across the net with a few balls. Use either service box on your partner’s side as a large target, and keep loose balls out of your footwork area.

Action:

1. Ask for a gentle underarm feed to your backhand that bounces once.
2. Turn before the bounce and adjust your distance.
3. Hit a smooth, compact backhand into the target area.
4. Return to your ready position before the next feed.
5. Complete ten feeds, then repeat.

Count a successful repetition only when the ball lands in the target and you finish balanced, with contact forward and to the side.

Readiness checkpoint: Use seven successful repetitions out of ten in two consecutive sets as a practical target—not a formal standard. Then ask for feeds that require one step of movement to reach while still hitting a backhand. Once that is comfortable, try a short cooperative rally before moving back toward the baseline.

Fix the first visible problem

• Contact beside or behind you: Turn sooner. Ask for slower feeds rather than rushing the forward swing.
• Elbows crowded against your body: Adjust your feet to create more lateral space.
• Balls repeatedly flying long: Check whether the strings tilt upward at contact, then reduce swing pace.
• Top hand only resting on the handle: Revisit the top-hand driving cue with gentle feeds.

Change one thing at a time. A controlled ball and a balanced finish are more useful at this stage than a harder shot.