Justine Henin Photos: Picture Gallery of Strokes

Justine Henin's signature shot is her incredibly powerful one-handed topspin backhand, which she typically prepares with the backswing you see here. In this photo, Justine is doing at least three things every player should do at the start of a one-handed backhand; she has her left hand on the throat of the racquet to help ensure a good shoulder turn and a consistent starting position, she is looking over her shoulder at the ball, and her knees are bent so that her legs can contribute power and lift to her swing. What most players would not want to emulate is Henin's Western backhand grip, which, compared to the other backhand grips, is least suitable to slice and requires a point of contact most forward of the body. The Western backhand grip can make it easier for some players to hit topspin on high balls, though, and if you're 5'5" like Justine, you get lots of high balls.