Okay to hit with both hands?
My young daughter plays tennis with both hands. Is this okay?
Many young athletes start off hitting with two hands on both sides. This is natural, because they are not strong enough yet to hit with just one hand. Very few young athletes stay with using two hands, and those that do are ambidextrous and develop their own unique style.
There’s no need to pressure your child to go with one hand. Give her the option to do what feels best right now. In all likelihood, she’ll switch to her dominant hand at some point.
Of course, there are certain advantages to playing with two hands on both sides—increased power, crazy angles, and disguise.
At some point, teach your daughter a one-handed forehand—she’ll need it on wide shots. If she does decide to stay with two hands, have her watch great athletes who play this way, such as Monica Seles, Fabrice Santoro, and Jan-Michael Gambill.
