--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My serve and my forehand I pretty much…" description: "\"My serve and my forehand I pretty much always had, but my backhand was a made backhand. I worked on it for years.\" — Ivan Lendl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/ivan-lendl-14679_always_my-serve-and-my-forehand-i-pretty-much-a_645998.png" --- # My serve and my forehand I pretty much always had, but my… ![“My serve and my forehand I pretty much always had, but my backhand was a made backhand. I worked on it for years.” quote by Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/ivan-lendl-14679_always_my-serve-and-my-forehand-i-pretty-much-a_645998.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/ivan-lendl-14679_always_my-serve-and-my-forehand-i-pretty-much-a_645998.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/ivan-lendl-14679_always_my-serve-and-my-forehand-i-pretty-much-a_645998.png) > “My serve and my forehand I pretty much always had, but my backhand was a made backhand. I worked on it for years.” [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges his natural talent in serve and forehand, but admits his backhand was weak and required years of effort to improve. **In simple terms:** He was good at some strokes but struggled with his backhand. Key Takeaway Identify and work on your weak spots. Themes tennis skill development perseverance Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - coaching sessions - personal training - match preparation Key Concepts handed practice career mindset growth Questions to Reflect On - What skill do you neglect that limits you? - How can you structure practice to address weaknesses? A Different Perspective Improvement takes time and may never fully close the gap. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) ## Related quotes > [I worked hard on my serve and my forehand, but I still have a lot of things to work on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-martin-del-potro/i-worked-hard-on-my-serve-and-my-forehand-but-i-still-have-a-lot-of/) [Juan Martin del Potro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-martin-del-potro/) > [It's exciting for me that when they think of tall players they think of big serve and forehand but they don't move that well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/it-s-exciting-for-me-that-when-they-think-of-tall-players-they-think/) [Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/) > [“Sometimes karma takes years to pay a person back, but that day, it had a fast backhand return...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshilyn-jackson/sometimes-karma-takes-years-to-pay-a-person-back-but-that-day-it-had/) [Joshilyn Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshilyn-jackson/) > [There are many things to improve on. But for sure my backhand is the natural shot of my game. It's always been the shot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/there-are-many-things-to-improve-on-but-for-sure-my-backhand-is-the/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [In tennis, there is the forehand, the backhand, the overhead smash and the drop volley, all with a different grip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-tennis-there-is-the-forehand-the-backhand-the-overhead-smash-and/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Sometimes I use a bungee, one of those bungee cords that offer resistance training. I find that useful. Like, I'll go out and hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-anderson/sometimes-i-use-a-bungee-one-of-those-bungee-cords-that-offer/) [Kevin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-anderson/) > [Roger inspires me, we both play the one-hand backhand, he's also a very aggressive player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefanos-tsitsipas/roger-inspires-me-we-both-play-the-one-hand-backhand-he-s-also-a-very/) [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefanos-tsitsipas/) > [I have a two-handed backhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/i-have-a-two-handed-backhand/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [Even if I'm moving well, hitting my forehand well, hitting my backhand well, none of that really matters much if I'm not serving well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eubanks/even-if-i-m-moving-well-hitting-my-forehand-well-hitting-my-backhand/) [Christopher Eubanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eubanks/) > [When you don't have that confidence to play three, four hours with a good backhand against Rafa, is just matter of time to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-martin-del-potro/when-you-don-t-have-that-confidence-to-play-three-four-hours-with-a/) [Juan Martin del Potro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-martin-del-potro/) > [Sometimes you can really serve well and win the match because of the serve. I have the opposite thing now, so it's kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnieszka-radwanska/sometimes-you-can-really-serve-well-and-win-the-match-because-of-the/) [Agnieszka Radwanska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnieszka-radwanska/) > [I have been working on my backhand since I was the age of five. And it's a disaster, my backhand, so I'm working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/i-have-been-working-on-my-backhand-since-i-was-the-age-of-five-and-it/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [The one-handed backhand helps you to be more aggressive in the points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-thiem/the-one-handed-backhand-helps-you-to-be-more-aggressive-in-the-points/) [Dominic Thiem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-thiem/) > [“At the beginning, it’s all you have: a simple forehand, a simple backhand. It’s all you have at the end, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/at-the-beginning-it-s-all-you-have-a-simple-forehand-a-simple/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [I just want to keep improving my backhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-martin-del-potro/i-just-want-to-keep-improving-my-backhand/) [Juan Martin del Potro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-martin-del-potro/) ## More by Ivan Lendl > [It's very nice to see when somebody who wanted to work hard and is willing to put the work in gets rewarded for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/it-s-very-nice-to-see-when-somebody-who-wanted-to-work-hard-and-is/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [I like to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/i-like-to-compete/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [If you go to school and practice for five days a week, it still gives you two days you can go and see your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/if-you-go-to-school-and-practice-for-five-days-a-week-it-still-gives/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [You know how kids are. They like to do what parents do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/you-know-how-kids-are-they-like-to-do-what-parents-do/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [In tennis you move a lot. Golf you dont. In tennis, you can have a bad half-hour, but you cant in golf. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/in-tennis-you-move-a-lot-golf-you-dont-in-tennis-you-can-have-a-bad/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [I don't make a habit of watching tennis matches, but I try to watch all the major finals. I try to make time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/i-don-t-make-a-habit-of-watching-tennis-matches-but-i-try-to-watch/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [It's flattering to be compared in any way to Tiger Woods, because he's the best player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/it-s-flattering-to-be-compared-in-any-way-to-tiger-woods-because-he-s/) [Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/) > [If you look at any superior athlete, you will find a strong parental influence. 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This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. 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