Bringing runaround forehands to the fore

The ATP Finals in Turin, Italy features the best men's tennis players in the world, who have some of the strongest backhands on the tour.

Yet these players are often succeeding by running around those backhands and getting into position to turn them into the more powerful forehand.

Most points end in four shots or less, but when rallies reach that fifth shot, players need to seize an advantage. "Hunting for forehands is not about trying to end the point but about controlling it and getting on offence as quickly as you can," ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said.

Being the first player to turn a backhand into a forehand, called an inside-out forehand when it is hit to your opponent's backhand, is that edge, putting the rival on the defensive and opening up the opposite corner.

"The forehand is the bigger weapon, and it's easier to manoeuvre your opponent because you can create better angles," added Michael Russell, who coaches Taylor Fritz, one of the eight singles entrants in Turin.