How To Hit A Tennis Forehand?

Improve your tennis game by learning how to hit a forehand like the pros. This blog post provides easy to follow instructions for hitting a powerful and consistent forehand.

Introduction

Forehand strokes in tennis can be broadly classified into two different types – the one-handed forehand and the two-handed forehand. In this article, we will focus specifically on the one-handed forehand. The one-handed forehand is generally easier to master and is used by most beginner and amateur players. If you are just starting out, we recommend that you focus on perfecting your one-handed forehand before moving on to the two-handed stroke.

The first thing you need to do is get into the correct stance. For a one-handed forehand, you should be standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointing them forward. Your non-dominant hand should be holding the racket at the bottom of the handle, and your dominant hand should be placed slightly higher up on the handle. From this position, you will then want to take a small step forward with your dominant foot while keeping your non-dominant foot stationary. This will help you generate more power when hitting the ball.

Once you are in position, you will then want to swing your racket back behind you while keeping your arm relatively straight. As you swing back, make sure to coil your body so that you can uncoil it when making contact with the ball. When hitting the ball, make sure to extend your arm and follow through with your swing so that you hit the ball in front of you. Remember to keep your eye on the ball at all times so that you can make contact with it in the sweet spot of your racket for maximum power and control.

Step One: The Grip

To hit a forehand, you will need to start with the right grip. For a right-handed player, this means placing your right hand lower on the grip than your left, and for a left-handed player, vice versa. You can experiment with different grips to find one that is comfortable for you, but a continental or eastern grip is a good place to start.

Continental Grip

The Continental grip is the most popular way to hold a racket for a forehand. You can identify it by the V that’s formed between your thumb and index finger. To take this grip, take the racket in your left hand if you’re right-handed (or right hand if you’re left-handed) and lay the face of the racket flat in your palm. Put your index finger on top of the face, and then rest your thumb underneath and towards the back bevel. Your remaining fingers should wrap around the handle, just below where your palm ends, except for your pinky which goes underneath the handle for extra support.

Eastern Grip

The eastern grip is the most common way to hold a tennis racquet. You can identify it because the Racquet will be held horizontally in the hand, and there will be space between the thumb and first finger (as opposed to being wrapped around).

There are a few different variations of this grip, but they all work in a similar way. For a right-handed player, the eastern grip means holding the tennis racket in the left hand, with the first two fingers (index and middle) wrapped around the base of the racquet handle. The pinky, ring finger and thumb provide support from below. For a left-handed player, it’s reversed — so the racket would be in the right hand.

Western Grip

The Western grip is the most common grip used by professional and amateur tennis players alike. To execute a proper Western grip, take the base of your palm and place it on bevel nine. This bevel is located on the bottom bevel of the racket handle and is unique to each racket. When you have your hand on the proper bevel, your knuckles should be facing the net. Once you have found bevel nine, wrap your fingers around the racket handle. The v between your thumb and index finger should point toward the top of the racket head.

Step Two: The Stance

The first step in hitting a forehand is getting into the proper stance. If you are a right-handed player, you will want to start by positioning your feet so that your left foot is slightly ahead of your right foot. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, and your knees should be bent. You will also want to hold the racket in your non-dominant hand. For a right-handed player, this would be the left hand.

Closed Stance

A closed stance is when your feet are closer together than they would be in a neutral or open stance. When you hit a forehand with a closed stance, it will naturally go more cross-court rather than down the line. A lot of beginner and lower-level players use a closed stance when they hit their forehand, because it is easier to keep the ball in play with a cross-court shot. If you are playing against someone who hits the ball very hard, using a closed stance can help you keep the ball in play until your opponent makes a mistake.

Semi-Open Stance

When hitting a forehand, most people adopt a semi-open stance. This means that you should position your feet so that they are pointing at an angle of around thirty to forty-five degrees away from the net. Your weight should also be biased towards the front foot – the foot on the same side of your body as your hitting hand. For a right-handed player, this will be your left foot; for a lefty, it will be your right.

Open Stance

An open stance is when your feet are pointing towards the net at an angle. If you are hitting a backhand, your left foot (for a right-handed player) should be pointing towards the net, with your right foot behind it, at an angle. If you are hitting a forehand, your right foot should be pointing towards the net, with your left foot behind it, at an angle. When your feet are in this position, it is much easier to rotate your body and hit the ball squarely.

Step Three: The Backswing

Now that you’ve positioned your body and grip the racket correctly, it’s time to take a backswing. When you take a backswing, imagine drawing the racket back like a bow and arrow. As you do so, keep your elbow close to your body and your wrist firm. At the top of the backswing, your racket should be pointing upward and your weight should be on your right foot (for a right-handed player).

Step Four: The Contact Point

The contact point is where the ball hits the strings of your racquet. The sweet spot is the ideal spot on the strings where you’ll make precise, precise contact with the ball. The “live” area around the sweet spot is where you can make contact and still hit a good shot. hitting the sweet spot or live area of your racquet produces maximum power and spin.

Step Five: The Follow Through

Once you have hit the ball, your feet should have shifted so that you are now balanced on your left foot. Your right foot should be off the ground and pointing in the direction that you want the ball to go. As you follow through, your body should rotate so that your right shoulder is now in front of your left and you are looking over your right shoulder. Your racquet should end up pointing in the direction that you wanted the ball to go.

Conclusion

In order to hit a forehand, you need to start in the correct position. You should be standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your racket hand should be across your body. When you are ready to hit the ball, you need to take a small step forward with your non-racket foot and swing your racket arm up. As you make contact with the ball, be sure to follow through by swinging your arm all the way through.