Tennis Techniques Forehand: Basic Eastern And Semi Western Forehand

Tennis Techniques Forehand: The Basic Eastern Forehand

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Most players find it easiest to use the Eastern forehand grip as they learn the basic forehand, and many keep using the Eastern grip and the classic stroke style demonstrated here at the advanced level, too. This photo shows the beginning of the turn toward the forehand side from ready position. In full ready position, the racquet would be held as shown, with the left hand on the upper part of the handle, and both feet would point toward the net.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: High Point of Backswing

For most players, bringing the racquet back around chest high works well. This will give the backswing a slight loop, which is an optimal compromise between a big loop and no loop at all.

The body has turned sideways (parallel to the sideline), and with the left foot beginning to step forward, the body weight is beginning to be transferred forward, from the back foot to the front.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Preparation for Linear Power

The classic Eastern forehand groundstroke gets most of its power from linear motion -- from the legs, body, and arm moving forward and upward. In this photo, the body is completely sideways, and the forward motion of the stroke has been set up by the left foot's large step toward the net. The standard backswing on this stroke has the racquet pointed at the back fence. Here, the racquet is pointed a little farther in the direction of the left fence, mostly because the wrist is laid back for extra power. Beginners don't need to lay the wrist back, but it won't harm their strokes if they do it to the extent shown here.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Low Point of Swing Path

From the beginner level through the most advanced levels, players swing at almost all forehands (except relatively rare slices) with a low-to-high motion. Swinging from low to high is the most common way to lift the ball over the net, and it's the only way to give the ball topspin, which helps it drop down on the other side of the net before it goes long.

In this photo, the racquet has dropped well below the ball as it starts forward with the swing. Almost all of the body weight has now been transferred onto the left leg, as the body mass is moving forward with the swing. The torso has also begun to turn toward the net. Its rotational energy will add to the linear energy that creates most of the power in the stroke.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: One Frame Before Contact

One video frame (1/30 second) before contact: Here, the racquet head is more than a foot below the ball, indicating that it will be rising significantly as it meets the ball. The strings will brush up the back of the ball, creating topspin. Having the racquet dropped somewhat below the hand at this point is normal for an advanced stroke. It helps to enhance the topspin. As with laying the wrist back slightly, this isn't a technique beginners should use deliberately, but if a beginner is doing this naturally to the mild extent seen here, it's not a problem.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Point of Contact

The point of contact for a classic Eastern forehand is even with the front hip, as shown here. The long axis of the racquet (the line from the butt through the tip) should be roughly parallel to the ground as racquet meets ball. Trying to look at the point of contact for half a second beyond the moment you strike the ball will help you make a clean hit on the middle of your strings.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: One Frame After Contact

In the 1/30 second (one video frame) since meeting the ball, the racquet has risen another foot, further indicating that significant topspin was generated. The upper body has rotated almost 90 degrees from the sideways position that started the swing. The body weight is so squarely on the front foot, only the toe of the back foot remains on the ground.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Follow-Through

Here, the back foot has slid forward, the front leg has pushed upward, and the racquet has finished over the left shoulder. This is roughly an average follow-through. Your hand should always end up somewhere near the height of your head, but your racquet might end up more out in front or more wrapped around your back, depending on how hard you swing, how much rotational energy you use, and how flexible you are.

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Tennis Techniques Forehand: Semi-Open Semi-Western Forehand

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Starting Backswing

You can use any stance from slightly closed to wide open to hit a forehand with a Semi-Western grip, but the stance most favorable to producing the even mix of topspin and power for which this grip is best suited is semi-open, facing at a 45-degree angle to the net. A semi-open stance allows you to combine the rotational energy of an open stance with the forward, linear energy of a square stance. Here, as the backswing begins, you can see the right foot about to be planted. The right leg will drive much of the stroke.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: High Point of Backswing

Although many players like to use a larger loop on forehand backswings, a more compact loop as seen here can work at least as well. Most of the power in this stroke will come from the release of the energy that is beginning to be stored in the legs and core, as the weight is moving onto the right leg and the upper body has turned clockwise in relation to the legs.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Muscles Loaded

Here the muscles are all loaded, ready to uncoil and drive up and forward. The knees bent, upper body turned in relation to the legs, wrist laid back, and weight mostly on the right leg prepare for the creation of a kinetic chain, a linked transfer of energy through segments of the body.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Uncoiling

Here, the uncoiling has begun. The legs are pushing up and slightly forward, the upper body is turning toward the net, and the racquet has begun to be pulled forward. The racquet has dropped below the hand, which will enhance its potential to whip upward and create heavier topspin. The wrist and racquet are still laid back. They will be the final link in the kinetic chain.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Point of Contact

Here, the upper body has finished uncoiling, so that it is now aligned with the legs, which have driven upward with enough force to lift both heels. The rotational and upward energy from the large muscles in the core and legs has been transferred to the arm, which contributes considerable energy from its own larger muscles. This accumulated energy translates into high racquet head speed, which is further enhanced as the racquet pivots forward at the relaxed wrist.

Tennis Forehand: One Frame After Contact

This is one video frame after contact. In that 1/30 second, the racquet has risen roughly 18 inches, an indication of how much it brushed up the back of the ball, which is still visible (as a blur) at the right edge of the frame. The upward force from the legs has almost lifted both feet off the ground; this type of stroke would often lift them well into the air.

Tennis Techniques Forehand: Follow-Through

The combination of upward and rotational energy brings the entire body around to face the net, and the racquet wraps around over the left shoulder. The weight transfer onto the left leg at the follow-through is a result of the right leg having driven upward and forward more forcefully during the stroke.

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