the tennis strokes
This page is all about tennis strokes. Watch any tennis tournament, and you’ll realize there are literally thousands of ways to hit tennis shots. However, there are only a handful of must-do characteristics despite how different each player looks. One of the most important things you can do is familiarize yourself with the types of tennis shots, what they mean, and what they do. We will also give you examples of the proper ways to hit various shots including the forehand, backhand, serve, volley, lob, drop shot and more.
Forehand (Groundstroke)
The tennis forehand is a stroke in which the inner side of the palm of the dominant hand that is holding the racket faces forward. Essentially, the tennis forehand is made by swinging the racket across one's body in the direction of where one wants to land the ball.
For a more detailed description of the tennis forehand, click here to read our blog post.
Tips:
Positioning
The main mistakes most players do is poor positioning when they hit the ball. Do not hit the ball when it is very far from you, in either sideways direction or too far in front of you. You also have to avoid hitting a ball too close to your body.
Hit the ball at your comfortable reach which means that you don’t have to extend your arm fully to hit the ball, and
hit the ball when it’s in front of you, specifically near your front hip.
Racket face
Avoid a closed racket (holding your racket with closed grip) upon contact. Make sure that brushing effect between the ball and the racket is achieved to create topspin.
Backhand (Groundstroke)
The backhand is a tennis shot in which one swings the racket around one's body with the back of the hand preceding the palm. Except in the phrase backhand volley, the term refers to a groundstroke (that is, one in which the ball has bounced before it is struck).
Tips:
One-hander or two-hander? It depends! There are a few determining factors that are usually used in determining which type of backhand you would play more effectively.
One-handed backhands typically provide greater reach while on the run, and also tend to create a greater variation of shot styles by more easily employing a slice backhand in addition to a topspin backhand. On the men’s side, one-handed backhands have made a resurgence in popularity in recent years with Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Richard Gasquet among those in recent memory with beautifully-fluid yet powerful motions. On the women’s side, one-handers are less popular but a notable example from recent memory is Justine Henin.
Two-handed backhands typically provide the player with a bit of extra power (if needed) by having to make a greater shoulder turn to achieve the best results. Two-handers are also less likely to be “late” on a groundstroke or returns of serve. Some of the best returners in the history of the game (Agassi, Djokovic, Connors) had two-handed backhands for that very reason. What they lost in reach, they more than made up for with a compact backswing and natural shoulder turn.
The benefits? Well, it depends on who you ask. There are very clearly distinct camps that claim the one-hander reigns supreme while others claim the two-hander has more more benefits. We think it comes down to personal preference and style. The argument that the physically stronger individuals will do better with a one-hander went out the window with Nadal. Likewise, the age-old argument that two-handers consistently generated more “pop” on their backhand went out the window with Wawrinka. One thing we do know: if you are comfortable playing an aggressive slice backhand, the one-hander will be more conducive for you.
Serve
A serve (or, more formally, a service) in tennis is a shot to start a point. A player will hit the ball with a racquet so it will fall into the diagonally opposite service box without being stopped by the net. Normally players begin a serve by tossing the ball into the air and hitting it.
Return of Serve
The tennis serve return is key when attempting to break serve during a tennis match. The tennis serve return is usually a weak point in the club player's game. If we watch the pros, they use the tennis serve return to begin the point on an aggressive note. The return of serve can make or break your tennis game.
Volleys and Half-Volleys
A volley in tennis is a shot in which the ball is struck before it bounces on the ground. Generally a player hits a volley while standing near the net, although it can be executed farther back, in the middle of the tennis court or even near the baseline. Little known fact: the word derives from the french word “volée” meaning flight. When striking the ball on the dominant side of your body, it is considered a forehand volley. When striking the ball on your non-dominant side, it is a backhand volley. Note: for the backhand volley it is best practice to only use 1 hand on the volley even if you have a 2-handed backhand groundstroke.
A half volley in tennis is a shot that is hit immediately after the ball bounces but before it reaches the apex of its bounce. It is sometimes called an "on the rise shot", or "short hop".
Overhead (or Overhead Smash)
A smash in tennis is a shot that is hit above the hitter's head with a serve-like motion. It is also referred to as an overhead. A smash can usually be hit with a high amount of force and is often a shot that ends the point.
Drop Shot
A drop shot is a shot in which the ball is hit relatively softly, and lands just over and close to the net on your opponent’s side. It is commonly referred to as a “touch” shot because of the lack of power used.
Lob
A lob in tennis is a shot where the ball is hit high and deep into the opponent's court. It can be used as an offensive or defensive weapon depending on the situation. If your opponent is at the net, a lob is an effective way to back your opponent up. If you find yourself on the run, a lob is also an effective shot to play to give yourself time to reposition yourself during a point.
A Quick Word on Grips (Western, Eastern, Continental)
These tennis tips on what grips to use are very useful. The western and semi-western forehand tennis grips are normally used by players if the court they are playing on allows high bouncing of the ball. This is to allow them to hit the ball at a higher point of contact when needed. If you do this, just make sure that the angle of your racket is kept straight to avoid errors or wide ball (outside the line).
Another tennis grip which can be used in a forehand shot is the continental forehand grip. Generally, this grip is used by players when they are playing in a tennis court that produces low ball bounce such as grass court. Make sure to maintain a straight wrist so that the ball travels in an upward motion avoiding the net.
The eastern forehand grip is used by players if they want to hit flat shots. With your wrist in a straight position, you will be able to hit the ball in a straight path.
Another Quick Word about Spins
In tennis, because of the net being in the middle of the court, using topspin will increase the player's consistency. Topspin also allows a player a greater margin of error. Because topspin brings the ball down toward the ground quicker, a player can hit the ball higher over the net, thus increasing the margin of error. This may help in lobbing an opponent who is waiting at the net, or playing directly to a player's feet. Hitting low to high as the player approaches the contact point will impart lift. Keeping the racquet face (the strings) slightly closed from perpendicular will impart the topspin to the ball that the player wants. However, balls that bounce lower due to greater force or backspin are much more difficult to return using a grip that confers topspin such as the semi-western and western grips, as the racket is angled too far downwards to 'lift' the ball back over the net. As such, topspin is more effectively used on slower, higher bouncing surfaces such as clay. Topspin is also far more difficult to impart on backhand strokes due to the physical limitations of an arm stretched across the body.
If you’re curious about the physics of tennis spins, we’ll let Wired Magazine tell you from an article in 2015 right here.