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Tennis Overhead Smash & Scissor-Kick Overhead

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Tennis Overhead Smash

The tennis overhead smash is one of the most explosive strokes in the game. At the professional level the overhead typically results in either a winner or their opponent barely getting a racquet on the ball. Pete Sampras put his flare on the overhead smash in the 90s by leaping into the air to crush the ball, the equivalent to a slam dunk in basketball. The majority of overheads are hit up at net, however an overhead can be hit from anywhere in the court given the right ball.

When you come up to net there are two ways your opponent can attempt to get the ball past you. Your opponent can try to hit a passing shot that goes around you, or a lob that is hit over your head. If you want to be effective up at net you must develop an offensive overhead.

Tennis Overhead Smash: Grip

The overhead is hit with the Continental grip. There are a couple reasons why utilizing the Continental grip makes sense. First, the Continental grip allows your arm and wrist to pronate naturally through the ball on the overhead, which results in more power and options on the overhead. Second, when you play up at net you have limited time to react to the ball so utilizing the Continental grip for serves, overheads, and volleys allows for you to react to the ball without having to utilize time to transition to a different grip.

Tennis Overhead Smash: Preparation

The overhead smash and serve are mechanically very similar; however the overhead is simplified due to other variables at play that can complicate the stroke. The following are steps in the preparation phase that are instrumental in developing a fundamentally sound overhead.

Tennis Overhead Smash: Read Your Opponent and Watch the Ball

The first thing you want to do is focus on your opponent’s racquet face and body language to anticipate the type of shot that will be hit. Players typically hit overheads off of balls that are hit high in the air that are over their head or bounce over their head, also known as lobs. Some key items to look for to anticipate the lob are the opponent stretching out or reaching to hit the ball on the run or an open racquet face with their upper body leaning back.

Tennis Overhead Smash: React to the Ball and Move into Position

As the ball is being hit by your opponent you want to split step. As you begin reacting to the lob you want to turn your body sideways and with you non-dominant hand on the throat and the hitting hand on the grip of the racquet begin moving to set up for the ball. More often than not, if it is a decent lob you will be moving back to get into position to play the overhead. You can move back in a couple of different ways. The most common way players move back is with a side step, similar to what you would do recovering back to the court. Another way players move back on the lob, especially if they need to cover a lot of ground is with the cross step. This is similar to the initial drop steps a quarterback would take prior to stepping in and throwing a pass.

Overhead Smash: Set Up

Once you reach the optimal point on the court to hit the overhead, which will be to receive the ball out in front in the plane that you would release a ball to throw, you want to have your shoulders and hips turned and loaded. Your non-dominant arm will be extended up into the air pointing at the incoming ball to allow for you to keep your head up and track the ball into your strings. Your dominant hand will do the move of an NFL quarter back by taking the racquet back toward your ear as if you were going to throw a football. At this point your hand should be holding the racquet loosely so that the racquet head drops behind your head.

Execute the Tennis Overhead Smash

Once you have set up for the overhead it’s time to execute. Just like a quarterback or pitcher would throw the ball, you want to step forward so that your weight is transferred into the ball. As you begin accelerating your racket head forward, as if you were throwing your racquet at the ball, make sure to keep your arm and hand loose to provide increased racquet head acceleration and natural pronation throughout the complete overhead motion. Your contact point is out in front of your body in the same plane you would release to throw a ball with your hitting arm fully extended. Your body weight and motion should continue in the same direction as you hit the ball after contact.

Overhead Smash Follow Through

After you make contact with the ball your racquet follows through, traveling down across your body, finishing around hip level. By now this may sound like a broken record, the follow through is the same on the serve as a quarterback’s or pitcher’s throwing hand finishes after releasing a pass or pitch.

Tennis Overhead Smash: Pro Tip

The overhead motion is simplified when compared to the service motion. The overhead motion requires the racquet to move into the trophy service pose immediately, without looping or dropping the racquet head. This is due to having limited time and to help time the ball being hit out of the air.

Tennis Scissor-Kick Overhead Intro

Now that you know how to hit an overhead smash, lets discuss the tennis scissor-kick overhead. There have been times in tennis where my movement on the overhead has kept me up at night. Have you received a lob from your opponent that you felt like you could get but you just weren’t able to get there quick enough or elevate high enough? I describe this feeling as my credit card jump. When you receive a lob that is hit particularly well you need to move quickly and at times elevate to hit the ball. To do this you can utilize the scissor-kick overhead to give yourself a better chance to prepare for the ball and take it out of the air.

Tennis Scissor-Kick Overhead Footwork

The scissor-kick overhead is very similar to the standard overhead smash when you consider the upper body movement and initial reaction, however the footwork is different. On the scissor-kick overhead you want to drop back like a quarterback does in football. You can do this by utilizing the cross step. After you split step and turn your body you can step across your back foot with your front foot and then step back with you back foot. This cross step can be repeated as many times as you need to cover ground quickly.

Scissor-Kick Overhead: Set Up

Once you are ready to hit the overhead you want to set up and load. To load up you want to step back with your back foot and load your weight onto it so you can push off and jump into the air. Once you are in the air the scissor-kick of the legs allows you to rotate your hips and shoulders around into the shot. When you land you should find yourself on your front foot.

Upper Body Motion

The upper body movement on the scissor-kick overhead is similar to the standard overhead smash however it is worth going over. I want to start off by saying that there are different ways to hold the racquet while you are getting into the position and there is wiggle room on what you want to decide to do. You can have your arms up in the trophy pose while you move, using your non dominant hand to track the ball into your strings, or you can hold the throat of your racquet with your non dominant hand in a position similar to what a quarterback would look like holding the football on a take back. The argument for doing the second option is that you can move quicker to the ball with your hands around chest high than with your hands around or above head level.

Once you are getting ready to set up and load your weight on your back foot your upper body should be in the trophy pose. As you push off your back foot for the ball your racquet will drop back behind you as if your arm was loaded up to throw a ball with your hand loosely laid back. As your racquet accelerates up to strike the ball your non dominant hand will naturally begin to drop.

Tennis Scissor-Kick Overhead: Pro Tip

There is a lot going on during the overhead. Try to think about the big picture and relate the motion back to throwing a ball. This may help make sense of it all, since you would probably prefer to only focus on one or maybe two things at a time.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

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Tennis Serve Technique & Fundamentals Guide

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Tennis Serve Technique & Fundamentals

The tennis serve technique is the most important stroke in the game because in order to start a point you need to hit the serve successfully in the court. Just like a pitcher in baseball can pitch no hitters, the server in tennis can also dictate play and win points with the serve alone. In order to develop your serve into a weapon you must have solid fundamentals. Let’s get started!

Tennis Serve: Grip

The Continental grip is the standard when it comes to hitting the tennis serve. The Continental allows your forearm and wrist to naturally pronate, or snap, through the ball which results in more racquet head speed with the least amount of stress on the arm. All the different types of serves can be hit utilizing the continental grip which is not the case with other grips. For a guide on how to find each grip click the link.

Tennis Serve Technique: Set Up

tennis serve techniqueWhen approaching the baseline to set up for your serve you want to place your foot at around a 45 degree angle in relation to the baseline and have your feet shoulder width apart, with your shoulders and hips closed almost perpendicular in relation to the net.

Tennis Serve Fundamentals: Ball Toss

The toss is one of the most crucial components of the serve and the component that frustrates players the most. To hold the ball you want to have the ball in between your finger tips and the palm of the hand. The toss motion should be initiated with the shoulder and the arm acts as a lever. When your non-dominant hand is tossing up the ball, imagine that a ruler is strapped to your arm keeping your arm straight. The toss, with exception of extreme topspin serves and the kick serve, should be in the same plane where you would release to throw a ball, out in front of your body and to the right if you serve right handed.

Tennis Serve Technique: Pro Tip

Think about tossing to your target on the ad side of the court for right handed players and the deuce side for lefties. This typically results in the non-dominant arm moving toward the target, out in front of your body to the right, rather than running parallel to the baseline.

To determine how high to toss the ball lift your racquet straight up into the air as high as you can with your dominant hand. Having your racquet reach the center of your racquet face, the sweet spot, and up is acceptable, however the higher you toss the ball the harder it is to control. Some players like to have the ball go up into the air and drop slightly before contact and others prefer to hit the ball at its apex as the ball sits in the air. Neither way is right or wrong, it is more of a preference. See what works best for you.

Tennis Serve Technique: Pro Tip

To Practice the toss place your feet as described above to prepare for the serve. Place the butt of the racquet handle on the ground so that it looks like an extension of your front foot. This will set the racquet face out in front of your body where you would release to throw a ball. With your non dominant hand toss the ball up to the height that will work best for you, as described above, and try to have the ball land on the face of your racquet.

Tennis Service Motion Technique & Tips

tennis serve fundamentals

When going through your motion you want to keep the serve simple by keeping your hips, shoulders, and head in the same plane. So, if you were to take a photo someone could draw a straight vertical line through those segments of your body.

To practice the motion of the serve there are a few key points to consider. When taking the racquet back you want to think about doing it slowly, this will give your body time to load and establish a rhythm. The dominant arm should be loose like a wet noodle to help create a fluid motion.

For the serve you want to have your body weight going up and out into the court. To accomplish this you can rock your body weight onto your back foot and transition the weight up and out into the serve with your legs.

Think of a pitcher in baseball. The pitcher has his weight neutral as he grips the ball and decides what pitch to deliver. Once he is ready, his non- dominate leg lifts up to put his weight on his back foot and then transitions the weight forward to deliver the pitch.

The prime example of rocking the weight back would be Pete Sampras. Sampras lifts his non-dominate foot up slightly to rock his body weight onto his back foot before he transitions his weight up and out into the serve.

Tennis Serve Technique: Smooth Service Motion

Try this exercise to develop a smooth service motion based on your own throwing motion. You will need two items, a long tube sock (socks made for baseball would work), and at most six tennis balls. Fill the tube sock with tennis balls so the tube sock has weight and can build momentum when swung.

Start with your body positioned as you are going to his a serve and pretend the tube sock is your racquet. Go through the service motion, with the non-dominant hand mimicking the toss and all. Think of throwing the tube sock high over the net without letting go. The tube sock will ideally be in continuous movement and make contact with your body less as your throwing and service motion become more fluid.

This exercise can help prevent hitches in your service motion and help all the links in the kinetic chain to flow together. Once you get the hang of your service motion you will be able to continuously go through the service motion time after time without stopping the sock. Try it out!

Tennis Serve Technique & Fundamentals: Wrap Up

The tennis serve technique is the biggest weapon on tour and the tips and drills mentioned in this serve lesson have helped my students, myself, and hopefully you.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

I thank you for your support and look forward to hearing from you by commenting below or connecting with me on social media. Cheers!

How to Hit an Effective Tennis Approach Shot

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Tennis Approach Shot: Introduction

The tennis approach shot is utilized to transition from the baseline up to net. Generally a player approaches to the net on a ball that lands around the service line or shorter, or if they recognize that their opponent is out of position and is likely to provide a weak ball as a result.

For example, you hit a fast pace forehand cross court and you see that your opponent is barely going to get their racquet on the ball, their arm is fully extending reaching for the ball, you decide to take advantage by moving forward to the net to make a play on the ball resulting in your opponent not having enough time to recover and make a play on your easy volley. You win the point easily.

Moving forward to play a short ball can benefit you in many ways including taking time away from your opponent, shortening the duration of the point, and by putting pressure on your opponent.

Tennis Approach Shot: Footwork

Split Step

The approach shot is one of the most exciting shots in tennis and it all starts with the feet. Like on other shots you want to time your split step to make contact with the ground at the exact moment you realize where the ball is headed.

Ensure the Proper Spacing

Once you recognize the ball is short you want to start running forward while you assess exactly where you expect the ball to land. Once you have assessed where the ball will land you want to run up at an angle to the ball so that when you begin to set up for your forehand or backhand you have enough room between you and the ball.

Tennis Approach Shot Pro Tip

It is common for players to run into the ball and as a result they hop up on their stroke or their shoulders rise up as the body attempts to create more space. If this happens to you try this tip. Once you turn to set up for the ball begin moving your feet by making small shuffle adjustment steps around and away from the ball. This allows for several little steps to be taken to ensure you find the proper distance on the approach shot.

Tennis Approach Shot: Options

tennis approach shotThe approach shot is unique in the sense that you can utilize any stroke in the game and choose to approach the net afterwards. For example, some players pick up on their opponent’s movements and if a player allows balls to drop rather than take the ball on the rise they may choose to throw up a topspin lob and approach the net giving them plenty of time to react to the next ball. Or a player may notice their opponent has difficulty moving forward and chip the ball short and take the net, the possibilities are endless. For the purpose of this post we will look at the approach in terms of the forehand and backhand.

Tennis Approach Shot: Stroke

The tennis approach shot stroke will be the same as the forehand and backhand outlined in prior posts with a couple differences depending on the ball height and where the ball is located in relation to the net. I recommend you utilize the neutral stance strokes for the approach shot since your body weight is moving forward and if the ball happens to be low it is easier to handle, however plenty of top tennis professionals hit open stance as well so you decide what is best for you given the ball you receive.

The approach shot is most effective when the ball is taken on the rise and hit from waist to chest height. This is due to most approach shots being generated off of weak replies and the sooner you get to the ball the less time your opponent has to recover and react. By having a waist high or higher ball you can focus on hitting through the ball, more pace, rather than creating lift, more spin, which is done for balls below net height. The location of the ball in relation to your body and the net will also determine the angle of the racquet face at contact. When the ball is high, one foot or more above the net, you may be able to close your racquet face more when driving through the ball. When the ball is low, below net level, your racquet face will be more open in order to create lift.

Tennis Approach Shot: Final Thoughts

The tennis approach shot is one of the most exciting shots in the game. If you like to be aggressive on the court and put pressure on your opponent, the approach shot is definitely worth your time and focus.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

Get out there and practice! Report back what you find works and doesn’t work for your game so that others can benefit as well. Cheers!

5 Steps to Hitting a Tennis Backhand Slice

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Tennis Backhand Slice

The tennis backhand slice can be effectively utilized in numerous scenarios however the stroke is often underutilized. Tennis players utilize the slice to buy themselves more time to recover back to the center of the court, keep the ball low for their opponent, and as a change of pace during a rally. In scenarios where hitting the ball is uncomfortable on the backhand, commonly due to the ball being too high or too low, players tend to find more comfort hitting a slice backhand.

Tennis Backhand Slice #1: Pivot and Shoulder Turn

As you turn your shoulders you want to transition over to the continental grip for your slice. There is wiggle room on which grip to utilize as several players use slight variations.

Tennis Backhand Slice #2: The Back Swing

tennis backhand sliceWhen taking back the racquet you want your dominant forearm and your racket to form an L shape. Your non-dominant hand will be holding the throat of the racquet with the elbow raised up away from the body. Both of your shoulders and arms will take the racquet all the way back, so that the racquet head is behind your head and above shoulder height.  On the take back you can use your hands to keep the racquet face slightly open.

Tennis Backhand Slice #3: Step into the Slice

Now that you have your weight loaded on your back foot and the racquet back all the way you are ready to step into the slice. Step into the ball just as you would on your one or two handed backhand with your foot angled around 45 degrees give or take.

Tennis Backhand Slice #4: Swing to Contact

With your weight transitioning forward you want to swing your racquet high to low till you contact the ball. Your high to low swing will be initiated by your shoulder and will make contact with the ball around waist high and out in front of your body ideally. However, as mentioned previously the height at which you take the ball can vary. Although your swing is going high to low you want to think about hitting through the ball with a very slight high to low path of the racquet. Having the racket face slightly open to neutral, along with the low to high swing, will help impart the desired backspin on the ball.

Slice Backhand Pro Tip

On the slice if you find that the ball takes off high up into the air, commonly it is due to having the racquet face angled open too much. Try closing the racquet face slightly until the ball begins to level out.

On the slice if you find that the ball is sitting up in the air after it bounces rather than skidding and staying low after the bounce, you may be striking through the ball at too sever of a high to low angle. Try striking through the ball more at a very slight high to low plane until the ball begins to skid on the bounce and stay low.

Tennis Backhand Slice #5: Follow Through

The follow through is the final step in the slice backhand and is important in order to create a smooth and consistent stroke. After you strike through the ball you want to let your arms naturally rise as they extend outwards. This will help you produce a smooth stroke while decelerating naturally.

When striking through the ball and during the follow through you want to stay turned. Imagine you are standing in your hallway at home that was just freshly painted. You don’t want to hit or scratch the walls so you are going to stay turned, swinging your arms out in opposite directions so that you finish in a pose that would be similar to an image of a person holding a bucket of water in each hand with their arms extended out. By having your non-dominant arm swing out in the opposite direction as you hit the ball and follow through, your upper body will tend to stay closed and not open up. On the slice not opening up at contact is a good thing.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

What have you found that works or doesn’t work for your slice backhand? Let me know by leaving a comment below and come say hi to me on Facebook, I will definetley respond!

How to Hit a Two-Handed Backhand Groundstroke

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Tennis Two-Handed Backhand

The two-handed backhand groundstroke is one of my favorite shots in tennis although I find it takes more energy to hit. Due to having both hands on the racquet your footwork needs to be on point, otherwise it can feel overwhelming. Check out the prior post titled Tennis Backhand Groundstroke Ultimate Guide to catch up on the movement and preparation required to hit an effective backhand. With that being said let’s begin!

Two-Handed Backhand Groundstroke: Unit Turn

On the two-handed backhand when you begin your backswing you want to do as what is referred to as a unit turn. Think of the upper body, the shoulder, the arm, and the hand as a unit. When taking back the racquet the shoulder initiates and performs the turn and the elbows and arms stay fixed. Before accelerating the racquet forward you want to drop the head of the racquet so that your arms are extended and your racquet head is below the ball.

Tennis Two-Handed Backhand: Backswing

The backswing and the load on the back foot happen at the same time. Once both are complete, your racquet butt should be pointed toward the net and the racquet head will have dropped back so that the racquet head is hidden from your opponent but not so far back that the head of the racquet is behind your body. Once complete, it’s time to initiate the body weight and racquet head forward into the ball.

Two-Handed Backhand: Weight Transfer

There are a few components that lead to a fundamentally sound swing prior to contact on the backhand. The weight transfer happens by taking your last step forward into the ball with your right leg (assuming your right handed, the left leg if you are a lefty). Your racquet will accelerate from low to high, rising as it approaches toward the ball. Hit the ball with the swing of your arm initiated by your shoulder, not your wrist. Your racquet should make a right angle, with some wiggle room, with your arms throughout the swing.

Two-Handed Backhand Groundstroke: Contact Point

Your ideal contact point is around hip height and the dominate arm should be extended when you meet the ball slightly out in front of your body. As you accelerate your racquet head forward, your wrists stay laid back, during and after contact your hands extend forward naturally into the court.

Tennis Two-Handed Backhand: Follow Through

two-handed backhand groundstrokeAfter you contact the ball think of extending your racquet forward through the court as if someone was pulling your hands forward after contact. This will help ensure you make solid contact and keep you from bending your elbows prematurely. On the follow through you will find that your elbows stay off of your chest and the racquet head finishes high around your right shoulder if you are right handed and around your left shoulder if you are a lefty.

Two-Handed Backhand Groundstroke: Pro Tip

If you find your elbows touch or rest on your chest after contact you may want to focus on extending your arms further out into the court after contact. My coach growing up would say to think about hitting through six balls rather than one.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

Lastly, what would you add to the two-handed backhand groundstroke? If you have found something that works for you and want to share your best practices or have any questions please leave a comment below and I will make sure to respond. Cheers!

Tennis Backhand Groundstroke Ultimate Guide

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Tennis Backhand Groundstroke: Options

There are a few different types of tennis backhand groundstrokes which you can use to hit the ball effectively. The one-handed backhand, the two-handed backhand, and the slice backhand. All the backhand options have their strengths and weaknesses, however when implemented in certain strategic situations the selection can make a profound impact.

Tennis Backhand Groundstroke: Stances

There are two main backhand groundstroke stances, the neutral stance backhand which is more traditional and the open stance backhand which is more modern. Both types of backhands are utilized amongst professional players today and both can be effective at all levels of play. Unlike the forehand, the majority of tennis teaching professionals agree that both stances are beneficial for players to have in their arsenal.

What is the Best Tennis Backhand Groundstroke?

When the ball is around the center of the court and the player has enough time to set up for the ball most professionals will hit neutral stance backhands and when pushed off the court and need more time to recover players will tend to hit open stance or slice the ball back. Where debate lies is on shot selection when pulled off the court, whether to hit open stance or slice the ball back to buy more time and recover, it is a matter of court situation and strategy.

The Backhand Groundstroke Grip

two-handed backhand gripThere are different backhand grips to choose from, the continental grip, the semi-western backhand grip, and the eastern grip. The majority of the professional tennis players utilize a semi-western backhand grip for the one handed backhand, and a continental grip with the dominant hand and an eastern grip for the non-dominant hand on the two handed backhand. I prefer my students utilize either of the two options or something in between. With grips there is always a little wiggle room because each player will adjust slightly to what feels most natural. Both grips allow the player to drive through the ball and generate topspin effectively.

Tennis Backhand Groundstroke Pro Tip

An easy way to grip the racquet with the one handed backhand grip is to hold the racquet by the throat extended out in front of your body with your non dominate hand and your strings facing out in front of you, then place your dominant hand on the grip with your dominate arm extended as well.

Backhand Groundstroke: Preparation Phase

Footwork

The footwork is the foundation of solid preparation and that is what we will focus on first. Before the ball reaches your opponents racquet you will want to try and time your split step so that your feet hit the ground at the exact moment you realize the direction your opponent’s shot is traveling.

Now that you recognize the ball is traveling toward your backhand side you want to react to the ball. The first step is to pivot and load your weight onto your outside foot and begin rotating your shoulders and hips. Once complete you can push off your outside foot and react toward the ball. One thing you will find is that by rotating your shoulders and hips, your racquet will naturally begin to be taken back as well.

Tennis Backhand Groundstroke Pro Tip

You will find that your hip and shoulder turn will naturally take back the racquet in the preparation phase not the arms. However, the arms are used to control the racquet head angle and positioning while on the move.

Tennis Backhand Groundstroke: Strike Zone Set-Up

Once you approach the ball it is critical to focus on taking the necessary adjustment steps to ensure you have enough distance between you and the ball before setting your feet. Typically when I mention spacing I am referring to the horizontal distance between your body and the ball. Equally important however, is utilizing your movement to ensure the ball is going to rise or drop into your comfort zone, which is around waist high generally, before you set your feet.

The Grip Change

When on the move you want to change your grip to the backhand grip that you desire. The majority of tennis players have their dominant hand resting in the forehand grip when at the baseline and adjust the grip as needed.

To change your grip you want to support the head of the racquet with your non dominant hand by placing it on the throat of the racquet for the one-handed backhand or by keeping your non dominant hand on the grip for the two-handed backhand. This will allow you to rotate the racquet with your non-dominant hand, which will be a slight turn, until you reach the desired backhand grip. Then you simply re-grip the racquet with your hand, keeping it slightly loose to ensure your hand doesn’t get tired.

Unit Turn Pro Tip

The shoulder and hip turn happen at the same time as your grip change.

The Set Up for the Neutral Stance Backhand

Now that you have the proper grip and you have the ball in your comfort zone, you want to set up your feet and upper body to stroke through the ball. You want to load your weight onto your back foot, which is the left foot if you are right handed, and step into the ball with your right foot. Ideally your feet will be lined up as if you were riding a skateboard or snowboard, which will allow you to open up your hips and shoulders efficiently. This stance will point your shoulders and hips in the direction you want to hit the ball.

Backhand Groundstroke Pro Tip

To load your weight onto your back foot try bending your back knee slightly as if you were going to begin sitting down. I find it more difficult to transfer my weight into the ball on the backhand, however by starting with a great load on the back foot sets the stage for a quality weight transfer.

Next Up: Two-Handed Backhand Groundstroke

These backhand groundstroke tips will help you prepare to hit an effective stroke whether you hit with one or two hands. Some of the items mentioned such as the grip change and the set up with the feet may seem foreign and challenging at first, however overtime you will build the muscle memory and be able to focus on another area of your game to improve. On the next post we will cover the tennis two-handed backhand groundstroke.

If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

Let me know your thoughts and what you find helps you set up for the backhand groundstroke effectively by leaving a comment below. Cheers!

How to Hit a Open Stance Forehand

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Tennis Open Stance Forehand

In the prior tennis forehand post I discussed the two main types of forehands, the open stance forehand and the neutral stance forehand. I highly recommend reading the prior post to get caught up on which forehand stance is best in particular court situations. As well as the different perspective coaches have on both stances and why they think one stance is better than the other.

Open Stance Forehand Tennis Grip

When it comes to forehand tennis grips there are 3 main grips to choose from.  The eastern grip which is generally considered the easiest grip for learning the forehand, the semi-western grip, and the western grip.

On tour, most of the pro players use a semi-western grip. This is due to players needing to generate more spin on the ball as the power and pace of the game has risen. One way to find the semi western tennis grip is to lay the racquet on a table or the ground and place your palm face down onto the grip of the racquet.

For the complete guide on finding the different grips click on the link.

Open Stance Forehand: Preparation

The key to each stroke in tennis is preparation and the open stance forehand is no different. One key component of preparation is footwork. When you are at the baseline waiting to see which direction your opponent is going to hit the ball you want to focus your eyes on judging when his racquet will make contact with the ball. You want to time your split step, a little hop, to get your body ready to react toward the direction the ball is traveling. This split step is seen in others sports such as soccer when the goalie hops slightly to get ready to react to the opponents shot.

After you split step and recognize the ball is going to your forehand you want to begin rotating your shoulders and hips as you are reacting toward the ball, this will allow for your racquet to naturally begin to be taken back as well. Now that you have reacted to the ball and you are running you want to focus on ensuring you have enough distance between you and the ball and the ball is going to rise or drop to your comfort zone, generally around waist high, before you set your feet. This is important because later on you will want to lean into the shot with your body weight going forward.

Open Stance Forehand: Set Up

Now that you have established the proper distance between you and the ball and you have the ball around your comfort zone you want to set your feet properly for the open stance forehand. Place your right foot (if your right handed and vice versa if left handed) between 45 degree angle to parallel in relation to the baseline (your foot will naturally land closer toward parallel as you get stretched further off the court or take larger steps, such as when hitting a running forehand) and load your body weight onto your right foot. At this point your shoulders should be turned with your hips loaded. Your opponent will be able to see part your left shoulder and part of your left hip.

Pro Tip

One tip for loading your weight onto your right foot is to bend your right knee slightly as if you were going to begin to sit down.

Open Stance Forehand: Swing

Tennis open stance forehandAs your shoulders and hips rotate to load, your racquet will begin to be taken back as well. When taking your racquet back your hitting elbow rises slightly up and away from the body. You can choose to have your racquet held like a glass on the backswing loop, with your racquet above your wrist when taking your racquet back or with your palm facing down in order to keep your racquet face closed. Your non hitting hand will be extended out around chest to shoulder high, allowing your left shoulder to close, or load.

Once you take your racquet back you are going to drop the racquet head and ensure your racquet face is pointed down by having your hitting hand palm facing down. At this point your hand should be loose and accelerating toward the ball with the butt of the racquet facing the net. The racquet head is now approaching the ball from below, swinging low to high, preparing to swing up through the ball to generate topspin. As your racquet accelerates toward the ball your non hitting hand will move along with your shoulders and hips as they open up to unload into the ball.

Pro Tip

Think of the loading of your shoulders and hips on the forehand to be similar to loading up to toss a medicine ball. To toss a medicine ball you would hold the ball with your arms extended, back straight, and toss the ball with your shoulders and hips.

The Goal of the Preparation, the Set Up, and the Swing

The goal of the preparation phase and the swing is to ensure your body weight transfers into the ball and that you make solid contact with the ball. The contact point for the open stance forehand is out in front of your right hip if you are right handed. The ball should feel light and travel toward your target when done correctly.

Open Stance Forehand: Follow Through

At contact you want to ensure your hand is loose, this will allow for increased racquet head speed and for your racquet to naturally follow through, or finish the stroke, with your hitting hand finishing over your left shoulder or around shoulder level.

Share Your Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed the article and took away some key points to bring to the practice court. If you found value in this guide follow the link provided for a complete list of guides on tennis technique.

Please share with us what types of shots have you found are hit more effectively with the open stance forehand groundstroke when you play?

See you on the court!

3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Tennis Practice

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Improve Your Tennis Practice

Improving your game takes a lot of work, so it’s best to make your tennis practice highly effective. Michael Jordan states it well when he talks about the importance of practicing effectively to get desired results.

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.”

If you haven’t  read my prior post, 5 Ways to Improve your Tennis Game, check it out. It explains how to measure the effectiveness of your tennis practice.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

When you go to your tennis practice make sure it is effective. Structuring your tennis practice with purpose and hitting with someone that pushes you is ideal. One of my former bosses always said that if something doesn’t feel scratchy than you are not learning.

For example, you could practice hitting groundstrokes down the middle of the court to work on your forehand and backhand. However, ask yourself if that is the most effective activity?

Remember, the more effective the tennis practice the greater the result will be. You could structure a forehand drill to start in the middle of the court and work on hitting each forehand crosscourt, making sure to move out to the ball and recovering back effectively.

Bring Your Best

Bringing your best to the court makes for an engaged and focused tennis practice. It is a lot of work to move out to the ball quickly, set up and stroke the forehand, and recover back effectively. The activity of hitting down the middle isn’t bad, however if it doesn’t push you then you are not growing.

When you step out on the court I doubt you say that you want to maintain your game, especially if you are seeking out material and tools to improve your game. With that in mind, I urge you to ask yourself how effective are the activities in your practices? Are they giving you the results you desire? If the answer is no you may find it hard to get motivation to play tennis.

Celebrate the Small Wins

In order to be happy with your tennis game you need to progress. There are different ways to get motivated but I believe only one truly lasts and is essential to every tennis players development. We have all been with a team that rallied together to get pumped up or watched a video that motivated us to go out and do something. That kind of activity provides short term motivation and action.

For long lasting motivation it’s best to improve your tennis practice and training so you make progress. Once you see the results you will want more and that builds the passion and desire to continue. Think about it, you can’t motivate someone to lose weight. However, once they start doing the activities to lose the weight, they see the results and get the motivation to continue on.

“Repetition with passion is the mother of skill.” -Tony Robbins

What will you do to improve your tennis practice?