Tennis Forehand: top tips and techniques

It’s all in the hands, you see. Whilst a good racket does help, a stable hold allowing plenty of feel and movement is far more important. 

So, how should you grip the racket? Most coaches will answer with the ‘semi-western grip’ – but you might prefer its more popular name, the ‘frying pan grip’, which gives a fair indication of what to expect.

This grip is designed to deliver power, a good loop over the net, and plenty of topspin to keep the ball low and fast on landing. It encourages you to strike with a closed racket face and lots of forward motion. 

To get started, look at your racket handle with the head away from you - it will be octagonal. Imagine that the sides – aka the bevels - of the octagon are numbered one to eight, number one being at the top, working in a clockwise direction.

Side number four is the focus for the semi-western grip. Grab the racket, aligning the knuckle of your index finger with bevel number four (number six if you’re left-handed). 

Your hand should be towards the bottom of the handle, and you should allow a gap to develop between your index finger and the rest of your hand – the gap will give you plenty of control and allow you to apply a scary amount of spin. 

The result of this grip is a closed racket face that invites you to strike the ball with a whippy, upward motion that’s perfect for powerful forehands. Remember that flexibility is key when it comes to grip, and one of the most important facets of grip technique is mastering a quick change between them. 

Flexibility is key here too. There really is no ideal starting stance for receiving a shot other than being on the move: a bounce or a shuffle, whatever suits you, but have some life in your position as you wait for your opponent to strike.

Return shot incoming. Are you ready?

Once you’ve made the split-second decision to play a forehand shot and are in the best position possible, you need to turn from facing the net to standing with your weaker foot towards your opponent. 

Use your weaker hand to steer your racket back and up ready to swing, with your striking hand just below shoulder height, with a slight bend in your arm. Your wrist will start to turn back.

From there, it’s simple, just let the racket do the work as you allow it to drop, making sure not to overdo it. Professional players have a very pronounced drop that lets the racket head point towards the floor - you may be short of the level of control required for this, so try and keep your racket upright as you let it fall, with your wrist turning back and ready to unwind into the stroke.

Here we go, it’s time to send the ball back over the net with interest. 

Most of the power will come from your largest muscles, which aren’t in your arm, but in your legs, so you need to turn your hips forward as your arm follows your racket down. 

If you’re practising and not in a game situation, it’s a nice idea to exaggerate these moves. You’ll start to internalise them much quicker than you think, and it will be a natural movement once you’re back on the court in game-mode.

This turning movement will start the whipped forehand with the arm pushing forward in front of the racket, the wrist cocking back, and finally, the racket flipping through at high speed, but under control. 
 

It is our natural inclination to move in circles, but beginners in particular should try to keep their forearm swing in a straight line where timing is less crucial. 

If you enjoy 10-pin bowling, then the line used to deliver a strike is not a bad starting point for your tennis swing for lower shots. Once you have mastered that fundamental, work on keeping a straight line as you swing on a more horizontal plane for higher shots. 

The contact is the crux of any tennis shot, and it is the part we can exert the least control over, what happens when we hit the ball is mostly determined by the build-up to the strike and the follow-through.

After you have hit the ball it should be speeding forwards in a straight line, the follow-through after contact should be towards where you would like the ball to go. 

Remember, we’re trying to maintain a straight trajectory to our swing, so keep the first part of your follow-through straight – literally follow the ball to where you would like it to go. 

As you come to the end of the swing, you will naturally turn across the front of your body to bring the racket back over your weaker shoulder. 

Some coaches will recommend that you “catch” the racket with your non-striking hand. This helps to keep your left arm active and should reduce the risk of strains to this most injury-prone joint, it also brings the inactive arm into the turn of the shot and might give you that extra little bit of power we all crave.  

Hopefully, the ball has bounced over the net, in play, and beyond the reach of your opponent. If not, you need to be ready to start again, so as soon as you have completed your follow through, return to your active and ready stance: bouncing and alert and facing the next shot. 
 

We have some incredible tennis facilities in Europe for you to come and enjoy, together with a renowned coaching programme devised by Andy Murray’s former coach and UK international, Mark Petchey.

Join us over to Spain, Sardinia, Italy, Croatia or Greece, and get ready for the game of your life.