TENNIS FOREHAND

The cross court shot is the go-to shot as the net is the lowest in the middle and the court is the longest. A cross court shot has the highest consistency rate. Many baseline rallies shift from forehand cross courts to backhand cross courts all in a see-saw of offense and defense. Until someone hits a weaker shot and the player takes advantage of the situation and perhaps hit a punishing down the line shot.

The point of contact is of extreme importance here. When you hit the ball when it is closer to your body and in front of you, it becomes easier to add an angle and send the ball cross court. Basically, if you accidentally swing a little early, your shot will go cross court as well. Quick footwork can be extremely helpful.

It is up to the player to decide whether to hit a deep forehand, an angled forehand, a drop shot, high spin, slice, lob and many more. Rather than hitting a cross-court shot anywhere, the professional players may rely more on the placement that could put pressure on their opponent!

Try these different shot selections now, and prepare to surprise your opponents with your new arsenal of shot types!

Do note, you can perform all these shots on your backhand side as well 😊

The inside out forehand is one shot can be the trump card that wins your precious points. Yes, it is a difficult shot; but it can have devastating effects on your opponent’s game plan.

An inside-out forehand is when you decide to hit a forehand shot when the ball lands on your backhand side (the non-dominant side). The ball is hit cross-court to a right-handed opponent’s backhand and puts you in the driver’s seat.

The stance for this shot can be open or closed depending on the player’s choice. Wrist work is of great importance. The right wrist work can put a lot of topspin on the ball which would confuse your opponent. An inside-out forehand is a good choice which undeniably takes a considerable amount of effort to master.

The inside-out forehand is a slightly more advanced shot choice as you are required to identify the opportune time to play this shot. As at times, it is better to just hit a backhand cross court.

This is to say, it is NOT a shot to hide you backhand with. It is a intentional shot played when you have enough time and confidence to move around the ball and really rip the shot with enough top spin and pace. If the shot ends up weak, you’ll be leave a huge space on your forehand side which can allow you opponent to take advantage of!

A down the line forehand means hitting the ball straight on the forehand side of the court! It isn't as easy as you think. A down-the-lane shot changes the direction of an ongoing rally. Basically, you are returning a crosscourt shot with a straight one.

Usually, you will be required to return a fast shot coming to you at an angle. So you will need to beat the deflection. Plus the net height at the sidelines are higher than the net height in the middle of the court, so there is more risk of hitting the net as well. So when you watch a pro on the television do it so smash a winner down the line, do understand there is quite a bit more risk and skill required and really appreciate that winner.

The player needs to calculate the change in angle when they decide to play this shot. The most important thing is positioning, so when you contact the ball, you can still be firm and balanced when you drive through your shot. A closed stance or neutral stance is generally used to hit the ball down the line. You can use an open stance or semi-open stance as well, just make sure your shoulders are turned and it’ll require quite a bit of upper body strength. A full swing of the racket is needed here and it is important to keep your balance even after the shot. Does it sound risky now? This one is an aggressive shot and it brings with it a lot of impact.

A little bonus, if you are on your backhand side and hit your forehand “down the line”, the term is called, Inside-in shot.