Forehand groundstroke is the foundation of the game you play and the right technique to hit the forehand can win you many games. Forehand is the main weapon for many players and for them it is their most reliable shot. For such players, forehand opens up the court, hits sharp angles and also overpowers the player across the net. Following are a few tips for hitting a perfect tennis forehand.
- You should always keep your eye on the ball. Watch the ball all the way till it hits your racquet. There are instances where the ball takes a weird hop off the court, resulting in an ugly mishit. So, always keep your eye on the ball to hit a consistently good forehand.
- While hitting a forehand, you should always keep your feet at the width of your shoulders.
- In forehand, more than one arm is required to hit the ball with great velocity. Thus, more power can be used by using leg muscles. If you bend your knees before hitting the forehand, you can push up while making a contact to add extra power to your forehand.
- You should hold the racquet at waist level directly in front of you. You should try and maintain a firm wrist through the entire stroke i.e. backswing, hit and follow through.
- Adding topspin to your forehand will make it harder and increase the chances of getting the ball in. Topspin can be added to the forehand by swinging the racquet from below the waist to above the waist, during which the stringbed should be parallel to the net.
- The follow through after hitting the forehand should be complete. You should make sure that you fully swing through the ball and extend it to about chin height. If you’re giving the ball some topspin then the follow through should finish with the racquet facing the ground.
- Your follow through should be just perfect and after hitting the forehand you should react quickly. You should get your racquet back and be prepared for the next shot.
- You should drive the racquet forward with your shoulders. You should not allow your arm to change position and avoid exerting more pressure on the swing. You should grip the racquet firmly but at the same time avoid clutching the racquet too hard.