Tennis Talk

There are many different strokes to use when hitting a ball in tennis. I will go over the two main ones used in a game. First off, there is a forehand. This is a hit using the players dominant arm and hand. A forehand stroke is generally the easiest to learn since it comes more natural to people. This stroke begins when the tennis ball is hit over the net and comes on the dominant side of the player. Once the ball is in reach to hit, the player will open their shoulders towards the ball and take their non-dominant hand off of the racket. Then they level their back swing, trying not to put their racket too low or too high. The player will then drop their racket below the ball and make contact with the tennis ball. As they swing through the ball, the ball will be lifted. The player must follow through in order for the ball to make it over the net.

Another main tennis stroke is called the backhand. This stroke is similar to the forehand except hit on the non-dominant side and both hands stay on the grip. The backhand begins when the ball is hit over the net towards the player. As the ball gets closer the player will step towards the ball and turn their shoulders and the racket together. The players weight should be on the foot that is stepped back and will move to the foot stepped forward as they hit the ball. Their racket should be lower than the ball as they hit it and follow through to give it power.

As players will become more familiar with these strokes, they will know how much power to use.