Tennis - Grip, Footwork and Strokes in Tennis

Tennis Footwork comprises overall balance and weight control with proper body position being critical at al times.

Footwork comprises overall balance and weight control with proper body position being critical at al times. The following explainations of the various forms of stroke and footwork are written for the right-hand player. Left-handers should simply reverse their feet.

Racquet grip is a very essential part of the stroke. A faulty grip will ruin most any serve attempts. To insure the proper forehand grip hold the racquet with the edge of the frame towards the ground, the face perpendicular and the handle towards the body. Similar to shaking hands as if you were greeting a friend. The handle settled comfortably and naturally into the hand the line of the arm, hand, and racquet are one. The swing brings the racquet head on a line with the arm and the whole racquet is merely an extension of it. The backhand grip is a quarter circle turn of hand on the handle which brings the hand on top of the handle and the knuckles directly up. The shot travels across the wrist. Model your own grip as closely as possible to these suggestions without sacrificing your own comfort or individuality.

Tennis strokes should always be made with the body at right angles to the net and the shoulders lined up parallel to the line of flight of the ball. The weight should always travel forward and pass from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of striking the ball. Never allow the weight to be going away from the stroke the forward motion is what determines the pace of a stroke.

Ball speed is the actual rate with which a ball travels through the air. Pace on the other hand is the momentum with which it comes off the ground. Pace is the sting the ball carries with it as it comes off the ground. A strong pace can give the inexperienced or unsuspecting player a strength of force which the stroke in no way showed. Experienced and proficient players can display both speed and pace with some shots even carrying both.

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