How to Hit a Tennis Forehand (Grip, Swing, and Follow-Through)
The forehand is the first stroke to build in tennis and the shot you will hit most. Get the grip, the low-to-high swing, and the contact point right, and everything else follows. Here is how to hit a solid forehand.
- Start with an eastern forehand grip (like shaking hands with the racquet). It is the friendliest grip for a beginner and allows both flat and topspin shots.
- Swing low to high. Starting the racquet below the ball and brushing up the back of it is what creates topspin, which brings the ball down into the court.
- Make contact out in front of your body, not beside or behind you. Late contact is the most common beginner error.
- Turn your shoulders and step in; the power comes from your body rotation and legs, not from arming the ball with your wrist.
- Finish the swing over your opposite shoulder. A full follow-through means you accelerated through the ball instead of stopping at it.
The grip and the ready position
Start with an eastern forehand grip: hold the racquet edge-on and "shake hands" with it, so the base knuckle of your index finger sits on the flat panel that faces the same way as the strings. This grip is forgiving for beginners and lets you hit both flat and topspin forehands. Stand ready facing the net, knees soft, racquet out in front held with both hands, weight on the balls of your feet. The moment you see the ball coming to your forehand side, the first move is to turn: rotate your shoulders and hips so your side faces the net and take the racquet back. That shoulder turn, done early, is what gives you time and power; rushing straight into the swing without turning is a classic beginner rush.
The low-to-high swing that makes topspin
Here is the heart of a modern forehand: swing from low to high. Drop the racquet head below the level of the incoming ball, then swing up and forward, brushing up the back of the ball as you make contact. That upward brush puts topspin on the ball, which makes it dip down into the court, so you can hit hard and still keep the ball in. Contact should happen out in front of your body and about waist height, with your arm extended, not cramped against your side. Beginners tend to swing flat and level and either hit long or have to baby the ball; the low-to-high brush is what lets you swing freely and stay in.
Contact, body, and follow-through
Three things turn a swing into a real forehand. First, contact out in front: meet the ball ahead of your lead hip, not beside or behind you, hitting late (letting the ball get past you) is the single most common fault and it saps all your power and control. Second, use your body: step into the shot with your front foot and rotate your hips and shoulders through it, so the power comes from the ground up and your core, not from flicking your wrist or arming it. Third, follow through: let the racquet continue up and across, finishing over your opposite shoulder. A full follow-through is proof you accelerated through the ball rather than decelerating into it. Grip, low-to-high, contact in front, body rotation, follow-through, that sequence is a forehand.
If your shots keep flying long, you are probably swinging flat. Exaggerate the low-to-high brush up the back of the ball to add topspin, which curves the ball down into the court. Topspin, not swinging softer, is what lets you hit with pace and still keep the ball in.
Common questions
How do you hit a forehand in tennis?
What grip should a beginner use for the forehand?
How do I put topspin on a forehand?
Why do my forehands go long or into the net?
Where should I make contact on a forehand?
Gear guides for Tennis
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