Groundstrokes

Forehands

Grip: Lay racquet on ground, grab and pick up for correct topspin grip

Swing: Your racquet face should be perpendicular to net, with shoulder facing net

  1. Drop racquet head down

  2. Put left hand in front (or elbow), it forces you to hit early and get sideways

  3. Swing low to high, catching your racquet with opposite hand to get max topspin

  4. Remember! don’t hold grip too tight

Backhands

Grip: To create a Continental grip, move bottom hand 1/4 inch left of forehand gritp (above) or counterclockwise from topspin forehand; hold the racket like you’re giving a handshake

Swing: Your racquet should be perpendicular to net in ready position, then turn sideways to net and:

  1. Loop low to high

  2. Follow through over the shoulder

REMEMBER, if you are struggling with groundstrokes:

  1. Check you grip

  2. For forehand strokes, hit the ball early/out in front of you by having your free hand (or elbow) pointing at ball

  3. Right handed players need to ensure the left hand is the primary driver of the stroke

  4. Check to see if you are bending knees throughout stroke and keeping your head down, watching ball hit racquet

  5. Take a breathe: pause, regroup, and take some pace off ball - slow it down

  6. Get out of your head! Laugh and relax, it will help!

For both forehand and background strokes, check to ensure your grip is loose to allow follow through, ideally your wrist will snap over shoulder to complete the stroke

Volleys

Grip: Continental grip

Best Practices

  1. Split-step both when your opponent makes contact with the ball and after your volley is complete

  2. Keep your racket head higher than your wrist

  3. Stay on the balls of your feet

  4. Keep your side to net and never let racket go behind the ear facing backcourt

  5. Punch through the volley - swing should only be about 1.5 feet long

  6. Keep your wrist firm

Remember: Try to volley and move forward toward the net to be aggressive and keep your opponent on their heels.

Overheads

Grip: Continental grip

Best Practices:

  1. Side to net

  2. Throw a ball overhand over net to mimic the swing; swing with same action but with racquet in hand

  3. Get in trophy pose with opposite hand raised towards the sky

  4. Keep that hand UP

  5. Hit ball at highest point that you can reach

  6. Snap your wrist

  7. Follow through on opposite side of body, hip-level.

Serves

Grip: Continental grip

Best Practices

  1. Practice overheads (see above) to warm up

  2. Use the right net post to guide your tossing hand, keep tossing hand straight or slightly bent

  3. Toss ball straight up using right net pole to guide your tossing arm

  4. Use 3 fingers/1 thumb to toss ball (not full palm)

  5. Hit the ball at highest point you can reach

  6. Keep tossing hand up watching ball as long as possible

  7. Snap wrist

  8. Follow through on opposite side of body, hip-level