In tennis, you can use a variety of shots to keep the ball in your possession. Learning about the many types of tennis shots can be valuable and educational, whether you want to compete in tournaments or just for fun. If you’re new to tennis, you’ll likely agree with the following: “tennis vocabulary and strokes can be perplexing”.
If you haven’t played for years or observed the sport, there are so many names, meanings, rules, and shots that it might be intimidating. Once you’ve mastered your grip and posture, there are a variety of shots that every tennis player must master to play the game efficiently. It can also serve as a starting point for identifying which tennis strokes and shots you should work on.
When you’re out on the court with a friend or a tennis coach, you’ll be able to make the most of your time. To develop their talents, professional tennis players compete in a variety of shots; these strokes help them get through their game. The majority of novices are unaware of these crucial shots. As a result, if they want to get started, they must learn.
Basic Types of Tennis Shots
Groundstrokes, volleys, serves, and overheads are just a few of the shots available in tennis. Each shot has its own set of characteristics and variations, which takes time to perfect. Forehands, backhands, drop shots, and lobs are all used in every match. As you practice with them, your game will improve and your competitive level will climb.
Throughout the game, you can employ tee shots, passing shots, and even a chip and charge. Tennis is a sport where perseverance pays off, and the huge range of strokes available means you may improve your game for years. To be a great tennis player, you must master a precise set of shots and when to use them.
Throughout a match, each player must make boneheaded mistakes on which tennis shot is best for winning the point, a choice that typically comes down to placement and timing. The following is a list of the various types of shots you can make on the tennis court:
1: Forehand
The forehand in tennis is a stroke in which the inner palm of the dominant hand faces forward while clutching the racket. The tennis forehand is made by whirling the racquet around one’s torso to deflect the ball.
Tips:
When it comes to hitting the ball, the most common blunder made by most golfers is incorrect positioning. Don’t hit the ball if it’s too far away from you, either in a sideways posture or too close to you. It’s also crucial to avoid hitting the ball too close to your body. Hit the ball as your most consistently as possible, which implies you don’t have to stand straight with your arm to do so.
Strike the ball with your front hip when it is directly in front of you. Consider utilizing a closed racquet while making contact (holding your racket with a closed grip). Maintain a rubbing action between the ball and the racquet to generate topspin.
2: Backhand
The backhand is a tennis stroke in which the racquet is swung around the body with the back of the hand preceding the palm. The word applies to a groundstroke, other than in the expression backhand volley.
Tips:
When deciding which backhand style to play, several factors are usually taken into account.
When playing on the move, one-handed backhands normally provide superior reach, and they also allow for additional shot diversity by allowing the usage of a slice backhand in conjunction with a topspin backhand.
In recent years, one-handed backhands have returned in favor of men, with Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Richard Gasquet among those who have wonderfully fluid yet powerful movements. Women are less likely to use one-handers, but Justine Henin is a notable exception from life history.
3: Serve
A serve (or, more properly, a service) is a shot used to start a set in tennis. A player smashes the ball with a racquet so that it falls directly into the service box across the net without being stopped. A serve usually begins with the ball being tossed into the air and struck.
4: Return to Serve
The tennis serve’s comeback is critical while trying to break serve during a tennis match. The serve back of a club player is usually a weak point in their game. When we watch the pros play, we can see that they use the tennis serve return to get an aggressive start to the game. Your serve return may make or break your tennis game.
5: Volleys and Half-Volleys
A volley is a tennis stroke that involves hitting the ball as it bounces. A volley is normally played close to the net, but it can also be played further back, in the center of the tennis court, or even along the baseline. “Volée” is derived from the French word “volée,” which means flying. A forehand volley is when you hit the ball with your dominant hand. When you hit the ball with your non-dominant hand, it’s called a backhand volley.
Even if you have a two-handed backhand groundstroke, practicing the backhand volley with only one hand is beneficial. A half volley is a shot made after the ball has bounced but before it reaches its highest point of bounce in tennis. It’s also characterized as a “short hop” or an “on the rising shot.”
6: Overhead
In tennis, a smash is a shot that is hit over the hitter’s head with a serve-like motion. It’s also known as an overhead. A bash is a shot that usually concludes a point and can be hit with a lot of force.
7: Drop Shot
A drop shot is a shot in which the ball is hit gently and lands slightly over and near the other team’s net. It’s commonly referred to as a “touch” shot because of the obvious little power used.
8: Lob
A lob is a stroke in tennis that sends the ball high and far into the opponent’s goal. Situationally, it can be used as an offensive or defensive weapon. If your opponent is at the net, a lob is a fantastic approach for backing him up. A lob is a decent shot to play if you’re on the run and want to buy some time to orient yourself during one point.
9: Quick Word on Grip
These tennis grip tips are quite beneficial. If the court allows for high ball bounce, players will often use the western and semi-western forehand tennis grips. When necessary, this allows them to hit the ball at a higher touch-point. If you do this, make sure your racket’s angle is square to avoid wide balls and mistakes (outside the line).
10: Quick Word about Spin
Topspin will increase a player’s accuracy because the net is in the center of the court in tennis. Topspin also increases a player’s error tolerance. Because topspin makes the ball fall faster to the ground, a player can hit the ball farther over the net, narrowing the confidence interval.
This could be effective for hitting an opponent in the face or playing directly to a player’s feet. As the player approaches the contact point, the lift is provided by hitting low to high. The appropriate topspin can be achieved by keeping the racquet face (strings) slightly closed from perpendicular.