Tuesday Tennis Tip: Forehand Stance

Tip #1: Anticipation
Tip #2: Movement
Tip #3: Shot Preparation
Tip #4: Grip

When hitting a steady forehand in the modern game, there are two stages of a hitting stance. The first stage is called the "Open Stance" and the second phase is the "Natural Stance." A stable and potentially powerful forehand will flow from the open stance to the natural stance.

Open ---> Natural (as demonstrated by Flavia Pennetta)

1st Position: Open Stance

As you can see from the photo above, the open stance is formed prior to the shot by setting your back foot with most of your weight on it and then your front foot is to the side, just slightly in front of the back foot. On balls that are hit extremely hard to you, you will not get past the Open Stance, and the weight will stay back more. This will allow you a solid base to hit a consistent shot back, but will not allow you to attack as much. To attack...

Transfer

As your hips, shoulders and arms rotate together toward the ball, drive your weight forward and turn your front toe toward the net.

2nd Position: Natural Stance

The transfer from Open Stance, the rotation of the weight, will naturally put you into Natural Stance. Maybe that is why it is called Natural Stance. If you are transitioning to Natural Stance, it usually means you are going for an aggressive or attacking shot. Changing to this stance as your weight transfers and just before contact creates and sustains the forward movement needed to hit the attacking shot in the court.

There you have the two basic forehand stances. Stay in Open Stance to hit defensively, transfer weight to Natural Stance when "going for more."

How does your stance look? Like Russell's on the picture at the top? Got any more tips for us today, or for the Blake and Ben and the musical cast as they get ready to go tomorrow?