| The Forehand |
| phase one - the backswing. Turn your shoulders so your racket points to the fence behind you. It's a good idea to do this as early as possible. With the racket already behind you, track the ball with your non-racket hand and adjust your feet so that you can be in a good position for . . . |
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phase two - the contact. With your feet approximately shoulder width apart, bend your knees slightly, lowering your centre of gravity. Swing the racket forwards and slightly upwards. Ideally, the ball should be a comfortable distance away from your body and somewhere around hip height. Aim to make contact with the ball just in front of your hip with your wrist braced and the racket face vertical. Transfer your weight into the shot and straighten your legs as you move into . . .
phase three - the follow-through. Your racket continues forwards and slightly upwards through the line of the ball. Once you've learned to control the racket face, aim to produce a really full follow-through. And don't forget . . .
phase four. I know I said three phases, but it's also important to use small side-skips to recover to a good position on the court, ready for the next shot. Hold the racket out in front of you and establish your balance by performing a short hop just as your opponent strikes the ball.
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