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What is the Modern Forehand?
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What is theModern Forehand?
Brett Hobden with Gord Runtz
The modern forehand(s): technical solutions tailored to each tactical problem.
It's a fair question: is there such a thing as THE modern forehand? If there is, then how do we explain all the variations in the swings and footwork of the top players? Do they simply reflect different "hitting styles"? The answer is no. The variations in the modern forehand are not a question of hitting styles. They are a reflection of the specific tactical shots the players are trying to hit. In other words, the pros have developed specific technical solutions to address the wide range of tactical problems they encounter in the modern game today.
Each technical solution can require a different footwork pattern, impact height, a different preparation and followthrough, and variable racket head speeds. We see all these differences reflected in the path of the racquet, especially in the followthrough. This is why the forehands can look so different, and observing pro tennis can create confusion. However, once you understand how the players are responding to a given ball, the technical differences in the motions become clear. You can learn to see the technical solutions they find to overcome tactical challenges.
Three of the seven topspin shot types.
For the last 15 years, I have spent literally hundreds of hours studying video of the best players in the world, trying to understand the mysteries and complexities of the modern game. These articles will present some of the amazing things I have learned, starting with the modern forehand. If you want to be a complete modern player yourself, you need to understand the differences in what players do with the forehand and when they do it.
You need to develop the appropriate variations for the type of shots you are trying to hit. One of the limitations in traditional teaching is the tendency to teach only one variation, usually the basic drive, which leaves the player unequipped for the shot requirements of successful match play. How many forehands do you have and when do you use them? If your answer is one, then your ability to solve your own tactical problems is probably quite limited.
Shot Types
So the first step is to realize that the stroke has many variations, and that you need to be very clear as to which one you're working on at any given time. In today's game there are actually 7 distinct ways to deliver a topspin forehand. You'll see them all if you watch a match between any of today's top players. We call these the seven shot types:
The arc is hit about 4 racquet widths over the net with moderate topspin. The arc is used to move the opponent around the court, or hit to a weakness.
The loop is a variation of the arc, hit 2 or 3 times higher over the net, with heavy topspin. The result is a fast, high bouncing ball, often played to the backhand.
The topspin lob is an offensive shot hit over a net player's head. Heavy spin drops the ball quickly after it reaches its peak.
The drive is a fast, penetrating shot hit with topspin, but with a flatter trajectory than the arc. The ball is quick through the air and difficult to reach when hit into an opening.
The "bender", a trademark shot of Pete Sampras.
The bender is typically hit on the run from a low contact point. It has a combination of topspin and sidespin, causing the ball to "bend" inwards (curving from right to left for a right-handed player).
The dip drive is hit from a high contact point, usually around shoulder level, and driven down into the court. It's an offensive shot hit with power and spin.
The angle is hit cross court with a low trajectory and heavy spin. It lands short and is used to open the court, and also on a passing shot.
That's just a brief overview and, obviously, there is a lot more to say to understand each of these shot types. As you can see there really is no such thing as "the" modern forehand. In this series, for the first time anywhere, we will examine video of the technical components of all seven topspin deliveries in detail, explain how you can develop them yourself, and also when and how to use them in match play.
Direction of Movement
Andre moving to the right: the "right- right" footwork.
Understanding the variations is made more complex because of the footwork patterns that can be used to hit them. Again there are several variations. Most of the above 7 shot types can be hit while moving in any direction: to the left, right, forward, backward, or some combination of these (for example both forward and to the left). They can also be hit from a relatively stationary position, when the ball has been hit near the receiving player and minimal movement to the ball is required. The optimal footwork -- both for the shot and for the all-important recovery that follows it -- depends on the player's direction of movement to the ball.
Watch in the Agassi animation how Andre is moving to the right as he hits. This requires a footwork pattern, we call the "right-right". Here players initiate the shot pushing off their right foot, but also land on the right foot to stop their sideways momentum and begin their recovery.
Roddick moving to the left: the "right-left" footwork.
Watch in the animation that Roddick is hitting a "run-around" forehand, moving to the left as he makes the shot. This requires a different footwork pattern we call the "right-left". Again the players initiate the shot pushing off their right foot. The difference is that they land on their left foot to stop their sideways momentum and initiate their recovery. (For left-handed players, the above footwork patterns would of course be "left-left" when moving to the left, and "left-right" when moving to the right.)
Grips
The racket path for a shot can vary with the grip the player is using. This is especially noticeable in the finish (followthrough). You can actually hit a modern forehand with a grip anywhere between an eastern and a full western. Many top players on the pro tour today use what is called a semi-western grip (e.g., Hewitt, Roddick, Henin-Hardenne, Moya, Gonzalez). Many others use a grip we call the hybrid, mid-way between an eastern and semi-western. Players who use the hybrid grip include Federer, Agassi, Davenport and Sampras.
Very few of today's pros use a full western grip. With one or two possible exceptions, no top pro players currently use a pure eastern grip, although Pete Sampras' hybrid grip came the closest. It is also worth pointing out that top players sometimes modify their grips slightly as the situation requires, for example rotating the racquet hand slightly in the western direction for very high impact points or when delivering extreme topspin.
Grips have a large influence on where the players finish the forehand.
How can grip differences affect the racquet path? Again, compare Agassi and Roddick in the animations. They are receiving similar balls and hitting similar shots -- in both cases a drive (that is, a deep penetrating shot with low net clearance and moderate topspin.) Note the difference in the finishes. The more the grip is shifted toward the semi-western or western the more the finish will be across and around the body.
In the animation, we see Agassi with the hybrid grip finishing over the shoulder with the elevated finish, and Roddick with a semi-western grip finishing around the body with the inverted finish, where the racket head is below the wrist. The more topspin a player generates the more extreme the inverted finish. Roger Federer, for example, uses far more inverted finishes than Agassi or other players with the hybrid grip. The reason? Federer hits with much more spin on his drives than Agassi.
Research from Advanced Tennis shows that Agassi averages about 1800rpm on his forehand while Federer is much higher at around 2500rpm. We'll talk a lot more about this and the linkage between grips and finishes in future articles.
The message here is this: If you'd like to emulate your favorite player, be sure they're using the same grip as you. Or change the player you're trying to emulate. If you're considering a grip change and you've been using an eastern grip, the transition to a hybrid grip is much easier than going to a semi-western. The hybrid has all the versatility you'll need to hit all the shots of the modern game.
Type of Ball Received
The racket path can also vary with the type of ball received. When the oncoming ball is difficult (for example, very fast, very wide, or with an unpredictable bounce...), you'll generally see a shorter backswing. This is also true when the player is pressed for time.
Pro players shorten the backswing to deal with speed and/or lack of time.
For example, have a look at players with the best returns-of-serve -- especially on the faster first serves in the men's game. Shortening the backswing is the key adaptation players must make to successfully return a fast or otherwise difficult ball. For example, here we see Agassi and Federer, both returning a fast first serve.
Impact Height
Finally, the racquet path can vary with the height of the impact point. With modern technique, players can hit aggressive forehands from low, medium and high impact points -- all the way from shin to head level. When time permits, players can even choose the height of their impact point simply by moving forward or backward on the court. In general, higher impact points require higher racquet preparations, while lower impact points require lower preparations.
Impact heights can range from shin to head level.
Learning to Hit Like the Pros
When you're learning the modern forehand, it is important to understand that the technique you'll need will depend on all of the above factors. Sometimes the adaptations are subtle. Sometimes they're dramatic. Players most often get into trouble when they try to use the same racquet path and footwork to hit different shots in different circumstances. If you're going to play the modern game successfully, you must learn to continually adapt your stroke and your footwork to the situation and the shot you're attempting! Unlike in Frodo's Middle Earth, one ring (i.e., one forehand technique) does not "rule all".
In tennis magazines and websites today, you'll see many articles analyzing the strokes of pro players. When you read such an article -- for example, on a particular player's forehand -- ask yourself this question: Which forehand is the author analyzing? Is the player hitting a drive, an arc, a loop, a dip drive...? What kind of grip is the player using? What direction are they moving to meet the ball? What kind of ball are they receiving, and what's the height of the impact point they've selected? No player on the pro tour has a single forehand!
What kind of ball are you receiving?
Similarly, when you read articles comparing the strokes of two or more players, always ask yourself: Are the players hitting the same type of shot? in the same circumstances? Moving in the same direction? Using the same grip? In other words, make sure that the author is comparing "apples to apples", not "apples to oranges". If it's the latter, chances are the analysis will mislead you.
Working on Your Forehand
When you're working on your forehand, be specific. What's the situation, and what shot are you going to hit? Make sure that you always progress to hitting specific shots in response to specific and realistic situations. Too many tennis lessons teach players how to successfully use a fixed form of a stroke and a fixed footwork pattern in response to a simplistic and unrealistic situation.
Next time you take a lesson, ask yourself these two questions: Is the ball I'm being fed similar to what I typically receive when I play a real point? Is the shot I'm attempting to hit in this situation realistic for my level of play? Although it's okay to begin simply, if you want to play real tennis successfully, you must progress to realistic practice. Otherwise, you will likely have a great deal of difficulty moving from the training court to the playing court.
What worked so well in training may not work at all in live play.
What shot are you trying to hit?
Learning the modern forehand can pay big dividends for your tennis. Looking for more pace and spin? You can have it with less effort. Want more versatility? Modern forehand technique will expand the range of shots you can hit. A little concerned about injury with the more athletic-looking stroke? No worries! If you learn the technique properly, in our experience, the modern forehand will actually reduce your risk of injury.
In fact, it can even eliminate some current problems you may be having -- particularly tennis elbow and lower back problems, and some shoulder and wrist injuries. We have found that modern hitting techniques aren't only for advanced players, they have a lot to offer to all ages and levels.
If you learn the technique properly, you'll greatly expand the range of situations you can deal with, and the range shots you can hit. Once you start down this path, you'll never look back!
Bret Hobden is the founder of ModernTennis.com, a website dedicated to providing coaches and players with the knowledge required to teach and play modern tennis successfully. Two DVDs are now available, the first in a new series on teaching and playing the modern game. (Click Here.) Anyone wishing to contact the authors can also do so directly through their website.
Source: tennisplayer.net archive — What is the modern forhand.docx (John Yandell teaching library, 2002-2022). Extracted and rendered as HTML for Tennis Future Lab.