Improving Your Tennis Forehand (Simple Guide)

Mahmoud Babikir
May 10
3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Introduction: Building on Basic Tennis Rules

In this blog, I’ll break down one of the most important tennis shots, the forehand, by analyzing Roger Federer’s technique in a simple, beginner-friendly way, along with easy practice tips so you can improve without feeling overwhelmed.

Tennis Forehand

What Is a Forehand in Tennis?

A tennis forehand is one of the most important shots in tennis. It happens when you hit the ball with the front side of your hand facing the direction of the racket swing. For right-handed players, the tennis forehand is usually used when the ball comes to the right side of the body.

Forehand Grip for Tennis (eastern grip)

Step 1:

image of tennis racket with numbering on each bevel — There are 8 bevels or sides in a racket starting from the top. Hold racket as shown in picture (vertically) and identify bevel 3 (the red side)

Step 2:

open palm with two points and line between them for explaining how to hold racket — Identify those two points in your hand. one point right under index and one below. Bevel 3 will be resting on the line

Step 3:

open palm with racket on top of it to show how to hold the tennis racket. — Put racket above your open palm. Bevel 3 should be touching both of the red points

Step 4:

hand closed around tennis racket — Close your fingers around the racket. There should be a gap between the index and the rest of the fingers as shown above.

Step 5:

hand closed around tennis racket from another point of view — This is how it looks like from another viewpoint.

This is a simple forehand grip for tennis that helps beginners control the racket more easily. Choosing the right grip for tennis is important when learning proper technique.

How to Hit a Forehand Step-by-Step

Beginner tennis player in ready stance preparing for a forehand, with knees bent, eyes on the ball, right hand holding the racket and left hand supporting the throat of the racket, elbows relaxed and slightly away from the body. — Step 1: Keep both elbows relaxed and slightly away from your body, eyes focused on the ball, and knees bent in an athletic stance. Hold the racket with your right hand while your left hand supports the throat of the racket.

Tennis player performing forehand preparation with full upper-body rotation to the right, eyes tracking the ball, racket pointing to the right side, and left arm raised close to the racket to support body rotation. — Step 2: Keep your eyes on the ball as your entire body turns to the right, especially your upper torso. The racket should point toward the right side, while your left arm stays up and close to the racket to help guide the rotation.

Tennis player in forehand swing showing racket drop phase, with right arm extended to generate power, left arm raised for balance, and body rotating to build momentum for the shot. — Step 3: Let the racket drop naturally to create momentum, keeping your right arm extended to build power. Your left arm should stay up to help maintain balance and support the body rotation.

Tennis player in forehand transition phase with racket moving from a downward position to facing the ball, body rotating from right to left, and left arm held high for balance and swing control. — Step 4: Notice the change from Step 3 - the racket, which was previously pointing down and to the right, is now facing the ball. Your body continues to rotate from right to left, while your left arm stays high to help maintain balance and control the swing.

Tennis player at forehand contact point with right arm fully extended through the shot, left arm raised for balance, body rotating through the swing, and head steady with eyes focused on the ball. — Step 5: As you make contact with the ball, extend your right arm fully through the shot. Keep your left arm high for balance as your body continues to rotate with the swing. Most importantly, keep your head steady and focused at the point of contact.

Tennis player doing forehand follow-through with both arms coming closer together, body fully rotating through the shot, and head remaining stable and aligned through the end of the swing. — Step 6: Finish the swing with a smooth follow-through, bringing your right and left arms closer together as your body completes the rotation. Keep your head stable and in the same position through the end of the shot.

Tennis player in final forehand follow-through position with racket finishing behind the body, full body rotation to the left, eyes tracking the ball after contact, and right arm finishing high in a balanced stance. — Step 7: This is the final position of your follow-through. The racket finishes behind you, your body has fully rotated to the left, and your eyes track the ball you’ve just hit. Your right arm finishes high, completing the swing in a balanced position.

Screenshots source: Love tennis YouTube channel. Click here for video to get an idea of how to do all of those steps together

Beginner Tips and Practice Techniques

Common Beginner Mistakes

Trying to swing too hard instead of focusing on control
Standing too close to the ball
Stopping the racket movement too early
Forgetting to prepare before the ball arrives

Simple Practice Drills

First, repeat Step 1 (shown in the screenshots) until you feel fully comfortable with it. Practice it over and over.
Find a tennis wall to hit against, or if that’s not possible, have a partner feed you slow, easy balls.
Start by doing Step 1 and Step 2, then hit the ball back to the wall or your partner. The goal is to get comfortable with the beginning of the movement.
Next, add Step 3: perform Steps 1, 2, and 3 together, then return the ball.
Gradually keep adding one step at a time, building the full motion step by step until it feels natural.
Once you’re comfortable with the full sequence, focus on doing it smoothly without thinking and start aiming your shots where you want them to go.

Conclusion: Start Practicing the Basics

Learning the tennis forehand is one of the first major milestones for beginners. Once you understand this fundamental shot, you’ll gain more confidence in rallies and start improving your overall game more quickly.

Whether you’re learning through videos, practice sessions, or beginner tennis lessons, the key is to stay patient and practice consistently over time.