Fore Hand

Fore Hand forms a very useful and important grip for the right hand players. It starts from the right side and continuing all across the body and ends on the left hand side of the player’s body.

Forehand includes various grips such as western, eastern semi western and continental. The most commonly used grip among them is the western forehand. Forehand can be played with one or both the hands.

Pancho Segura, an Ecuadorian/ American player, applied the two handed forehand theory in 1940s and 50s.

The position is taken inside the baseline and near the centre in order to play a forehand stroke. The distance between the feet is kept equal to the shoulders and the racket is held at about the level of the waist. Knees are bent slightly while playing a forehand. The shoulders are turned towards right to hit the ball. The head of the racket is lowered towards the court. The racket swings in the backward direction when it is lifted above the ground. While the ball is approaching towards the player, a moment’s pause is taken by holding the racket in the backswing position. The ball is hit with a continuous swing when the ball reaches the height of the waist. After hitting the ball, the player comes back to his previous position to play the next shot.

The palm on the top flat of the racket forms a continental forehand. The eastern forehand consists of the palm slightly clockwise. Both top spin and slice can be created by using eastern forehand. The palm on the right flat of the racket constitutes a semi western forehand. The palm on the bottom flat of the handle of the racket forms a western forehand.