SEMI-WESTERN FOREHAND GRIP

This grip is the most commonly used grip on the forehand side, it allow's player's to get good topspin and also have the ability to flatten out the forehand if they want to. Most professional player's use this grip.

Andy murray using the semi-western forehand grip

Pete Sampras using the eastern forehand grip

Novak Djokovic using the western forehand grip

The Key Elements of the Forehand

What are the key element's of the modern day forehand?

Many coaches and tennis expert's have their own view on what you need to do with regard's to technique but here we will look at the PRO'S and study what EVERY ONE OF THEM DOES on their FH.

5 Things Every Top 10 Player Does on Their Forehands

1.Each player in the top ten USES THEIR NON HITTING ARM to start THE TAKEBACK of the stroke.

This means if you are right handed then your left hand will start the takeback of the racket.

2.Each player in the top ten has A GOOD SHOULDER TURN ON THEIR FOREHANDS that will get the trunk muscles (side abs) involved in the FH and this will give them good rotation forwards and create racket head speed.

Novak Djokovic's shoulder turn on the Forehand.

3.Each player in the top ten USES THEIR NON HITTING ARM TO UNCOIL THE UPPER BODY forwards towards the net. When you see the modern forehand you will notice that most pros in the back position of their forehands have their non hitting arm stretched out across their body's, but then to get the power from that position they then use the non hitting arm to open up their shoulders towards the net and this creates massive racket head speed.

4.Every player in the top ten aligns the BOTTOM OF THE RACKET (BUTT CAP) TO THE ONCOMING BALL on their forehands, this gives them extra leverage over the ball and in turn more control and more power on their forehands.

As you can see each player from the current top ten points the bottom of their rackets to the oncoming ball, some do it longer and with a more laid back wrist than others, some do it with their elbows bent and some do it with their elbows quite straight but all of them do it.

5.All the players in the current top ten have a PROPER FOLLOW THROUGH.

When i say proper follow through i mean one that allows the muscles of the arm/upper body to continue to accelerate through-out the contact zone and also will keep them from getting injuries.
One of the main reasons of the modern follow through is to allow the racket and arm to slow down and stop without causing damage to muscles/tendons/joints/bones.
If you are swinging a racket at full speed and you follow through incorrectly then you might be injured already or are on your way to getting injured. Imagine Roger Federer hitting one of his big Forehands and stopping way out in front of his body with his arm straight very suddenly, his shoulder would be in serious trouble.

As you can see above every player has a follow through, some higher than others, some look more traditional and others use their wrists more on the follow through but THEY ALL HAVE A FOLLOW THROUGH.
So there we have 5 things which every player in the current top ten does on the Forehand and 5 things that YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING TO USE ON YOUR OWN FOREHANDS.