Tip of the Week (Coach Cata): The Inside-Out Forehand November 09 2015, 22 Comments

The inside-out forehand in tennis is one of the most commonly used shots in professional tennis.

It is not just for the Roger Federers of this world. YOU can also master this very effective weapon and attack your opponent, especially if they have a weaker backhand. 

 

This shot can be used when the oncoming ball is either down the middle of the court or onto the backhand side. You must make the decision to play this shot very early and adjust your body position to the backhand side of the court. Point your feet towards the opposite backhand side in a “semi open stance”, then rip your forehand cross court and watch your opponent flail at the ball as he/she is shocked to see you go that way with a forehand.

Unless your backhand is STRONGER than your forehand (i.e. Stan Warwinka, Andy Murray), I recommend attacking all balls that are central and slightly onto the backhand to the court with your forehand.

Beware - this shot does have an element of risk to it as you are opening up the court for your opponent. If you take this shot on, you must be AGGRESSIVE!

See Federer above throwing his body into this inside-out forehand. If you are passive with this shot, a good player can easily stroke the ball into the open court.

Another safer option on this shot is to go high with heavy topspin, still being aggressive. Your opponent will then have to play a backhand above shoulder height, which is very difficult to attack from, especially for the one-handed backhand. When executed successfully, it can result in a weaker short ball from your opponent. The extra height on the ball can give you more time to recover for the next ball.

This shot is also a must-have for doubles when you are playing backhand side. Next time you are practicing your cross-courts with your hitting partner, be sure to throw in some inside-out forehands in the mix also.

Check out this video to see how it’s done!

 

Feel free to contact us at 93351340 if you need to enquire about the inside-out forehand! Any of our coaches will gladly do a demo for you during your tennis lessons.