Every tennis lover wants to play tennis as a professional. But some of the people who are new in the field of tennis have great struggle in it. They don’t know how to hit a tennis ball to win the match.
Tennis playing involves techniques and is a method of executing the various aspects of the tennis swing, including how you approach the ball, prepare for contact, execute your backswing, and extend through the ball out onto the court.
This article will help you with how to hit a tennis ball like a profession. Let’s understand the best technics for how to hit a tennis ball.
Crucial Points of How to Hit a Tennis Ball
To hit a tennis ball, we must ensure that you are hitting the ball at the correct angle. You can use a ball-grip, but it is not necessary for proper hitting techniques.
The first step in hitting a tennis ball is to hold the racket at shoulder level and place your forehand on the ball. Your backhand should be in front of your body, with your body facing the direction of play.
Next, make sure that your feet are shoulder-width apart and you are firmly planted on the ground to move without fear of falling over.
The next step is to swing down at the ball with all your might. This should be done quickly and forcefully so that you can get maximum power behind it. As soon as you hit the ball, bring yourself up into a ready position with both forearms holding onto the racquet handle and both hands firmly planted on top of it.
Do we recommend suggestions on how you hit a tennis ball more effectively?
Of course, follow the following steps:
- Get into position. Start by getting into the proper position for hitting the ball – standing straight upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees relaxed.
- Grip the racket firmly with both hands and ensure it’s at least slightly open (not too tight). This will give you more control over your swing.
- Swing down through the impact point of your forehand or backhand side of the racket to form an angle between 0° and 10° toward the intended target area (usually between knee height and waist height). The angle of this strike depends on how high or low you are trying to hit the ball; if you want to hit higher than waist height, then make this angle narrower; if you want it lower, then make it wider.
Tennis grips
Tennis grips are an essential part of any tennis player’s arsenal. They allow you to use your hands naturally and comfortably. Tennis grips help you control the racket on every stroke, from forehand to backhand, and can be used with any type of grip (closed, semi-open, open).
Tennis grips have four types that are explained below. Some grips are explicitly made for professionals, and others are designed for recreational players. Most tennis grips are designed to fit the hand well and make it easier for you to hit the ball properly.
Continental grip
The Continental grip is the most common grip for recreational tennis players. It uses the thumb and index finger to form a cup around the ball, with the remaining three fingers wrapping around the ball like hands around a baseball. The Continental grip is often used for forehand shots and backhands down the line.
Eastern grip
Many people also use a tight tennis grip: the eastern grip. This grip places the left hand above and behind the right hand. The thumb is placed on top of the base of the index finger. The wrist is bent slightly and held in place by the ring and pinky fingers.
The eastern grip has been around for a long time, but it’s not always used as much as it should be. It’s not as popular in part because it’s harder to hold than other grips and also because it can be challenging to hit balls with this grip if you’re not used to it.
Semi-western grip
The semi-western grip is also known as the French grip. It can be used when you are hitting a tennis ball with your forehand or backhand. The professionals like Djokovic and Nadal utilize this grip. You can have a decent number of topspins using this semi-western grip. All you have to do is line up your knuckles with the bevel four. Space your index finger a bit far than the rest of the fingers on the grip.
Make sure you have a gap between the index and second fingers. If you follow these recommendations, you will see the results.
Forehand
The forehand is the most crucial thing in tennis. It is used to hit the ball with your racket head while standing sideways to the line of play.
A good forehand stroke will enable you to hit the ball more consistently and with greater power. You will also be able to generate better pace and spin on your shots, which are essential in winning point-scoring rallies. We recommend using the following steps for a better forehand.
1) Step forward with your left foot into a ready position: Leave a gap between your back foot and the ball for greater swing power.
2) Take one step back with your right foot (into a ready position), then swing your arm down and back behind you at about shoulder height (as if reaching for something on a high shelf). This will affect how long it takes for the racket to reach the contact point with the ball, which is called “stiffness“.
3) As soon as contact is made, rotate through 90 degrees towards your target (the area where you want to hit). Keep rotating until contact is made with another part of your body or you have finished swinging (whichever comes first).
Backhand
The backhand is the opposite of the forehand. It’s used for attacking and volleying, as well as serving. The backhand is typically much heavier than the forehand and can be used by hitting with one or two hands.
The backhand is the most common way to hit a tennis ball. It’s easy to learn and gives you a simple rally with your partner. We recommend using the following steps to make your backhand better.
- Hit the ball with your backhand, hitting it on the rise. Keep your racket close to your body so you can move quickly in an emergency.
- Hit the ball hard, aiming for around waist level or above it, depending on which side you’re hitting from and where you’re standing (or standing up) on the court. Don’t try to hit too low or too high; just hit it straight forward at about waist height or above it if possible.
- Once out of range, keep moving forward until your partner gets back into position. If you’re playing singles and there’s no one around (or if they’ve retired), try volleying instead!
Effective ways of forehand and backhand
The forehand grip is the most common way to hold a tennis racket. I feel it has two major advantages over other grips:
Forehands are generally easier to hit because they allow greater freedom of movement in the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and torso. Forehands are also more comfortable for many players because they don’t require as much work from the hands.
Backhands have the opposite qualities, here are what I think of them:
They allow less freedom of movement with the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and torso than the forehands do. Backhands are usually more comfortable than forehands, especially if you have small hands or wrists (though this depends on how you hold your grip).
Exercises to improve your tennis game:
We recommend you these exercises to level up your game:
- Medicine Ball Swing
We recommend this exercise because it will enhance your back movement, and you will enhance the correct position of the ball. Try to get more power by jumping from one leg to the other leg. This exercise is essential in improving your tennis game because it helps you keep your back straight when you hit a tennis ball with a racquet or bat.
- The Jogging Swing
This swing is used for hitting balls at high speed, such as in short games like Volleyball or Table Tennis. The critical point is not to use too much momentum but just enough for you to hit the ball hard without losing control of it. This exercise can also be done using an elastic band instead of a racquet or bat (depending on your strength). We recommend trying this exercise before practicing your strokes to know how far away from perfect timing it is!
- The Pivot Swing
The pivot swing is a technique that helps players hit their shots more accurately and powerfully than they could otherwise achieve with just one arm swinging back and forth without any other movement at all in between each stroke. It requires both arms and legs to work together smoothly so that they hit.
Overhead
The overhead serve is also essential in tennis. It’s used to hit a ball high over the net and into play. It can also be used to return an opponent’s powerful serve when there are no other options available or to hit out an opponent who has just hit an easy shot high in the air and pushed it as far as possible.
The overhead is done by striking the ball with an open racquet above one’s opponent. This is typically done when the player has just been struck by a service but has no choice but to hit it out of play.
- To execute this shot, you stand behind your baseline as if you were about to serve. You bend your knees, grip the racket by its handle, and swing it over your head.
- As you swing the racket up, swing it out in front of you at shoulder level. Then bring it back down toward your body with an overhand motion.
- It’s essential to ensure that you have enough power behind this shot to go as far as possible when it lands on the other side of the court.
Suggestions To Hit the ball Effectively.
In tennis, a tennis ball is used as a weapon to hit a partner’s tennis ball. The game can be played with two people or four people in doubles. If you are playing against someone who has better skills and knowledge, it is not easy to win the game. But you can easily win the game with good technique and know-how to hit the ball effectively.
Many suggestions can help you hit the ball more effectively. Here are some of them:
- Always keep your eyes on your opponent’s backhand swing; when they swing their hand down, then swing yours upward to reach their backhand side; this is called “the forehand swing.” This way, when your opponent hits their backhand shot towards you, your forehand shot will be on target and reach them quickly so that they cannot return it successfully.
- Do not make any contact with the ground while hitting the ball; this way, all your energy will be transferred into hitting the ball successfully and will not be wasted walking around on the courtside while waiting for your shot to arrive at its destination.
- the essential thing to do is to practice. The more you practice the strokes, the more effective you will be on the court. To be an expert-level player, you need high consistent training. Moreover, acknowledging the rules and tricks is not enough; you have to implement them through practicing and improving day by day.
- The other important thing is to ensure you use the proper equipment. The racket should be light and easy to use for any player age group. It should also have a grip that feels good in your hand and allows for proper power transfer from your arm muscles to the ball. Your racquet should also have a balance point between the head and handle so that it does not swing too much when hit with a powerful shot.
5 The best way to learn how to hit a tennis ball is through proper instruction from an instructor or coach who has been playing for many years or has worked as one in their career path.
FAQs
How to hit a tennis ball correctly?
It’s easy to think that tennis is a simple game, but many subtleties are involved in hitting the ball correctly. The best way to hit a tennis ball is with a proper swing. You need to have good balance and timing, as well as the correct grip on the racket.
The first step is to stand sideways in the direction of your target, holding the racket in your left hand. The second step is to turn your hips and shoulders so that they are facing the direction of your target. At this point, you should be able to see where you want to hit the ball and not miss it by much.
Your next step is to pick up the ball with your arm and swing it back by rotating your wrist, so it points towards where you want it to go. When you have swung it back far enough, rotate your wrist again until it points towards where you want it to go again. Do this three times before hitting a nice clean shot that goes where you want it to go!
How to hit a more challenging shot in tennis?
The more complex the ball you hit, the more power it has. Influential players tend to hit the ball harder than weaker players.
If you want to hit a hard shot in tennis, use your racquet and swing with both hands simultaneously. You must keep your elbows close to your sides and not lock them so the racquet can move freely.
When hitting hard shots in tennis, keeping your eyes on the ball and not on your opponent is essential. It’s also helpful if you practice this technique from different positions on the court to adjust as soon as possible.
How to hit the tennis ball against a wall?
The most basic way to hit a tennis ball is to stand in front of a wall and hold the ball with both hands. The key is ensuring your wrists are relaxed, not flaccid.
Place your forehand on the wall and let it slide down the surface until you feel it contact the wall. You should be able to see where it hits against the wall before it bounces back.
Now move around to your backhand side and repeat this process, holding the ball on both sides of your body at all times so that you don’t lose control over where it lands.
How to hit a tennis ball by running?
The key to hitting a tennis ball is to get into position and then hit it. First, you must run forward with your feet in motion and ensure that your body is facing the ball. Once you are facing the ball, the next step is to get your racket face on the ball and swing it at full speed. You will miss the ball if you do not swing hard enough. However, if you swing too hard, your racket may hit the ground instead of hitting the ball when it comes back up again.