Why You Should Attack Your Opponent's Forehand
In tennis matches, it is not uncommon to witness players running around the backhand side of the court to hit with their forehands instead. This is called the inside-out forehand, a tactic that allows players to hit with their forehands (instead of their backhands) to produce greater power and spin behind their strokes for a higher chance of winning points.
The strength of the tennis forehand is unrivalled, yet that same power can be its biggest downfall. Although the tennis forehand might be more powerful 90 per cent of the time, it can also break down.
The forehand can break down.
The Forehand Weakness
The forehand typically involves a bigger swing, which makes it technically more complex. Looking at the top-10 players today, you'll notice that there's more variation in their forehands than their backhands. This suggests that the forehand might be less stable under pressure compared to the backhand. Most players hit with a two-handed backhand, which is a more compact stroke and therefore less likely to result in an unforced error.
Another reason why the forehand may be less stable than its backhand counterpart is the grip. Although the Semi-Western and Western forehand grips - adopted by most professional players - enable the generation of more topspin, these modern grips can cause more unforced errors because they require precise timing to get the racket head properly aligned with the ball at the point of contact.
Attacking The Forehand
On faster court surfaces like grass courts, players who have a long backswing would require more preparation time, so this is when it might be strategic to attack their forehands. During your serves, you could try targeting your opponent's forehand on crucial points, especially if you notice they have a large backswing, to draw out an unforced error or a short return.
Because the backhand swing is typically shorter, your opponent may find it easier to absorb your serve's power by blocking it with their two-handed backhands. Most of the time your opponent would also be mentally prepared to return serve on their backhands since they expect you to aim at their weaker side. By serving to their forehands you can mix things up and create some element of surprise.
When you are in a rally, you should sometimes attack your opponent's forehand side, especially if they will have to return by hitting on the run. If you attack the backhand side, most players would be able to use the slice as a defensive return; however, on the forehand side, it could be trickier to make a return on the run, as most players do not practice the forehand slice as a defensive shot as often.
When you are moving up to the net to hit an approach shot or volley, it can also pay off to attack your opponent's forehand. If you can keep your ball low with a slice or a flat shot, your opponent might find it difficult to return if they have a forehand Western grip.
Then there is the mental aspect of attacking your opponent's forehand as well. Players expect to hit their forehands with power and accuracy, as this is usually the stronger side. By pressuring their forehands early in the match, you might be able to make them miss and perhaps cause them to lose confidence, breaking down their game.
Be mindful though, that just because a player may hit more unforced errors on their forehand doesn't mean you should be going after that side most of the time. In the important points, you would still want to play a high-percentage shot that will give you the greatest chance of winning the point.
In conclusion, the forehand can be a very powerful shot but it is also more prone to technical errors compared to the backhand. The grip and longer backswing can mean that under pressure the forehand can become less reliable. As such, it may be beneficial to attack your opponent's forehand during matches to draw out unforced errors or create surprises. However, when playing important points one should still opt for high-percentage shots that will give you the best chance of winning.
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About The Author
Darren Teo is the founder of Play! Tennis, the most Google reviewed tennis academy in Singapore. His passion for making tennis accessible to everyone regardless of their age, experience and ability continues to drive his work at the school. He is a thought leader in LinkedIn with 14,000 followers.