Finding the ideal contact point on your tennis forehand can be a real challenge for many tennis players. You can really feel the difference when you've hit the ball clean compared to when you've hit the tennis ball late and mishit it. Not only does hitting the ball late on your tennis forehand cause the quality of your stroke to drop but it can lead to some very serious injuries if done repetitively. When we make contact on side of our body, the weight of the racket and the contact point is being supported by the wrist, elbow and shoulder. This is massive stress in this region and can lead to serious injuries in any of these areas.
When we make contact out in front of our body, regardless of the style of shot we hit, be it a more extended arm at the point of contact or a bent elbow, the body can then support the arm and racket during the contact zone so we will have more stability andbetter balance during the shot plus less stress on the wrist, elbow and shoulder.
Here are two steps to really focus on when you are hitting your forehand to find your ideal contact point:
1. Focus on preparing early. As soon as you recognize the ball is coming to your forehand, start your unit turn and get the racket back. This will ensure you have adequate time later on the swing to fully extend during the contact zone.
2. Adjust the length of your swing depending on the incoming ball. Some faster balls will require you to drastically reduce your back swing if you want to hit a clean forehand. Slower balls will give you the chance to take a bigger backswing. Remember that no two balls in tennis are the same and adjusting your swing for the incoming ball is good practice.
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