Photo essays on the forehand, backhand, serve, and volley are located under Image Galleries.
Forehand
In order to hit a good forehand, make sure that your hips and shoulders are turned. As you hit the shot, step into it so that your weight is going forward but keep your head still. The follow through should take the racket right over your opposite shoulder.
(MP4)
1-Handed Backhand
Make sure your hips and upper-body are turned, almost with the back of your shirt to the other side of the court. Take the racket back with both hands. As soon as you are ready to swing, let go of the racket with your non-dominant hand, step into the shot, and accelerate the racket forward. Your non-dominant hand should stay behind you. The racket should follow through to the other side of the court.
(MP4)
2-Handed Backhand
For a two-handed backhand, let your non-dominant arm push the racket through, as if you are hitting a non-dominant forehand. Follow through with both hands right over the opposite shoulder.
(MP4)
Forehand Volley
With a slightly open racket face, take the racket back a tiny bit and then move forward, as if pressing a button with your racket face. Contact with the ball should be made in front of your body, and your arm should be relatively straight and the wrist firm.
(MP4)
Backhand Volley
A backhand volley may be hit either with one or two hands. For the one handed volley, use both hands to bring the racket back ever so slightly, then with an open racket face, use your feet and your dominant hand to move the racket forward through the ball. For a two handed backhand volley, use the same technique except leave both hands on the racket as you move through the shot.
(MP4)
Serve
Standing sideways, toss the ball in front of you and as high (or slightly higher) as you can reach with your racket. Accelerate the racket up; contact should be made in front of the body and as high as you can reach. The follow through winds up at the opposite hip.
Far view (MP4)
Close view (MP4)
Contact view (MP4)
