All sports are built on foundations that are relatively simple and skills that are essentially pretty basic. The ability to learn, perform, and hone these skills will allow a player to reach certain levels of proficiency and will eventually separate the players who will go pro from those who are just hobbyists or just playing for fun. In tennis there are essentially 8 types of shots to master.
In tennis, the main goal is the ability to make your tennis racket do what you want it to do. With this in the middle, there is a selection of shots that every player should learn to ensure a complete game and the ability to compete on all surfaces.
The shots are serve, forehand, backhand, volley, half volley, smash, drop shot, and lob. Having the correct weight and type of tennis racket to help you hit these shots is paramount, but learning the fundamentals of each shot first is much more important.
The Serve:
The serve is perhaps the most difficult of all shots to master, but once you get it right, it can be a very important part of your game. The serve is all about achieving accuracy and speed, but also the ability to disguise the intent of steering and spin. The best players can deflect and spin the ball through extensive practice and experience.
The forehand:
This is the first stroke most players will learn, as it tends to be the most natural and therefore the most powerful and effective of all tennis strokes. The racket grip can be used to change the direction and ferocity of the forehand. Historically, the forehand has always been a one-handed shot, but the modern game has seen many of the best players adopt a two-handed version that creates more power and more control.
The reverse:
The backhand is a step higher in difficulty than the forehand. It is a shot that is played primarily with two hands as it allows the player a higher level of control, making it a less comfortable position to play the ball. However, the two-handed shot does reduce the amount of range a player has, but some of the top ranked players in the world, like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, are adept at shooting.
The volley and the half volley:
The volley is often a decisive and point-winning shot because of the power a player can put into it and also because the volley is very often played as an attacking shot near the net. It is a shot played before the ball bounces so that players can take full advantage of the pace of the ball before it is slowed down by contact with the playing surface. The half volley is a more difficult shot and is played right off the dribble, giving less control and accuracy and again much harder to master.
The balloon:
The high shot is played primarily from a position towards the back of the court, near the end line. It’s a shot that can completely take your opponent out of the game, as he has to run back in an attempt to save the point, and if it can be executed accurately, it’s a very effective part of a player’s arsenal.
The crush:
As the name of this shot suggests, it is a powerful and aggressive shot designed to give the opponent very little chance to return the ball. It is often played as the result of a failed lob attempt and is very often a point winner.
Drop shot:
This is a delicate and subtle skill that requires a lot of practice and skill to master. The drop shot is played to go just over the net, giving the opponent very little time to react and cover the distance to the net in an attempt to save the point.
All these shots together can make a very complete and competent tennis player. While a great tennis racket will always help, the ability to become a great player involves being able to become an expert at each and every one of these shots through years of commitment, practice, and dedication.
