Strokes

The basic strokes used in tennis are the forehand and the backhand. In the forehand, the player pivots the body so that the shoulder of the nonracket-bearing arm faces the net. The player then swings the racket forward to meet the ball. In the backhand stroke, the player turns so that the shoulder of the racket-bearing arm faces the net before bringing the racket forward and across the body to meet the ball. The basic types of grips that players may use to hold the racket are called the Eastern, Western, and Continental grips. Players often change their grip depending on the type of shot they are required to hit. A two-handed (also known as a two-fisted) grip is used by some players, primarily for its ability to produce powerful shots. Most often employed to hit the backhand shot, some players use it for forehands as well.
	There are several other strokes commonly used during a tennis match. The lob is a high, soft return behind an opponent who has approached the net. It is frequently used to force the opponent to retreat to the back of the court to play the ball. The lob can also be used as a defensive stroke, providing time for the hitter to regain court position. The overhead smash is a powerful shot often used to return a lob that has not been hit high or deep enough. The shot is hit in a similar manner to the serve. The drop shot is a lightly hit, spinning return that drops softly over the net, forcing the opponent to approach the net. If the opponent is positioned deep in the court, the drop shot can be used to win the point. A volley occurs when a player strikes the ball before it bounces. The volley is most often employed when a player is playing close to the net. The half volley is a low return of the ball just after it has bounced.
In addition to using different shots, a player may put varying spins on the ball to make it bounce in certain ways. Topspin is produced when a player strikes the ball so that it spins from low to high as it travels forward. Topspin enables a player to strike the ball with more power, because the added spin helps to bring the ball down and keep it in play. Underspin occurs when a player strikes the ball so that it spins from high to low as it travels forward. This shot is called a slice. Underspin causes the ball to lose speed and to bounce lower. Most players use both types of spin in the course of a game, as well as hitting the ball flat—that is, without any particular spin.