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There are seven basic shots in the game of tennis: the serve, forehand, backhand, volley, slice,smash and lob. Each shot is made by using a racquet to strike a ball with the intent to hit the ball over the net. Tennis shots are therefore named for when they are struck (in the case of the serve) or the manner in which they are struck.

Contents  [hide] 

1 Serve 2 Forehand 3 Backhand 4 Other shots 5 References

Serve[edit]

Main article: Serve

A serve (or, more formally, a service) in tennis is a shot to begin the point. The most common serve is used is an overhead serve. It is initiated by tossing the ball into the air over the server's head and hitting it when the arm is fully stretched out (usually near the apex of its trajectory) into the diagonally opposite service box without touching the net. The server may employ different types of serve: a flat, a top-spin, an American twist (or kick), or a slice serve. A severely sliced serve is sometimes called a sidespin. Some servers are content to use the serve simply to initiate the point; advanced players often try to hit a winning shot with their serve. A winning serve that is not touched by the opponent is called an ace.

Forehand[edit]

Main article: Forehand

The forehand is struck from the dominant side of the body by swinging the racquet in the direction of where the player wants to place the shot. It is called a forehand because the racquet is held in such a way that if one were to strike the ball without the racquet, it would hit the palm of your hand. This is the opposite side from a backhand. It is considered the easiest shot to master, perhaps because it is the most natural stroke. Beginners and advanced players often have better forehands than any other shots and use it as a weapon.

There are various grips for executing the forehand and their popularity has fluctuated over the years. The most important ones are the Continental, the Eastern, and the Western. The key differences between grips are the different angles they create between the angle of your palm and the angle of

your racquet face. You are used to sensing the direction your palm is facing, so your palm makes the most intuitive basis for sensing the direction your racquet is facing. For a number of years the small, apparently frail 1920s player Bill Johnston was considered by many to have had the best forehand of all time, a stroke that he hit shoulder-high using a western grip. Few top players used the western grip after the 1920s, but in the latter part of the 20th century, as shot-making techniques and equipment changed radically, the western forehand made a strong comeback and is now used by many modern players. No matter which grip is used, most forehands are generally executed with one hand holding the racquet, but there have been fine players with two-handed forehands. In the 1940s and 50s the Ecuadorian/American player Pancho Segura  used a two-handed forehand to devastating effect against larger, more powerful players, and many female and young players use the two-handed stroke today.

Backhand[edit]

Main article: Backhand

The backhand is struck from the non-dominant side of the body by bringing the racquet across the body (showing the backof your hand to the opponent) and swinging the racquet away from one's body in the direction of where the player wants the ball to go. It is generally considered more difficult to master than the forehand. It can be executed with either one or both hands. For most of the 20th Century it was performed with one hand, using either an eastern or a continental grip. The first notable players to use two hands were the 1930s Australians Vivian McGrath and John Bromwich. The Two handed backhand was used more often since it allowed easy access to power and control. Players like the Williams Sisters, Sharapova, and Andre Agassi use this stroke to its highest potential to win some grandslams. Two hands give the player more power so it provides the player with an advantage on power-focused shots. However, one hand is useful in that it can generate a slice shot, applying backspin on the ball to produce a low trajectory bounce. The player long considered to have had the best backhand of all time, Don Budge, had a very powerful one-handed stroke in the 1930s and '40s that imparted topspin onto the ball. Ken Rosewall, another player noted for his one-handed backhand, used a deadly accurate slice backhand with underspin through the 1950s and '60s. A small number of players, notably Monica Seles, use two hands on both the backhand and forehand sides.

Other shots[edit]

A volley is made in the air before the ball bounces, generally near the net or inside of the service line. It is usually made with a stiff-wristed "punching" motion to hit the ball into an open area of the opponent's court. The half volley is made by hitting the ball on the rise just after it has bounced, once again generally in the vicinity of the net. From a poor defensive position on the baseline, the lob can be used as either an offensive or defensive weapon, hitting the ball high and deep into the opponent's court to either enable the lobber (the player hitting the lob) to get into better defensive position or to win the point outright by hitting it over the opponent's head. If the lob is not hit deeply enough into the other court, however, the opponent may then hit an overhead smash, a hard, serve-like shot (hit over the players head), to end the point. Finally, if an opponent is deep in his court, a player may suddenly employ an unexpected drop shot, softly tapping the ball just over the net so that the opponent is unable to run in fast enough to retrieve it.

A rarely used shot is a between-the-legs, inside-out forehand used for the first time by Guillermo Vilas in an exhibition game in 1974[1] and one year later in the Indianapolis tournament. Called by some the "Great Willy"[2] or the "Sabitweeni" because of Gabriela Sabatini's frequent use of it, it is a last resource shot that is used when the ball has passed the player and he has to run for it with the net at his back. If done well, it is very effective because the opponent cannot watch where the ball is going to until it is too late. Roger Federer did it at the US Open 2009, and referred to it as "the best shot [he had] ever hit".[3]

Another interesting shot named "tweener[disambiguation needed]" was first performed by Yannick Noah  that player facing away from the net hit the ball between his legs.

Tennis Forehand: The tennis forehand is the 'meat and

potatoes', or the 'money shot' for the majority of

tennis athletes. It is not necessarily the easiest

stroke to learn, but it is the most natural. To

visualize a tennis forehand, picture this for a

moment.

Lets assume you are left-handed. If you are playing

tennis and an opponent returns a tennis ball

directly to your body, your natural instincts would

be to step to your right and hit it back from the left

side of your body.

However, if you are right-handed and an opponent

returns a tennis ball directly to your body, your

natural instincts would be to step to your left and

hit it back from the right side of your body.

The majority of tennis players prefer to execute a

forehand more than any other fundamental tennis

stroke. In fact, the majority of tennis strokes

executed in a game, set, or match are forehands.

Tennis Backhand: The tennis backhand is

executed from the side opposite of the forehand

side. So if you are right-handed, your backhand is

executed from the left side of your body and if you

are left-handed, your backhand is executed from

the right side of your body.

In order to execute a tennis backhand, you must

bring your natural hitting hand around your body

before hitting the tennis ball. The tennis backhand

may seem awkward at first, but as you practice

and familiarize yourself with this stroke it will

become a welcomed alternative to the foundation

of your tennis techniques and skills.

Tennis Serve: The tennis serve initiates every

point. The tennis player that is serving is termed

the server and the other tennis player is termed

the receiver. By rule, you can opt to serve anyway

you see fit, it is your choice.

Technically though, competitive tennis players

achieve and maintain the most effective results by

tossing the ball straight up high above the head

while rotating the tennis racquet with a full motion

swing aiming to strike the ball to the diagonal

service area on the opposite end of the tennis

court.

Tennis Lob: Uniquely termed in tennis, the lob is

mainly used as a defensive technique to turn the

momentum of a point into an offensive play. Did

that make sense? Let me attempt to clarify.

What is a lob? A lob is a high arching shot with

additional hang time that is initiated by a forehand,

backhand, or at times a volley. With the lob

technique, a tennis competitor has the ability to

change the course of a point and keep an opponent

off balance during game play.

As a competitor, your goal is to win each an every

point. From time to time tennis athletes find

themselves out of position or vulnerable during

game play. This is when the lob technique comes

in handy and can change the direction of that

point.

By launching a lob with precision and excellence, a

competitor can now gain and take control of that

point. The presence of the lob keeps an opponent

guessing instead anticipating the predictable

forehand or backhand ground strokes.

Master the lob as a defensive and offensive tennis

technique to gain an advantage. In other words,

lob at will to win a point.

Tennis Overhead: Similar to a serve, the

overhead tennis technique is designed to earn

points by striking the tennis ball as it floats in the

air over the head to the forehand or backhand side

of a tennis athlete's body. Generally, this is the

response to an unsuccessful lob attempt where the

tennis competitor that initiated the lob pays dearly.

Think of this performance as a slam dunk in

basketball or a spike in volleyball where tennis

athletes have deliberately term this action as an

overhead smash or smash for short.

A great overhead smash technique generates an

intimidating dominating effect as it can demoralize

and grant you an advantage over a frustrated

opponent.

Tennis Volley: Simply put, the volley is a short

punch technique with little or no back swing from a

tennis athlete's forehand or backhand side. If you

are the type of player who enjoys going on the

attack to instigate fast-paced action, the volley is

probably one if not your favorite tennis skill that

intensifies your game.

Other than a serve or an overhead, every shot a

player executes before the ball bounces on the

court is considered a volley. This skill is frequently

attempted as a reaction to an out-of-position jam

where a tennis athlete is unable to play the

bounce.

Most of the time though, the volley is habitually

played as an attack approach near the net where a

skilled tennis athlete has considerable options to

win points due to the ease of angling shots and

clearing the net.

As stated earlier, every point played will require

one, two, and at times all these fundamental tennis

strokes throughout a game, set, or match.

Tune them up regularly to advance your game and

to reduce negative plays. Deviate from this action

and chances are you will pay the price especially in

competitive tennis tournaments.

So set a goal, train with a purpose, and strive to

master these fundamental tennis techniques. 

Tennis is a ball game, which can be played by two people or even four. When played between two people it is called "singles" and when played by four people (two people in each team), it is called "doubles". To hit the ball each player has a racquet (racket) and there is a net in between the two teams in the middle of the court. Tennis can be classified as an indoor as well as an outdoor game. It is one of the most popular games in the world and the players of this game are nothing less than celebrities. Their fan following can be a matter of envy for the cine stars as well. Tennis was initially played by the aristocrats and was called court tennis in the USA; in France it is called Jeu de Paume and in Australia it is called Royal Tennis. In Great Britain it was called Real Tennis and the modern Lawn Tennis is derived from the same.

The court plays a significant role in the whole game. It is rectangular in shape and it is divided into two equal halves by the net that lies in the middle of the court. The length varies with the number of players playing, for singles 'it is thinner than in doubles. To be precise the court is 23.77 m long and 8.23 m wide for singles matches, and 10.97m wide for doubles matches. Additional space is provided for the players to access overrun balls.

Tennis courts are of three types:ClayHardGrassSuspendedIndoorClay courts can be of two types:Red clayGreen clayRed clay courts are made of compressed brick particles and are covered with a layer of loose particles. This kind of court is common in Europe and South America. The French Open is played on a red clay court. The other kind is a green clay court, which is not very different from a red clay except for the fact that Har-Tru(C) or American

Clay is used to make the underlying bed and then it is covered with red clay. Green clay courts are mostly found in the Eastern and Southern parts of United States.

Hard Courts are made of cement, plastic, asphalt and even concrete are an advantage for people who play speedy games and like to hit the ball hard. The US Open in played on a hardcourt surface and these are quite common in West America and California and the Australian Open is played on a Rebound Ace, which is a synthetic hardcourt. There lies a difference between the Rebound Ace and the ordinary hardcourt as they differ in the degree of hardness. Rebound ace is softer as a result of which when the ball bounces the first time its speed decreases. The speed and friction also depends on the materials that are used to prepare the top layer of the court.

Grass courts can be made of synthetic or natural grass and the bounce of the ball would be dependent on the quality of grass that the court has .Synthetic grass court is similar to Astro Turf that is used for football matches. Grass courts are expensive to maintain. The ball does not bounce well but takes on good pace. Grass courts are used

in Wimbledon.

Tennis equipment is made by big brands and a lot of detailing is involved in the manufacturing. It has now become such a grand sport that everything associated with it also assumes a lot of importance.Tennis Ball: A tennis ball can be yellow, green or white in color (colors approved by the USTA) and has fixed standards for size ,weight and deformation. These balls are made of pressurized rubber covered with high quality cloth, which is made of wool and nylon. These balls are kept under pressure of two atmospheres before initial use.Tennis Ball Machine: This is practice equipment, which is used by the players to train themselves. It helps the players to practice the footwork and handle all kinds of shots that the opponent might use. These machines come in different models and are quite a help.Tennis rackets (racquets): To play tennis the first things that are elementary are the racket and the ball. A racket in general has a handle and an oval frame, across which a network of strings is stretched. The size of a modern racket for an adult would be 27" to 27.5". Tennis is a power game and requires a lot of stamina and strength for only to

hold the racket since handling such a heavy device becomes quite a challenge. When choosing a tennis racket the following things have to be kept in mind like the grip, the head size, length, flex, string tension, weight, and balance.Bag: This is one of the most neglected but important accessories related to the game. Whenever a bag is brought, the space that is needed, the feature that would suit the best and the style that is required should all be kept in mind. Too small or too biog a bag can be equally useless. Price for a good quality bag varies from $50 to $60.Tennis Apparel: Tennis apparel has gone through a metamorphosis as has done the perception of the game, wherein the former definitely contributes to the latter. Initially men played the game in long trousers and women wore long dresses and stockings whereas now tennis players are style icons and the apparels are designed by brands that have made it quite fashionable. Any fashion brand would have a different section for tennis apparel, one only has to go and choose the apparel one is comfortable in.Tennis Shoes: When buying shoes for this game, one should go for a proper shoes. The shoes should be court specific, since its conformity and compatibility differs from one pair to the other.

Shoes, like apparel, should also be comfortable and should ensure that the feet are protected. The toe area should have better protection than the other parts of the foot as a tennis player uses his toes for foreground grand strokes. Nowadays shoes come with special cushioning and moisture absorbing mechanism as well. Since the game requires a lot of sudden movements, shoes should support the feet and protect it to an extent.Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tennis-

equipment.html

rules

Like any sport, tennis is also ruled by some strict rules and regulations. Any tennis player found guilty of breaching these rules is subject to disciplinary action by the governing body of the court where the match is being played. It is expected that all the players know the tennis rules before they go to play professional tennis, anywhere in the world. For the entire set of tennis rules, you may have to grab a copy of the official tennis rules and regulations dossier, of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The ITF has a 'Rules of Tennis Committee', which helps it make and implement these rules. Let us have a look at

some of the rules and regulations in this article.

Rules and Regulations of TennisThe rules of tennis extend from court rules all the way to the tennis rules of the game during play. Below is a relatively cropped-up list of tennis rules and regulations, some general and some game related. We will not go into the details of the rules governing the tennis court dimensions, the fixtures on court and the sizes and lengths of various things. We will just get to business and see the rules that you should know as a tennis player.

Tennis GearAs with most sports, when playing professional tennis, the tennis players are expected to wear proper tennis shoes. This rule was made to protect the tennis court from blemishes and tread marks. Black-soled shoes are not allowed on the court, as they may leave blemishes on the court.

Tennis RacketsA tennis racket is only legal if it has all the stitches attached and unbroken, does not have any energy source attached that can affect the play and does not have more than one set of stringed patterns on it. Vibration dampening devices are only allowed if

they are placed outside the criss-crossed string pattern.

Service or CourtThe player that wins the toss is expected to choose either the side from where he prefers playing or the serve. If the toss winner chooses to serve, the other player automatically gets the choice of court side. When a server is serving in a game, the receiver is allowed to stand outside the court lines if he wishes to do so. The players are supposed to change court sides on the completion of every odd game, i.e. the first, third, etc.

ServiceAll serves that fall in the opponent's service box and are served from behind the out-of-bounds lines are counted as good serves. In lawn tennis, a server is allowed to make underhanded serves. The service can only be counted as legal when the opponent is ready to receive it. The server loses the point if he makes a double fault on his serve (that is, he cannot get a good serve despite having two chances to do so).

Continuous PlayThe game of tennis once started must be in

continuous play till the match ends. Twenty seconds are allowed between points and ninety seconds are given for players to change ends at the end of a game. At the conclusion of each set, a maximum of 120 seconds are given to the players.

ScoringIn a standard game of tennis, the scores are called out keeping the server's scores first. When both players are on zero, it is termed as a love all start. Having no points are referred to as love while the first, second, third and fourth points are called out as 15, 30 40 and Game respectively. When both the players have won three points, the score is termed as a Deuce and a deuce extends the game by one additional point. That is, after a deuce comes Advantage (awarded to whichever player wins the points) and after advantage comes Game. An advantage game reverts back to deuce if the player fails top convert his advantage into a game. In other words, a player must win two consecutive points after a deuce to win a game.

Other Miscellaneous RulesThere are many other rules and regulations, but mentioning all of them is impossible for the scope of an article. Some miscellaneous tennis rules are

listed below:All tennis players must show courtesy and respect towards all the on-court and off-court judges. If this rule is found to be breached, the player can be punished with anything ranging from a fine to a suspension, depending on the severity of the breach.All players are expected to empty their pockets before the game begins, so that anything left in the pockets does not serve as a distraction for either of the players.Before the start of each tour season, all tennis players are asked to submit to a drug test. During the season though, any player can be asked to submit to a random drug test, despite having been cleared in the 'start of the season' drug test.Basic Tennis ShotsHere is a list of some common shots in tennis that every tennis player should be aware of.ServeForehandBackhandDouble-handed BackhandTop SpinSliceDrop ShotVolley

LobOverhead SmashRead more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tennis-rules-and-

regulations.html