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Photo Lesson: The Basic Eastern Forehand

By Jeff Cooper, About.com

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Low Point of Swing Path

racquet at low point of swing path(C)2006 Jeff Cooper licensed to About.com, Inc.
From the beginner level through the most advanced levels, players swing at almost all forehands (except relatively rare slices) with a low-to-high motion. Swinging from low to high is the most common way to lift the ball over the net, and it's the only way to give the ball topspin, which helps it drop down on the other side of the net before it goes long.

In this photo, the racquet has dropped well below the ball as it starts forward with the swing. Almost all of the body weight has now been transferred onto the left leg, as the body mass is moving forward with the swing. The torso has also begun to turn toward the net. Its rotational energy will add to the linear energy that creates most of the power in the stroke.

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