Detailed explanations of tennis strokes and tactics for beginner through expert.
By Jeff Cooper, About.com Guide to Tennis
Learn to play better tennis through articles, photo-based and video lessons, tips, how-to, FAQs, and quizzes. Improve forehands, backhands, serves, volleys, overheads, and specialty shots. Develop better strategies for singles and doubles. Beginners will find simple, easy lessons for getting started playing tennis, while more advanced players will find in-depth explanations of such topics as tactical uses of topspin and slice.
Forehands
Learn basic and advanced forehand strokes through articles, free photo-based and video lessons, FAQs, and tips. Correct problems with your forehand and develop better power, topspin, backspin, placement, depth, and consistency.
- Basic Eastern Forehand: Photo Lesson
- Photo Tour of the Forehand Grips
- Forehand FAQ
- Inside-Out Forehand: Photo Lesson
- Semi-Open Semi-Western Forehand: Photo Lesson
- Roger Federer's Forehand: Photo Study
- Ana Ivanovic's Forehand: Photo Study
- Hitting the Forehand on the Rise: Photo Lesson
- Points of Contact and Stances for Five Forehand Styles
- Forehand Repair
Backhands
Learn basic and advanced one-handed and two-handed backhand strokes through articles, free photo-based and video lessons, FAQs, and tips. Correct problems with your backhand and develop better power, topspin, backspin, sidespin slice, placement, depth, and consistency.
- Basic Two-Handed Backhand: Photo Lesson
- Basic One-Handed Backhand: Photo Lesson
- Backhand FAQ
- One-Handed Backhand Sidespin Slice: Photo Lesson
- Rafael Nadal's Backhand: Photo Study
- Richard Gasquet's One-Handed Backhand: Photo Study
- Amelie Mauresmo's One-Handed Backhand: Photo Study
- Photo Tour of the Two-Handed Backhand Grips
- Photo Tour of the One-Handed Backhand Grips
- Two-Handed Backhand on the Rise: Photo Lesson
- Points of Contact for Four One-Handed Backhand Styles
- Backhand Repair
Serves
Learn both basic and advanced tennis serves through photo-based lessons, articles, FAQs, and video lessons. Develop the stroke techniques and the tactics to make use of the full range of serving spins, including topspin, slice, and twist.
- Basic Serve: Photo Lesson
- Basic Serving FAQ
- Topspin-Slice Power First Serve: Photo Lesson
- Twist Serve: Photo Lesson
- Topspin Serve: Photo Lesson
- Heavy Slice Serve: Photo Lesson
- Andy Roddick's Serve: Photo Study
- Spin Serves FAQ
- Serving Quiz
- Points of Contact for Five Spin Serves
- Serve Repair
Volleys
Learn forehand and backhand volleys, from the simplest basic volley to the most delicate drop volley.
- Basic Forehand Volley: Photo Lesson
- Basic Backhand Volley: Photo Lesson
- Volleys Quiz
- Backhand Drop Volley: Photo Lesson
- Moderately Low Forehand Volley: Photo Lesson
- Mediom-Height Backhand Volley: Photo Lesson
- High Backhand Volley: Photo Lesson
- Volley Repair
Overheads
Learn the basic forehand overhead smash as well as more advanced shots like the backhand overhead and the sky hook.
- Basic Overhead Smash: Photo Lesson
- Jumping Backhand Overhead: Photo Lesson
- Overhead Repair
- Windmill or Sky Hook Overhead: Video and Analysis
Specialty Shots
Learn drop shots, half volleys, and various types of lobs.
- Forehand Drop Shot: Photo Lesson
- Forehand Topspin Lob: Photo Lesson
- Backhand Topspin Lob: Photo Lesson
- Specialty Shots Quiz
- Forehand and Backhand Half Volleys: Videos and Analyses
Singles Tactics and Strategies
Learn better singles strategy through improved court positioning, shot selection, mental toughness, and offensive and defensive tactics.
- Singles Maze
- Singles Positioning and Placement FAQ
- Court Positioning Quiz
- Tennis Quiz for Beginners
- Tennis Quiz for Intermediates
- Return of Serve FAQ
- Lessons from Other Sports
- How Topspin Works
- Four Safe Ways to Be More Aggressive in Tennis
- Best Defensive Tennis Tactics
- Five Mental Toughness Tips for Tennis Players
- Playing in the Wind
- Top Five Mistakes of Inexperienced Tennis Competitors
- How to Beat Four Major Types of Tennis Opponent
- How to Handle an All-Court Opponent in Tennis
- How to Handle The Spin Meister
Doubles Tactics and Strategies
Learn the best positioning and shot selection for the server, receiver, and partner of each in doubles.
- Doubles Maze
- Doubles FAQ
- Court Positioning Quiz
- Return of Serve FAQ
- Five Mental Toughness Tips for Tennis Players
Drills
Learn fun, skill-specific drills for beginner, intermediate, and advanced tennis players.
- The Two Best Consistency Drills for Beginners
- The Two Best Aiming Drills for Beginners
- The Two Best Levels Drills for Beginners
- The Three Best Net Drills for Intermediates
- The Three Best Contest Drills for Intermediates
- The Two Best Levels Tennis Drills for Intermediates
- The Two Best Scored Tennis Drills for Intermediates
- The Best Serve and Return Drills for Advanced Players
- The Three Best Contest Drills for Advanced Players
Rules
Learn the official rules of tennis and the code of etiquette as they apply both to the most basic match play and to tricky and unusual situations.
