Victoria Azarenka Photos: Picture Gallery of Strokes

Here, Azarenka gives us an almost perfect example of the point of contact for a semi-open, Semi-Western forehand. The upward drive from Victoria's legs has lifted her feet off the ground, her upper body has uncoiled to align her shoulders with her hips, and she is meeting the ball at the higher point of contact that the Semi-Western grip helps to make comfortable. In this photo, it looks as if Victoria will be meeting ball too high on her racquet, but given the low-to-high swing path she uses to create topspin, in the instant remaining before actual contact, the racquet will have risen enough to meet the ball very near its center line.