Photo Study of Rafael Nadal's Forehand

By Jeff Cooper, About.com Guide

Smart opponents try to make Nadal hit low balls with his forehand, because they're more difficult for his 3/4 Western grip, and the lower a ball is, the less room Rafa has to come up from underneath it to produce topspin. Rafa does a good job here of bending his knees to get down with the ball, and it's no coincidence that he's using a square stance instead of the semi-open or open stance we see more often. With a square stance, it's easier to get down to a low ball and much easier to step forward just before you hit, which helps you meet the ball before it has dropped even lower.