The beginning of any offensive rally in tennis, whether you are a baseline player or a net stalker, is the forehand drive. Whether you are left-handed or right-handed, your tennis game is anchored on the forehand drive. You employ the drive to win a point, set up your opponent for a drive or simply to be able to allow you to approach the net for a kill stroke!
It is the opening stroke of every offensive in a tennis game; you should therefore take as much time in learning and mastering the stroke as much as possible. Just like any other tennis stroke, executing the drive requires proper feet positioning. To hit a ball with a forehand stroke, you advance the foot that is farthest from the shot and make the swing into position to hit the ball. If the ball happens to be too close to your body, move back the foot closest to the shot while dropping your weight on it to achieve the correct position for the forehand stroke. However, if you are pressed for time and moving into position is not an option simply shift your weight to your foot that is closest to the ball as you make the stroke.
If you are receiving the serve and you normally return the serve with a forehand drive; face the net squarely in a crouched and slightly forward stance, once the server makes his move to serve the ball immediately assume the body-at-the-right-angle-to-the-net position to make the return with a forehand drive.
With the forehand drive, you can make a return of serve down the sideline, cross court or straight to the server as he moves in to the net. Always disguise the direction of your forehand up to the very last moment when you hit the ball; since a forehand is executed in three parts – the swing, the hit and the follow through baseline this is quite easy to do when you finally hit the ball and direct it towards your target area. The follow through of the forehand stroke determines the amount of spin the ball will have – make it a habit to put a spin on your forehand drives so that your opponent will not have a feast day putting it back in play.
Remember, the optimal hitting plane for all tennis ground strokes is between your knees and shoulders; the most advantageous area is the one on line slightly above your waist. Always throw your body weight into your shot, regardless if you are making a drive down the line or cross court.
On the chance that you are not in a position to make a forehand drive, the backhand drive is your next and only option. The forehand and backhand drives follow the same theory with the difference that in making the backhand, you shift your weight earlier, hit the ball forward of the right leg to avoid giving the ball a slice.
Make the effort to develop both your forehand and backhand drives instead of running around the ball to your strong side as this leaves you wide open to your opponent’s cross court passes and down the line drives on your weak side.
In practicing your drive, always hit the ball with your body sideways to the net; do not forget to shift your weight as you hit the ball and go on with the follow through to give the ball that all important top spin. All drives should be made with a stiff, locked wrist. It is not the wrist that gives the top spin but the follow through of the hitting arm.
Bear in mind that all straight drives, forehand or backhand, should always have depth and be hit behind the service line while cross-court drives must be shorter in order to increase the angle of hit as much as possible. Practice your drives in varying distances and placement so that you can dictate the tempo of the game; never allow your opponent to play his strong shots.
