Tennis Shots: Learn the Basics Before Adding Variety

Start with the forehand and backhand for rallying, learn a serve to begin points, then add volleys and an overhead for play near the net. Lobs, drop shots and slices add variety, but they do not replace those foundations.

A useful way to organise the names is stroke versus shot: a stroke is the movement you use to hit; a shot describes what you do with the ball. A backhand, for example, can become a topspin rally ball, a slice approach or a lob. Pat Cash’s guide to the basic strokes uses this distinction to organise the game.

The six basic tennis strokes

Forehand and backhand groundstrokes are hit after a bounce. Volleys are hit before a bounce, usually near the net. An overhead uses a serve-like motion during a point; the serve starts the point. These definitions follow the USTA’s tennis glossary.

Stroke	When you use it	First practice cue
Forehand groundstroke	After a bounce, on your racket-hand side: right for a right-hander, left for a left-hander.	Turn early and leave room beside your body for contact.
Backhand groundstroke	After a bounce, on the opposite side. You can use one or two hands.	Prepare before the ball arrives; meet it slightly in front, not beside your hip.
Serve	To put the ball into play, aiming into the diagonally opposite service box.	Choose a controlled motion and repeatable toss before adding speed.
Forehand volley	Before a bounce, on your forehand side.	Keep the racket in front and the swing short.
Backhand volley	Before a bounce, on your backhand side.	Turn your shoulders rather than taking a large backswing.
Overhead	To strike a high ball above your head, often in response to a lob.	Move into position first; do not try to rescue poor spacing with a harder swing.

The short volley swing and positioning-first overhead are central cues in Cash’s stroke breakdown. An overhead can also be played after a bounce; “overhead” describes the hitting motion, not just whether the ball has bounced. For a serve, start behind the baseline and aim diagonally, as explained in the USTA’s serving guidance.

Other shot names: spin, direction and purpose

These labels can overlap. A single ball might be a crosscourt topspin forehand approach.

• Topspin: forward rotation of the ball, produced by an upward brushing action.
• Slice groundstroke: a forehand or backhand with backspin, also called underspin. “Slice serve” is another term you will hear, but it is not the groundstroke described here.
• Lob: a high shot, usually intended to go over an opponent at the net.
• Drop shot: a softly hit ball that lands close to the net, typically with backspin.
• Approach shot: the ball you hit before moving forward to the net.
• Passing shot: a ball sent past an opponent at the net, rather than over them.
• Return of serve: your response to the serve, usually using a forehand or backhand.
• Crosscourt / down the line: across the court diagonally / along a sideline.

The USTA glossary defines topspin, slice, lob, drop shot and approach. Learn to recognise these names now; you do not need to practise every variation in your first session.

Set the grip, then find contact

Do not expect one grip to suit every stroke. For the forehand, an Eastern grip is one starting option. For a two-handed backhand, place your dominant hand at the bottom of the handle and the other hand above it. The USTA’s beginner backhand guidance prioritises a grip that gives you control, rather than insisting every player use the same setup. Use our two-handed backhand guide to check the hand positions.

Learn the continental grip separately for serves, volleys, overheads and the slice backhand—its main applications in USTA grip instruction.

For your first groundstrokes, focus on contact slightly in front and to the relevant side of your body. Use small adjustment steps so you are neither cramped nor reaching. Keep the swing gentle enough to control the ball, as recommended in the USTA’s forehand basics.

A simple drill: read, turn, hit, recover

Setup: With a partner, stand near opposite service lines. Use gentle underhand feeds and, if available, slower low-compression balls. Aim into the opposite service box. Keep spare balls outside the movement area.

1. Start on one side. Receive five forehand feeds, letting each ball bounce once. Set your grip before the feed.
2. Turn and adjust. Turn your shoulders as the ball approaches, then use small steps to create contact space.
3. Hit smoothly. Meet the ball slightly in front and send it over the net. Pace is not the goal.
4. Recover. Return to your starting position with the racket in front before the next feed.
5. Switch, then mix. Repeat on the backhand. Once both sides feel manageable, ask for mixed feeds so you must choose the stroke yourself. Use your non-dominant hand to help change grips as you turn; keep the feeds slow enough to prepare without rushing.

Readiness checkpoint: Try to land seven of ten mixed feeds in the opposite service box while staying balanced and recovering before the next ball. This is a practice target, not an official standard. If you fall short, make the feeds easier or practise one side again. If you meet it, try a cooperative short-court rally before adding speed or specialised shots.