How to Hit a Topspin Forehand in Tennis (The Right Way)

Why is it Important to Learn How to Hit a Topspin Forehand?

Using topspin on any shot in tennis can bring great benefits. It is one of the most fundamental techniques in tennis, since it helps you hit the ball with more power whilst keeping it in the lines.

On a basic level, this is pretty much what tennis is all about. Hitting the ball with controllable power. Enough to take time away from your opponent, but not so much that you lose control and spray balls out.

Whilst learning to hit topspin is useful in all areas of your game, it is particularly useful on the forehand. So many of the greatest players of all time have used the topspin forehand as the cornerstone of their game.

Champions like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have used topspin on their forehands to add margin and consistency, as well as kick spin that aggressively pushes their opponents behind the baseline.

As beginner players progress and start to hit the ball with more power, it is essential to learn to hit topspin on the forehand in particular.

Most players will use their forehand to dominate points, dictate play and take time away from opponents. Adding topspin to the forehand allows you to hit with controllable power, adds precision to the shot and means you can hit more consistently.

How to Hit a Topspin Forehand in Tennis

We have highlighted how important it is to learn topspin on the forehand, but let’s take a look at how we actually do this from a technical perspective.

Step 1: Look at Dave’s Forehand Domination Course

The first step you can take to improve your forehand right away is to download Dave’s Forehand Domination masterclass.

Whilst there is no substitute for getting out on the court and hitting balls, doing this without any focus or direction can actually be detrimental to your game. If you go out and blindly practice without understanding the fundamentals of technique, let alone how to dominate with the forehand, you may actually reinforce bad habits.

Therefore, learning from a coach who will give you the direction to improve your forehand and hit more topspin will really accelerate your development. This can be done by going down to your local tennis club, but these days it can also be done online.

There are many online tennis coaching services out there today, but we believe ours is the best! You can learn from our master coach Dave, who has previously played on the ATP Tour and is now passing his wealth of experience onto players like you!

Dave will teach you the fundamentals of adding more topspin to your forehand, as well as how to use this to dominate points and win more matches!

He will walk you through the kinetic chain, how to add more MPH to your forehand and how to find hidden angles on the court. So, if you are ready to take your forehand to the next level, then check out our Forehand Domination Course today!

Step 2: Find the Right Grip

After you have taken a look at our Forehand Domination course, you’ll need to get onto a tennis court and find the right forehand grip for you. Whilst there is no such thing as an overall best forehand grip, there are fundamental elements of shot that need to be mastered.

Whether you go old school and prefer to play with the Eastern forehand grip, or more extreme with Semi-Western or even Full-Western, the key is to make sure you have a closed racket face as you swing towards the ball.

This phrase may be something quite new to some less experienced players, but it basically means the racket strings are pointing at a downwards angle. As you hold the racket out in front of you, the top side of your frame should be facing towards the net.

In order to find this, hold your racket like you were going to hammer a nail with the frame. This is called the chopper grip. From here, rotate the grip anti clockwise as a right hander, or clockwise as a left hander.

The more neutral, less extreme eastern grip will be found when the first bevel of the handle is in the V between your thumb and index finger. For the more topspin friendly semi western grip, it is the second bevel.

The reason for finding these grips will become clear in the next step, but it will essentially help you add more topspin to the ball.

Step 3: Learn how to Brush the Ball

The key to hitting topspin on the forehand is to brush the ball and get it rotating. Spin comes from the strings contacting the ball with friction, which imparts spin and gets the ball rotating through the air.

The best way to practice this is to stand just a metre or so away from the net and drop the ball lightly, so it bounces below the height of the net. Then, brush the ball up and over the net using your topspin grip.

You should aim to get your racket underneath the ball and lay your wrist back slightly to increase your range of motion. Then, brush the ball up and over the net.

The aim here is to keep the ball inside the court, by getting it rising from the upwards motion of the racket, but also making it dip down inside the baseline due to the topspin. As you get more accomplished at this skill, you can start to increase the racket head speed. This will add more topspin onto the ball and get your forehand ripping like Rafa!

Step 4: Add the Up, Down, Up Swing Path

The next step in the process is to master the up, down, up swing path. This will ensure you have both power and spin on your forehand, making it more consistent as well as more of a weapon.

The up, down, up swing path is a progression from the fundamental low to high that many beginners and junior players get taught. Starting with the racket high in the take back increases the leverage and momentum you can generate by lengthening the swing.

Starting in the ready position, turn your entire body with your racket at around chest height. Then, as the ball is approaching, lower your racket as you start to uncoil your body and turn to hit the ball.

As the ball approaches, make sure you have your racket below the height of the ball, so you can swing upward and produce spin with that brushing action we discussed earlier. Finally, finish the swing high above your opposite shoulder to make sure you have completed a full, powerful and relaxed swing.

Step 5: Transfer your Bodyweight

The final step to hitting the topspin forehand is to use your body weight effectively to produce more power, spin and weight of shot. This is something Dave really hones in on in the course, but at a high level, this is about timing your rotation through the shot perfectly.

Going back to the previous step, you want to be preparing your unit turn (when you turn your entire body before hitting the shot), as early as possible.

The key to nailing this is timing and repetition. Weight transfer is quite an advanced topic, but one that Dave breaks down with ease. Ensuring you get your shoulders, knees and hips all moving in sequence is the key to power generation.

The easier you can transfer energy from your legs through to your arms and then onto your racket, the more loose and relaxed you can be when hitting your forehand.

Once You’ve Mastered the Topspin Forehand, It’s Time to Improve the Backhand 

The forehand is a major shot that needs to be mastered to become a good player. However, in order to be compete from the baseline the backhand also needs to be improved. It is often the weaker shot for most players, so making it a solid shield to the attacking forehand sword will help you win more matches.

If you are looking to take your backhand to the next level, check out our Backhand Blueprint Course.

Conclusion

Overall, the topspin forehand is a key part of the tennis game that needs to be mastered to dominate on the court. Adding topspin to your forehand will help you with both consistency and authority in points, ultimately helping you win more matches.

Looking for more free resources to improve your game?

We’ve got you covered:

• How to Hit a Better Overhead in Tennis
• How To Hit The “Heavy” Forehand
• How To Hit the Tennis Tweener