The forehand stroke in tennis is the most commonly struck shot in the sport, besides the serve. And like the serve, if the forehand is utilized effectively, it can be a devastating weapon against your opponents. Juan Martin Del Potro, of Argentina, has perhaps the most powerful forehand in the game, which took him all the way to the 2009 US Open Championship. Roger Federer, the current world number one, is known for having a laser accurate forehand, able to pinpoint his foes from all corners of the court. A weak forehand, however, will severely limit your offensive options in a game, especially if your backhand is weak as well. Regardless of whether you intend on using the stroke as a primary weapon, you will need to know how to hit a tennis forehand if you wish to have a complete tennis style.http://www.videojug.com/film/tennis-the-forehand

1. Before you will be able to strike a good forehand, you will need to position yourself in such a way that the technique works effectively and efficiently.
2. This typically involves moving your feet and following the ball's path as it approaches you. Ideally, the contact point for the forehand is waist height and slightly in front of your body. As a result you will need to adjust your position depending on the pace and angle of your opponent's shot. For instance, if your opponent hits a ball with a lot of pace to your right side, you will need to run diagonally backwards and to the right. If your opponent hits a short ball in the middle, you will simply run forwards.http://www.videojug.com/film/tennis-the-forehand
3. As you move your feet, you have two possible stances to hit the forehand. The open stance involves your shoulders being square to the net, while the closed stance involves your shoulders being perpendicular to the net, similar to a service stance. Either stance will do, depending on your preference; closed stance forehands are much easier to hit for short balls and attacking shots, while open stance forehands are better for wide angled shots.http://www.revolutionarytennis.com/step8.html

1. Once you have positioned yourself a few feet behind and within arms reach of the approaching ball, it is time to begin your backswing. The backswing involves swinging your dominant hand backwards in a roughly circular motion. The purpose of a backswing is to "wind up" your body, particular your dominant arm, so that you will have enough power and pace to strike the forehand.http://www.ehow.com/how_3199_hit-tennis-forehand.html
2. While you are making your backswing, your non-dominant hand should be outstretched and pointed at the ball. This is so that you have a visual indicator for your eyes to follow as the ball bounces and moves closer and closer to your racquet. Also, this should tilt your shoulders to the side so that you have more upper body core rotation to strike the ball.
3. As previously stated, the ideal contact point for a forehand is slightly in front of your body and at waist height. Timing is critical; you must learn to gauge the speed and angle of the ball's approach. When you feel that the ball is close enough, and you have already loaded your backswing, it is time to release all that pent up energy. Complete the circular motion of your dominant arm and meet the ball at the contact point. Keep your feet grounded but rotate your trunk and your upper body as best you can. Merely "arming" the ball will not suffice when you face shots with a great deal of pace.http://www.tennismindgame.com/tennis-forehand.html

1. Once you have struck the ball, make sure you feel the ball on your strings. Try and aim to make contact in the middle of the racquet, instead of the edges or around the frame. Feel the solid contact, keep your eyes on the ball, and swing the ball with your dominant arm into the air. Keep your eyes for a split second on the contact point, even after the ball has left it. This is so that you do not jerk upwards and ruin the follow through, which is needed to maintain the shot.http://tennis.about.com/od/forehandbackhand/ss/federerforehand.htm
2. Follow through the shot by wrapping your dominant arm around your body and holding the racquet up temporarily near your opposite shoulder. This will give the ball the extra amount of momentum and force it needs.
3. Once you have finished the follow through, don't just stand there and admire your shot. Get back to the baseline as quick as you can and recover yourself for the next shot. Tennis is a sport of endurance and stamina, and chances are you will be hitting a great deal of forehands in a point. Remember: keep your mind and body focused on to the next one.http://tennis.about.com/od/forehandbackhand/ss/federerforehand.htm