Tennis is originally an easy game, you just have to hit the ball over the net and between the lines. But in order to raise the level of your game, you must do more.
Everybody knows the situation in a real match, when you put your opponent under pressure and he's only being capable of hitting back an easy shorter high ball. You want to destroy your opponent with your power forehand, but unfortunately your ball goes far out........
Most players have a better forehand than backhand and want to hit winners with their forehand. Higher contact points are also easier with your forehand compared with your backhand.
Two advantages of a higher contact point on your forehand:
1. With a higher contact point, you'll take the time away from your opponent.
Having less time, your opponent mostly cannot reach for your ball. In case he's still able to reach for your ball, you'll finish the point with your next shot.
2. With a higher contact point, there's still speed in the ball. You can easily hit back at higher speed.
How to practice high contact points on your forehand?
First, it's easier when you practice two opposite things at the same time.
Practicing two opposite things is good for the speed of the learning process.
Besides high contact points, practice also low contact points.
Practice first in a drill and afterwards in a real match situation.
Exercise 1 drill low contact points
You are standing close to your player and you're feeding your player balls for low contact points. With a low contact point, the player's position must be further away from the ball, more behind the ball, and the player must have a straight foot stance. When you want to hit the ball aggressively, you need to hit the ball with topspin.
Exercise 2 drill high contact points
With a high contact point (shoulder high) the player's position is closer to the ball, almost beside the ball, and the player must have an (half) open foot stance. This (half) open stance allows him, from a biomechanical point of view, to hit higher contact points more easily. In the backswing, you lift your racket, but still you swing your racket a little from "down to up".
Exercise 3 drill alternately low and high contact points
Feed the player balls for alternately low and high contact points.
The differences between those two contact points are the position of the player in relation to the ball and the foot stance of the player. With both contact points, swing your racket from "down to up".
Exercise 4 rally drill
You and your player are standing both on the baseline, on different sides of the court. You hit a ball to his backhand. Your player hits his backhand deep cross back, and you hit a shorter and higher ball cross back. Your player has to run around his backhand to hit a winner with his forehand down the line with a high contact point.
Exercise 5 rally drill
You and your player are standing both on the baseline, on different sides of the court. You hit a ball to his backhand. Your player hits his backhand deep cross back, and you hit a shorter and lower ball cross back. Your player has to run around his backhand to hit a winner with his forehand down the line with a low contact point.
Exercise 6 rally drill
The same exercise, but now you give your player alternately a low and a high contact point.
Exercise 7 rally drill
The same exercise, but now the player has to figure it out for himself if the contact point is low or high. The player has the choice to hit the ball down the line or inside out, and they play the point.
When you practice these 7 exercises, you'll master both low and high contact points with your forehand. The reason you'll be making fewer mistakes is because you know now exactly what to do.
Good luck and try it out on the court!
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