Forehand: Absorb first, then accelerate
A good forehand starts by taking in your opponent's pace.
Before you accelerate, you have to "receive" the ball: absorb its pace while staying balanced. According to Martin Baroch, this step is often skipped when the forehand is taught.
Summary by The Strong Baseline. Original article: The most misleading coaching advice towards stroke production (2) – Forehand construction by Dr. Martin G. Baroch on cpta-tennis.org.
He is just as critical of teaching the forehand through bending the elbow. The power should come from the body and travel into the ball through the rotation of the forearm – with an elbow that moves away from the body during the follow-through.
Key point: Balance before pace: if you receive the ball cleanly, you can accelerate with control.
