i have trouble on high forehand balls (eastern forehand)

[Nina-Sky]

i have eastern forehand and when trying to hit high forehands, its difficult for me, do you have any tips?

 

[MrCLEAN]

Move your grip to a more western position, or let the ball drop. Not much else to do.

 

[LeeD]

Turn more sideways than usual. Swing flat to hit a flat ball. Go fo the winner/forcing shot, either DTL or CC to the corner. Since the ball is high, you can hit it flat, little topspin, and you have angle and contact point advantages.
If you try to rally off that flat ball, you are at a disadvantage against modern strong SW grip baseliners.
So don't play their game.

 

[charliefedererer]

Here was my response three days ago to a similar question:

"One way to handle a high forehand is simply to elevate the swing of your normal forehand from a low to high swing pattern to a medium to higher swing pattern:

Handling High Balls on your Tennis Forehand at Fuzzy Yellow Balls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5zweEQSnho

How to hit a Modern Tennis Forehand in HD / Instructional Lock and Roll Tennis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMNtq393tvo&feature=related



Pat Dougherty, the Bollettieri Camp "Serve Doctor" also knows his stuff about forehands. As an alternative to keeping your "usual" swing path, but elevated, you can employ a "windshield wiper" forehand that will have less power, but likely more consistency. This will allow you to control your opponents powerful stroke:
Forehand Leverage, Contact Zone and Alignment to the Ball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqhHdmqSPQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?=SZqhHdmqSPQ

Will Hamilton of Fuzzy Yellow Balls describes how to hit a windshield wiper forehand:
Windshield Wiper Forehand Progressions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoYaPLPBCzA&feature=relmfu



So it is really useful to have both forehands at your disposal.
When your opponent is creaming the ball, you can relatively easily keep returning the ball back deep with spin by using your windshield wiper forehand.
When you have a chance to really blast a winning or forcing shot yourself, use your usual forehand, but on the high balls be sure to really load with proper rotation and weight on your right leg, then use a powerful leg push off, even getting some elevation, and just destroy that ball:

"
- http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6525380

 

[boramiNYC]

I use eastern grip and with some practice high balls are no problem. Prepare racquet high up. Near or above the head. And DO NOT turn sideway much at all. Open stance is best and keep contact point in front and right of you high up where the ball is. Finish lower than contact point to the side. This should create more side spin than topspin. During contact your shoulder could be elevated if the ball is high but be careful not to lift the shoulder unnecessarily. And compared to balls you hit normally on the side, you have to get closer to the ball (but below it) since the contact point follows a circular arc with the center of the circle as shoulder.

 

[Wuppy]

I guess I'm one of the few people here who has no set forehand grip. Mine varies continuously.

If it's a low ball, I'll switch to an Eastern or even Continental grip. If it's a high ball I'll switch to a Semi-Western or (if really high) Western grip. Everybody says that's a bad thing to do -- that you shouldn't vary your grip -- but that's how I do it.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

There are all kinds of things you can do. Most of them, however, require some extra effort and learning.

The one thing you can do that requires nothing more than the skill you have right now- is to simply not hit the balls up that high.

Move back and let the ball drop down into your prefered hitting position- then, proced to hit it with your normal stroke.

 

[donnygg]

-Start you backswing high and don't let it drop too much as you swing forward
-Contact point should be slightly further back than normal
-Leave more distance between you and the ball i.e. contact ball further away from your body than normal

 

[LuckyR]

i have eastern forehand and when trying to hit high forehands, its difficult for me, do you have any tips?

You have a lot of options, what is your style of play and what is your typical competition?

 

[Lawn Tennis]

You don't need to change your grip. You need to take the racquet back in the same method but only higher. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5zweEQSnho

 

[1HBH Rocks]

I guess I'm one of the few people here who has no set forehand grip. Mine varies continuously.

If it's a low ball, I'll switch to an Eastern or even Continental grip. If it's a high ball I'll switch to a Semi-Western or (if really high) Western grip. Everybody says that's a bad thing to do -- that you shouldn't vary your grip -- but that's how I do it.

Watch pros playing... they hit with extreme control and consistency. Their contact points are also extremely constant and fooling around with grips is a sure way to not be able to achieve that sort of consistency while maintaining an appreciable level of power.