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Last Modified: 8/19/2008 8:36:03 AM

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's Forehand

A relaxed, efficient motion makes this Frenchmans forehand one of the most lethal weapons in the game. By Paul Roetert
Photos by David Kenas

1. Tsonga moves so well that his footwork often looks casual, but he wastes no time preparing for this wide forehand. He has excellent balance and a strong shoulder turn aided by his left hand, which he brings back with his racquet. Tsongas eyes focus on the ball. He uses a semi-Western grip, and with his take-back above his shoulders, hell produce a loop that will help him create topspin. 2. With his wide stance, Tsonga keeps his center of gravity low. From this position, he can use his legs to push forward into the shot. You can see that Tsonga has more upper-body rotation than hip rotation (if you were to draw a line down from his left shoulder, it would bisect his legs). All great forehands have this in common. I sometimes see as much as 20 degrees more rotation in the upper body compared with the hips. The palm of Tsongas racquet hand faces down toward the court. This relaxes the rotator cuff muscles and allows for a more fluid swing. 3. Here, Tsonga initiates his forward swing and begins to release the energy he has stored by uncoiling his upper body. You can see that his right heel is off the ground, signaling that his weight is shifting forward. To clear his left arm from the path of the ball, Tsonga brings it closer to his body. This is similar to what figure skaters do when they spin. By tucking his left arm in tight to his body, Tsonga can rotate more quickly.

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11/11/2008

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4. Its an instant before contact and Tsonga is in perfect position. His torso has uncoiled completely and now faces the net. His right foot points down because he has pushed off and exploded into the ball. The energy in both his lower and upper body have been transferred to the racquet arm, which swings efficiently toward the ball. Notice how close Tsongas left arm is to his side. With the arm out of the way, his upper body can continue rotating as he hits through the ball. 5. Tsonga generates such racquet-head speed that he propels himself into the air. As the ball heads down the line, the position of his hitting elbow is excellent: It points forward and away from the body and indicates that hes following through properly toward his target before wrapping his arm around his body. As Tsongas left leg and body move into the court, his right leg, which has pushed off the ground, naturally moves backward to help him maintain balance. 6. This is a typical finish to the modern forehand. Tsongas weight rests entirely on his left foot and the racquet head wraps around his body below shoulder level. What impresses me most is how well prepared Tsonga is to hit the next shot. Hes balanced and his momentum is forward and slightly to the left, back toward the center of the court. No doubt hes ready to punish another forehand.
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http://www.tennis.com/print.aspx?id=142180

11/11/2008