Tennis Training

A mere glance at the pro game will tell you that there's more than one way to crush a forehand. Roger Federer's approach is almost classical, with its smooth swing and old-school grip. Rafael Nadal’s forehand won’t be found in a textbook, but it hardly ever misses. Whether you hit your forehand from an open or closed stance, or use an Eastern or full Western grip, like the one shown here, you must be one thing when you swing: very, very loose. Jimmy Arias, whose forehand brought him to No. 5 in the world rankings, says this is something his father stressed from the time Arias was a child.