The Forehand Return

All time great players are also great returners.

Returning well is essential in the game of tennis. With a good return a player has a chance to win every match, even against the best servers. It is not an accident that so many great returners are also on the list of the all time greats.

Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi are often considered the best returners ever. But Pete Sampras, who was known for his great serve, was totally underrated as a returner. A player can’t win 14 Grand Slams without having a great return.

In the present game, Federer has an exceptional return. His ability to counter the big servers is phenomenal. Nadal, in my opinion, will reach the level of Connors and Agassi by the end of his career. Without their return games, neither Federer nor Nadal would be where they are today.

Is it better to learn to block or swing?

To me, there are two important distinctions that every player needs to understand to become a better returner. The first distinction is between blocking and swinging.

The other distinction is between the swings on a return and the swings on a regular ground stroke. In this…