The Ideal Grip to Return With

Step 1: The Ready Position

Step one to hitting the perfect return is the ready position, which involves the way we position our body and hold the racket. The grip is crucial. Against most players, you’ll want to have your forehand grip ready at the bottom hand and, if you’re a two-hander, your backhand grip ready on the top hand. This way, with the bottom hand in an Eastern forehand grip and the top hand in a backhand grip, you can quickly adjust for forehand or backhand returns.

Two-Handed Backhand: If the serve comes to your forehand, take the top hand off and hit the return. If it comes to your backhand, slide the bottom hand into a Continental grip and hit the return.
One-Handed Backhand: Hold the forehand grip ready and use your non-hitting hand to hold the throat of the racket. This helps you quickly switch to a backhand grip if needed.

Adopt a wide, athletic stance to prepare for quick movements. Your feet should be about one and a half to two shoulder widths apart, which gives you a stable base to push off in either direction.

Step 2: The Backswing

Many players struggle with returns because their swings are too big. Instead of using your normal swing, reduce your backswing to create more time for yourself. Imagine there’s a wall behind you that prevents you from taking a big swing.

Forehand Return: Coil your upper body by turning your left shoulder, which produces a slight backswing. This allows you to meet the ball out in front with a short, controlled motion.
Backhand Return: For a two-handed backhand, coil with your right shoulder and get into a side-on position to meet the ball out in front. For a one-handed backhand, the same principle applies.

By coiling your upper body, you store energy in your trunk muscles, which you can release to generate power. This technique helps you overcome the power of fast serves.

Step 3: Footwork Patterns

Effective footwork is crucial for a strong return. Begin with a well-timed split step to position yourself for the return.

Forehand Side: After the split step, open your right foot and load this leg, then drive onto your left leg. This two-step pattern (split, right, left) helps you cover ground effectively.
Backhand Side: For both one-handed and two-handed backhands, open with your left leg after the split step, then push off with your right leg (split, left, right).

This power step provides control and balance during the return, allowing you to cover wider areas of the court.

Where to Aim Your Return

In general, aim your returns across your body line. For backhand returns, target the middle of the court or your opponent’s backhand. For forehand returns, aim for the middle of the court or your opponent’s forehand.

One effective strategy is to aim for the server’s feet, disrupting their balance as they land. If you’re taking a second serve early, move forward and take the ball on the rise, or stay back and use a bigger backswing.

The Chip Return

For chip returns, maintain a wide athletic stance and hold the Continental grip. Use a minimal backswing similar to a volley, meeting the ball out in front and chipping it back into play.

Conclusion

By following these three simple steps—mastering the ready position, reducing your backswing, and refining your footwork—you can improve your return of serve and break your opponents more often. Practice these tips and incorporate them into your game to see significant improvements.