As much about leg work as it is about arm work, tennis is a sport that requires the whole body to work in sync with itself. Different shots, such as volleys or forehands, need the legs to be in different positions. This is why tennis truly is a whole body workout as well as an intense cardio game.

When it comes to the forehand, the most popular and highly played shot in a game of tennis, there are two ways to approach the ball. These are the open stance and the closed stance. These stances are very much about where the feet are placed when you are preparing your body to hit the shot and also where the position of the feet are in the follow through.

There are pros and cons of the open stance and the closed stance, but at some point throughout games both need to put into action. Here we will explore what these stances are and what benefits and disadvantages come with each.

The open stance

A predominant feature of modern tennis, the open stance is when the feet are aligned parallel to the net. The toes can be facing the net or pointing to the side in this position. This is one of Maria Sharapova’s signature moves. As the trunk and shoulders are turned outwards for this move, there is maximum movement for backswing.

A key advantage to the open stance is that a full follow through is facilitated and the torso is able to uncoil completely. There is less time needed to get into this position, making it more flexible on the court. However, there isn’t always a large scope for weight transfer and to maintain the balance once in position which can be a downfall.

The closed stance

The main feature of the closed stance is that the feet and the body are turned sideways to the net. The closed stance was historically the way to hit all ground strokes, but now it is used in conjunction with other stances on the court.

There are certain advantages to the closed stance, such as ensuring you have a complete and full shoulder rotation when impacting the ball. A considerable downfall to the closed stance is that there sometimes isn’t enough time to position the body properly and have total follow through impact for the shot.

Is there a correct way to hit the open or closed stance? When should we use them respectively? Ask our tennis coaches in Singapore now!