Tennis Strokes 101: Mastering the Art for On-Court Success

If you’re an adult player sitting somewhere between advanced beginner and solid intermediate, your tennis strokes are everything. They’re the foundation of your game. The part that either allows you to relax into tennis and enjoy it — or keeps you stuck, frustrated, and second-guessing every swing.

Your forehand, backhand, volleys, overhead, and serve aren’t just technical pieces of the game. They’re how you connect to tennis long-term. When your strokes start to make sense, the game opens up. Rallies get longer. Confidence grows. You stop feeling rushed. And tennis starts to feel like something you belong in — not something you’re chasing.

This stage of development matters more than most adults realize. It’s where habits get locked in. It’s where players either build a game they can keep improving for years… or one that caps out early.

At Costa del Tennis, we work exclusively with adults who are invested in improving — not beginners dabbling, and not juniors chasing rankings. Adults with real lives, real schedules, past sports experience, and sometimes old injuries. That context matters. How much time you can train. How athletic you are. How you learn. What your body can handle. All of that shapes how your strokes should be built.

Our job isn’t to force you into a “modern” or “old-school” style. Most adults come back to tennis with remnants of how they played years ago — and that’s completely fine. What matters is getting you playing confidently, rallying sooner, and building strokes that hold up under pressure.

Small groups and low court ratios allow us to actually see you — what you do well, what breaks down, and what’s holding you back. From there, we help you build a game that’s yours. One you can take home, walk onto your local courts, and play without overthinking.

Where Adults Can Properly Build Their Tennis Strokes in Spain

We now run adult coaching tennis programs exclusively in Mallorca, Marbella, and Andalucía — locations that consistently attract adult players serious about improving their game in the right environment.

In Mallorca, players train on European red clay in a culture that genuinely understands tennis. The slower surface gives adults time to feel contact, work on depth, and develop consistency without overloading the body. It’s an ideal setting for refining strokes and building confidence through repetition.

In Marbella and Andalucía, the focus is on high-quality outdoor training, small groups, and structured coaching that respects adult learning curves. These locations attract club-level and intermediate-advanced adults who want focused training without the chaos of big academies or mismatched levels.

Across all locations, the goal is the same:
give adults the space, coaching, and repetition needed to build reliable strokes — not just hit balls.

Tennis improvement doesn’t come from volume alone. It comes from the right repetitions, at the right level, with coaches who understand adult players and know when to adjust — and when to simplify.

Tennis Strokes: Your grip on success

Forehand: Finding power in the eastern grip

Your forehand is the cornerstone of a solid tennis game. With the Eastern grip, where the base knuckle of the index finger and the heel pad rest on the third bevel, you can generate both power and control. Practicing a smooth, fluid & long swing with this grip builds confidence and depth into the other side of the court. Try shadowing the motion at home or on the court, gradually incorporating the grip to enhance muscle memory. Take this tennis stroke very seriously and focus on your contact point here because you’re going to hit this tennis stroke more than 70% of your time on court.

If you want a deeper breakdown of how we actually rebuild this stroke step-by-step with adult players, here’s how we approach mastering the forehand fundamentals.

Two-Handed Backhand: Double the Grip, Double the precision

For the two-handed backhand, your grip is crucial. Place the dominant hand in a Continental grip and the non-dominant hand in an Eastern or Semi-Western grip. This combination allows for a stable yet flexible stroke. Developing confidence in this stroke involves consistent practice with both hands working in harmony. While you finish your tennis stroke around the body on the opposite shoulder.

At our adult tennis camps in Spain and Portugal, we emphasize personalized coaching to perfect this essential shot.

Volleys: Mastering the Continental Grip

Volleys are all about finesse, and the Continental grip is your go-to. With the heel pad resting on the third bevel, this grip ensures precise placement. Confidence comes from repetitive live & dead ball drills. Practice quick reactions and controlled volleys at the net. Remember to squeeze the handle when making contact and keep that wrist upwards so your ready position has your racket above the net. You want to be aggressive up here at net or the ball WILL pass you by.

Overhead: Reaching New Heights with the Hammer Grip (continental)

The overhead smash demands a solid grip, and the Hammer grip is just that. Hold the racket like you're gripping a hammer for optimal power. Confidence in this stroke grows through targeted drills, focusing on timing and positioning.

Serve: Serving Confidence with the Continental Grip

The serve is your first impression on the court, and the Continental grip sets the tone. Proper finger placement on the third bevel ensures a versatile and controlled serve. Confidence in serving comes from repetition and precision.

Adults who want the space, coaching, and repetition to build reliable tennis strokes can explore our adult tennis coaching programs in Spain, where training is organized by playing level and kept intentionally small.”