Forehand Approach Shot Depth Control

The approach shot is a transition stroke—hit while moving toward the net—designed to set you up for a finishing volley. Most baseline rallies eventually feature at least one player hitting an approach shot. The depth of your approach shot determines the difficulty your opponent faces in response. Shallow approach shots give opponents time to set up and hit clean passing shots. Deep approach shots, by contrast, force opponents to pass from positions further back in the court with less time, increasing error rates. The forehand approach shot is particularly valuable because most players have stronger forehands than backhands, making forehand approach shots more reliable under pressure. Technique involves taking the ball on the rise (lower bounces result in higher net approaches), hitting with good depth toward the baseline or slightly inside the baseline, and following through toward the net. The goal is a ball that lands so deep that the opponent's passing shot recovery trajectory is steep, making it either error or pop-up vulnerable. By mastering deep forehand approach shots, you control the transition point in rallies and increase your net domination. Many break points are won or lost based on approach shot depth—a shallow approach shot gifts a passing winner; a deep approach shot forces the error.