In the game of tennis, there are eight basic shots:
Each of these shots is made by using a racquet to strike the ball with the intent to hit the ball over the net. Therefore, tennis shots are named when they are struck, or because of how they are struck.
A serve shot is undertaken to begin the point. The overhead serve is the most common serve. When undertaking this shot, the ball is tossed into the air over the server’s head. The server stretches out their arm completely and hits the ball into the opposite service box in a diagonal direction without allowing the ball to touch the net. A flat, a top-spin, an American twist, or a slice, are some of the different serves that can be used. A serve can sometimes be severely sliced, which is referred to as the sidespin. The serve is used by many players in order to initiate the point, whilst some players attempt to hit a winning shot with their serve. A winning serve that is not touched by the opponent is referred to as an ace.
The forehand is a shot that can be used in other racquet sports such as table tennis, squash, and badminton. This shot is achieved by swinging the racquet across the body in the direction of where the player requires the ball to land. A right-handed player using the forehand shot would begin on the right side of the body and continue across the body as contact is made with the ball, and finish on the left side of the body. The forehand is the easiest shot to master in tennis, as it is the most natural stroke. Both beginners and advanced players generally have a better forehand than any other shot.
Most forehands are hit with topspin as this helps to keep the ball from landing outside the court. If a player is undertaking an approach shot, they can opt to hit the ball with backspin, which is also referred to as a slice.
The main strategy for players is to build on their forehand shots. A point is set up until they have a good chance of striking a powerful forehand in order to win the point.
The backhand is struck from the non-dominant side of the body. This is done by bringing the racquet across the body and swinging the racquet away from the body in the direction of where the player wants the ball to go. This shot is generally considered more difficult to master than the forehand.

