There are 6 main shots that a player in tennis can use to gain points. These include:
Something that is vital to a player's success in tennis is their grip. It is a way of holding the racket during shots, and even the slightest shift can change the angle of the racket face. This can lead to a change in where the ball lands on the court. The main grips are: continental (generally used for serves and volleys), eastern (generally used for backhands), and western (generally used for forehands). Most players change their grip during a match depending on the shot they are going to hit.
Forehands are the strokes most used by players. For right-handed players, it starts on the right side of the body, crosses across it as it makes contact with the ball, and ends on the left side of the body (generally over the shoulder). Various players may use different grips, however, most modern players use the western grip. These shots are mostly hit one-handed, although various players have used two hands before.
Backhands, for right-handed players, start at the left side of the body, moves across it when hitting a ball, and end on the right side of the body. It can be played with either both hands or just one, and most find it harder to master than the forehand. Two hands allow for more control and using one hand is generally for slices.
A volley is a shot that is returned at the net, and it is quite different from forehands and backhands. It is usually a stiff-handed, punch-like motion that is carefully aimed at certain parts of the opposition's court. There are three kinds: a regular volley, a swinging volley, and a half volley. A regular volley is hit from mid-air, near the net. The swinging volley is made from the air, generally while the player is moving towards the net. This is an offensive move as it gives the ball more speed than a regular volley and thus makes it harder to return. A half volley is a volley made close to the net, but on the rise from a bounce. This is made with the racket close to the ground.
The lob can be used as a defensive or offensive shot. During a lob, a player will hit a ball high and deep into the other's court. This allows the lobber to get into a better defensive position or to hit it over the opponent's head and thus, win. If the lob isn't hit deeply enough, the other player can overhead smash it.
An overhead shot is much like a lob, but can be used to return such a shot. An overhead generally has the player looking up at the ball, somewhat pointing at it with their non-dominant hand, and hitting the ball onto the opponent's court. It is similar to a serve in both grip and way of swinging.
The serve (also known as service) perhaps the most important shot of the game. It starts off a point, and if the server cannot hit a single serve, they lose the game, which could lead to them losing the set. A serve begins with the server tossing the ball into the air and hitting it, generally at the zenith of the toss. It is hit into the opposite service box on the opponents' court. If the ball hits the net but lands into the correct service box, it is called a "let" and the server reserves the ball. The players get two serves, and the second is generally less powerful than the first, with the goal of getting the ball over the net and into the correct box.
