How you prepare for a shot is very critical to the success of the swing. Early preparation is the best way to ensure a higher probability of making a successful shot. Taking your opponent into consideration is also key.

If you use a long, loopy swing against a hard hitter, you'll probably be late to every ball. By turning and preparing your backswing earlier, you allow yourself extra time to adjust your feet and step into the ball.  This weight transfer leads to a more powerful ground-stroke.

Shortening the backswing allows more time to prepare. A great way to do that is: keep your racquet in front of your chest, but turn your whole upper body sideways toward either your forehand or your backhand, so the racquet moves with you. You are more likely to use more body and less arm with a short backswing. Your body is far more powerful than your arm. As the ball travels over the net, you would then naturally take your racquet back according to how much time you have to respond and how big you want your shot to be.