Grip Basics

It's probably a good idea to add to your knowledge a basic understanding of the grips used on the forehand and backhand groundstrokes, as well as the serve, volley and overhead.

It's important to begin by understanding that there is no one, correct grip or type of stroke, or even one that is universally accepted as the "best" grip.

An understanding of what grips go with what strokes, and the best combination of grip/contact point and stance is a good place to begin.

The following information is using a right-handed player as the model. Simply reverse the information for left-handed players.

The easiest way to remember grips is to use the knuckle of the index finger as a reference point. Depending on which bevel of a racquet's grip the knuckle rests, that is which grip the player is using.

Diagram courtesy USTA's Coaching Tennis Successfully

Forehand Grips

Continental Grip
Using the numbers on the bevels of the grip shown in above, a player who places the knuckle of their index figure on the second bevel (#2) would have a Continental grip.

This grip is most often recommended for the volley because teachers feel that because of their proximity to the net, players have less time to change grips. German Tennis Federation research belies this, however, and they (and others) recommend switching grips in order to provide more power and control to volleys.

The Continental is the grip a player should hold when in the ready position, because it is neutral (not a forehand or backhand grip) and allows a player to quickly change to either side for a forehand or backhand.

Using a Continental grip for a forehand provides a comfortable, yet less-stable, less-powerful grip, and places the elbow in an unnatural position. A Continental grip requires a contact point closer to the body than other grips.

Eastern Grip
When the knuckle rests on the side of the grip (bevel #3), the player is using an Eastern forehand grip. This grip puts more hand behind the racquet handle and increases stability and power. An Eastern grip closes the face of the racquet slightly and provides more topspin. The Eastern grip can be hit a bit farther from the body, and is effective when used with a more open stance.

Semi-Western Grip
When the knuckle is placed on the bevel below and on the right side of the grip (bevel #4), this is a Semi-Western grip. This grip is popular with baseliners who hit lots of topspin because it closes the face of the racquet even more, gets more hand behind the grip for more power and provides a contact point much farther out front. This grip is often used in conjunction with a semi-open or open stance.

Western Grip
This grip is made when the knuckle is placed on the very bottom bevel (#5) and is the most extreme of all grips. This grip provides maximum topspin and power. The Western Grip requires contact point to be even farther out in front, and is best used with an open stance.

While the Semi-Western and Western grips provide more power and topspin because of their contact points and the fact that they close the racquet face so much, they are difficult to use when hitting short, low-bouncing balls. So much so, in fact, that hitting short, low-bouncing balls (especially using slice) is a common tactic used against players with these grips.

These grips are also not conducive to efficient serving, volleying, hitting slice or hitting overheads, and opponents may also take advantage of this.

If you have the coordination, power and footspeed to use these grip and stance combinations to generate massive power and spin, you may be able to keep most opponents so under pressure that this outweighs the shortcomings.

Most coaches fall into one of two camps these days when it comes to competitive players, recommending either a closed stance with an Eastern Grip, or a semi-open stance with an Eastern or Semi-Western grip.

Again, there is no right or wrong answer here, and the true test of any stroke or grip is still: can the player hit the ball where they want it, when they want it, with pace and without causing a repetitive stress injury?

Backhand Grips

One-Handed Backhand
Placing the knuckle on the top bevel (#1) produces an Eastern backhand grip and is the most widely-recommended backhand grip for one handers.

This grip provides a longer reach than a two-handed grip, and the slightly closed grip is conducive to more topspin.

High bouncing balls, however, are much more difficult to play with this grip.

Two-Handed Backhand
There a number of combinations which can be used for the two handed backhand, depending on the player's style of play and whether or not your player's left or right hand is dominant for this shot.

One combination includes a Continental on the lead (right) hand, with an Eastern forehand grip for the trailing (left).

This allows the player the power and topspin associated with a forehand (for a left-hand dominant player) while in a two-handed stroke, but allows the player to hit a slice passing shot or defensive (slice) lob if the player is pulled wide and must hit a one-handed (defensive) shot with the right hand only.

This grip is conducive to the more modern, left-arm dominant backhand, where the ball is hit at shoulder or eye level. Some players prefer to make contact closer to the body, while others use a more baseball-like swing and contact point.

The original two-handed backhand, favored by Evert, for example, used an Eastern/Eastern combination, and was hit much lower and closer to the body. In this backhand, the right arm is the more dominant of the two.