The way you hold the tennis racket is called the tennis grip. There is a very significant amount of importance attached to the tennis grips of the racket. The spin of the ball has a direct connection to the grip of your hand on the racket.
There are various tennis racket grips that are used for specific shots. The grip has an enormous effect on how the ball behaves when you hit it. Obviously, no tennis racket grip is better than the other one. It’s the choice of the player how he holds the racket and what shots does he play.
In this blog post, we will discuss the salient features of all types of tennis grip. So, it will be easier for you to go through the different types of grips and choose the one that fits your taste and playing style.
Along with tennis grips, your footwork is also very important in your tennis game. So make sure to have the perfect tennis shoes for your feet. In case of any foot problem like bunions or plantar fasciitis, do not forget to choose the right tennis shoes for a bunion or the right tennis shoes for plantar fasciitis to enjoy game on court.
Before going into the details of the grips, you should know the essential terms.
Octagonal Handle
The grip of the tennis racket has eight sides (Octa means eight). This octagonal shape helps you to firmly hold the tennis racket without hurting the hand.
Bevels
Each side of the octagonal grip is called a bevel. They are numbered from 1 to 8.
Bevel Number
When you hold the tennis racket perpendicular to the ground, the first bevel from the left side is the bevel number 1.
If you are a leftie, you can reverse the numbering.
Table of Contents
- Different Types of Tennis Grips
- 1. Continental Tennis Grip – Tennis Grip For Beginners
- 2. Eastern Forehand Tennis Grip – Eastern Grip in Tennis
- 3. Eastern Backhand Tennis Grip
- 4. Western Tennis Grip
- 5. Semi Western Tennis Grip
- 6. Double Handed Backhand Tennis Grip
- The Evolution of Forehand Tennis Grip
- The Evolution of Backhand Tennis Grips
- Tennis Grip For Kick Serve
- Tennis Grips For Beginners
- Final Words
- Tennis Grips – FAQ | Frequently Ask Questions
- Related Posts:
Different Types of Tennis Grips
There are various types of tennis grips that influence the behavior of the ball and the playing style of the tennis player. Some of the tennis grips are popular, while others are not so.
- Continental Grip
- Eastern Forehand Grip
- Eastern Backhand Grip
- Western Grip
- Semi-Western Grip
- Double Handed Backhand Grip
1. Continental Tennis Grip – Tennis Grip For Beginners
The continental grip(also called the hammer grip or the chopper grip) is a trendy tennis grip style. Continental grip tennis is the jack of all trades. You can use the continental grip for serves, volleys, slices, and even for the defensive shots. Since you have the ability to play various shots with the continental grip, you don’t have to change grips between the shots.
In continental grip, you have to place the heel pad and the index knuckle on the bevel number 2. And place your thumb in such a way that it forms the “V” shape.
If you are a leftie, then you place your index knuckle and the heel pad on bevel number 4 and form the same “V” shape.
- You can play a variety of shots without changing the grip.
- You don’t need to change the grip between the shots.
- It is the easiest tennis grip to master.
- This grip helps you to put powerful shots.
- It is hard to put topspin on the ball using the continental grip tennis.
2. Eastern Forehand Tennis Grip – Eastern Grip in Tennis
The eastern forehand grip is used for flat and speedy shots. The main reason for using the eastern forehand grip is the ease of switching between tennis forehand grip. You can easily shift between the eastern forehand grip and the continental grip tennis.
The shots hit with the eastern forehand grip always sit just below the waistline. The close proximity of the bevels allows for shifting between the continental and the eastern forehand grip easily. Although the eastern forehand grip is not as popular as it used to be. But still, it’s on the popular end.
In eastern forehand grip, you place your heel pad and index knuckle on the bevel number 3. You can also achieve the eastern forehand grip by sliding your hand down the tennis racket and put your hand flat against the strings.
- It allows easy transition between the eastern forehand grip and the continental grip.
- Great grip for attacking the net.
- It is very easy to use the eastern forehand grip.
- Produces flat and speedy shots at the waist level.
- Adds some topspin to the ball.
- It generates very little topspin.
- It provides very little control over the high balls.
3. Eastern Backhand Tennis Grip
The eastern backhand grip provides excellent topspin and control over the ball simultaneously. This grip is more versatile and can be a perfect fit if you use the western grip with it. The transition between the eastern backhand grip and the western grip is seamless.
The eastern backhand grip is known for its stability and spin. If you want to achieve a proper eastern backhand grip, place your index knuckle and the heel pad on the bevel number one as it forms the “V” shape.
- It can be used for kick serve.
- It provides great versatility between the western grip.
- Eastern grip provides excellent control over the ball.
- It gives the ball the extra topspin.
- It is difficult to play shots above the waistline.
4. Western Tennis Grip
The western grip is the most difficult to master grip on our list of tennis grips. The western grip provides the maximum amount of topspin to the ball. It is very difficult to play with the western grip consistently. Therefore it is not widely used.
Since this grip provides the maximum amount of topspin, therefore, it is the grip of choice for many professional players around the globe.
This grip is very complicated and hard to master than the traditional continental grip. It’s not the way an amateur player will hold the racket.
To achieve the full western grip, place your index knuckle and the heel pad on the bevel number 5.
- The western grip provides an enormous amount of topspin to the tennis ball.
- You have excellent control over the ball in the western grip.
- The ball bounces high that makes it difficult for the opponent to return a good shot.
- Hard to transition to and from the western grip.
- Difficult to return the low bounce shots.
5. Semi Western Tennis Grip
The semi-western grip is on a high rise due to the destructive amount of power and topspin it produces. If you can master this grip, it will provide you with a clear advantage in the game. This grip allows you to hit the ball with full power, and still, it resides in the fair play area.
Semi western is the modern-day grip and provides you a very strong grip of the ball. In fact, it’s the ideal grip for the tennis ball. If you want to dominate the game field, you have to have a stronghold on the semi-western grip.
Place your index knuckle on the bevel number 4 to have the semi-western grip.
- It provides excellent control over the ball.
- The semi-western grip provides both power and topspin to the ball.
- It is a little bit difficult to hit low balls
6. Double Handed Backhand Tennis Grip
The double-handed backhand grip also called two-handed backhand grip is a very common grip for tennis players. It is mostly preferred by absolute beginners due to the precision and power provided by this grip. This grip provides ultimate stability and power to the tennis shots.
There are various combinations you can use to apply the double-handed backhand grip. The most common and effective way of obtaining the double-handed backhand grip is to place your index knuckle and the heel pad on the bevel number 2 as you are holding the racket in the continental grip. And place your left hand on the eastern forehand grip position, higher on the racket handle.
In this double-handed grip, the right-hand plays its role just for the support purpose, and your left hand is used for playing the actual shots.
If you want to achieve the next level of game using the double-handed backhand grip, we will advise you to practice with your non-dominant hand only. In this way, the non-dominant hand will become much more efficient, and you will have better control and power attached to your shots.
- Easier to start with.
- It provides excellent control over the ball.
- It can provide an immense amount of power and topspin.
- Great for the low shots.
- Makes hard to play wide-angle shots.
{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "VideoObject", "description": "Click the time codes below to jump to any stroke you’d like to master grips on: Forehand - 1:41 One-Handed Backhand - 3:32 Two-Handed Backhand - 5:10 Serve - 10:01 Volley - 11:40 Overhead - 14:08 Slice - 17:21 Dropshot - 19:04 Which grip you use in tennis either sets you up for success or failure from the very beginning! That’s why we’ve create this ultimate guide to tennis grips. We explain EVERY stroke in detail including which grips work well, which do not, and which we officially recommend for our students. Plus you’ll learn the differences between the continental, eastern forehand, semi-western, full western, eastern backhand, and semi-western backhand grips so you’ll know exactly which one you have. If you’d like detailed, step by step coaching on how to improve EVERY part of your game be sure.", "name": "STOP using the wrong tennis grip!", "thumbnailUrl": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gMlnI9Sqll8/default.jpg", "uploadDate": "2019-08-14T21:53:58.000Z", "duration": "PT22M58S", "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/gMlnI9Sqll8", "interactionCount": "55966" }{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ItemList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Continental Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#1_Continental_Tennis_Grip" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Eastern Forehand Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#2_Eastern_Forehand_Tennis_Grip" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eastern Backhand Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#3_Eastern_Backhand_Tennis_Grip" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Western Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#4_Western_Tennis_Grip" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Semi Western Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#5_Semi_Western_Tennis_Grip" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "name": "Double Handed Backhand Tennis Grip", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/tennis-grips/#6_Double_Handed_Backhand_Tennis_Grip" } ] }
The Evolution of Forehand Tennis Grip
The way you hold the racket in tennis forehand has a huge impact on the power, stability, and topspin of the shot. Thus, tennis grips play a very vital role in the game.
Western Forehand grip was a widely popular tennis forehand grip at the starting of the 20th century. A lot of top players used the western tennis forehand grip as their signature grip. Then the popularity of the western forehand grip declined massively. Then due to the changes in the tennis game, the western forehand grip became popular once again and is used by many modern players around the globe.
The continental grip is the most widely used tennis forehand grip. It is mainly used to serve and volley. The eastern forehand grip is used to hit flat shots that are more powerful.
The semi-western grip is the king of all the tennis forehand grip. It provides a premium blend of power and topspin. This makes it a versatile grip. Moreover, it is very easy to shift to and from the semi-western grip.
The Evolution of Backhand Tennis Grips
The backhand tennis grips can be executed with single or double hands. This totally depends upon the choice of the player. The majority of the women play tennis backhand grip with double hands. Men’s side is not too opposite. Seventy-five percent of the men play tennis backhand grip with double hands too.
In the 20th century, the vast majority of the players used to play the backhand grips with one hand. This concept is naive in modern-day tennis, and almost all the players play the backhand grips with double hands.
The two-handed backhand grip is the most commonly used backhand grip. There are many advantages of using a double-hand backhand grip. It is effortless to master, and provides a lot of power and topspin to the ball.
Tennis Grip For Kick Serve
Well, there is not single tennis serve grip used for the serve. There is a lot of tennis serve grips that you can use for serving a purpose. This totally depends upon the player and his choices. There are different grips used for different types of serves.
In the professional leagues, players use the eastern backhand grips for topspin serve. The server stands at an angle to the baseline and then makes the contact of the racket squarely on the ball.
The continental grip is used for the slice serve. The server tosses the ball on the front side at the width of 6 inches roughly from his right shoulder. Then he hits the ball to impart spin.
For the right-handed opponent players, the slice serves cuts to the left side, making it difficult for the opponent player to give a good reaction shot.
There are three types of topspin shots, and every kind of these shots is played with a different grip. Mostly, the topspin serve is served using the eastern backhand grip. The ball is thrown into the air, and then when it drops down to the legs area, the server hits the shot.
All the serve techniques use different tennis grips. But if you want to stick with one tennis grip for the service purpose. You can try out the continental grip. This tennis grip is versatile and can be used for almost all the different types of serves.
We would definitely recommend you to start the serve with the continental grip. When you master the continental grip, then you can move on to the other tennis grips for service purposes.
Tennis Grips For Beginners
Tennis grips are a crucial factor that can significantly impact a player’s performance. It can be overwhelming for beginners to choose the right grip, as there are several options available in the market. The two most common tennis grips for beginners are the Eastern forehand grip and the Continental backhand grip. The Eastern forehand grip is suitable for players who prefer hitting forehands with topspin, while the Continental backhand grip is ideal for those who prefer hitting backhands with slice or topspin. Experimenting with different grips can help beginners determine the most comfortable and effective grip for their playing style. Selecting the right grip can improve technique, prevent injury, and enhance overall performance.
Final Words
Tennis grips play a very crucial role in shot power and topspin. Different types of grips support various tennis shots. There cannot be a perfect grip for everyone. You should try all the tennis grips one by one for a limited time and check out what works best for you.
It’s understood that one grip is not enough for serious players. Therefore, you should try to master one grip at a time and then move on to other grips.
For the service, choose a grip that provides excellent power and topspin to the ball. We will advise you to try your hands on the continental grip.
Tell us in the comments section below, what do you think of different tennis grips and what works out best for you.
Tennis Grips – FAQ | Frequently Ask Questions
Q: What grip should I use for tennis?
Ans: There is a very important role of tennis grip in tennis serve and topspin. No grip is perfect for every person. You can check all grips one by one and then select which grip is perfect for you not rely on one grip. Just select anyone and keep practicing on it until get expertise on it then try other grips.
Q: What is the best tennis grip?
Ans: All tennis grips are important and have their role in tennis serve. You should try all of them and then select the best one for you. However, here we recommend you to select continental grip as it delivers power and topspin to the ball during service.
Q: What is the best forehand grip in tennis?
Ans: The most commonly used forehand grip is the Eastern forehand grip. It is used for flat and speedy shots. By using this grip, you can easily switch between tennis forehand grips like eastern forehand grip and continental grip.
Q: What are the different tennis grips?
Ans: Below is the most popular tennis grips.
- Continental Grip
- Eastern Forehand Grip
- Eastern Backhand Grip
- Western Grip
- Semi-Western Grip
- Double Handed Backhand Grip
Q: What is the most common tennis grip?
Ans: The most common tennis grip is Eastern Forehand Grip. Its best for serving as it produces power and speed to your shorts. You can adapt it very easily and meanwhile easily transferable to the continental grip.
Q: What is the continental grip in tennis?
Ans: Continental grip also called hammer grip. It’s the easiest tennis grip that not only provides power to your shorts but also allows you to play a great variety of shorts. You can easily play different shorts without changing the tennis grip between the shorts.
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What grip should I use for tennis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: There is a very important role of tennis grip in tennis serve and topspin. No grip is perfect for every person. You can check all grips one by one and then select which grip is perfect for you not relay on one grip. Just select any one and keeping practicing on it until get expertise on it then try other grips."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What is the best tennis grip?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: All tennis grips are important and have their role in tennis serve. You should try all of them and then select the best one for you. However, here we recommend you to select continental grip as it deliver power and topspin to ball during service."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What is the best forehand grip in tennis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: The most commonly used forehand grip is Eastern forehand grip. It used for flat and speedy shots. By using this grip, you can easily switch between tennis forehand grip like eastern forehand grip and continental grip."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What are the different tennis grips?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: Below are the most popular tennis grips.\n\nContinental Grip\nEastern Forehand Grip\nEastern Backhand Grip\nWestern Grip\nSemi-Western Grip\nDouble Handed Backhand Grip"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What is the most common tennis grip?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: The most common tennis grip is Eastern Forehand Grip. Its best for serving as it produces power and speed to your shorts. You can adopt it very easily and meanwhile easily transferable to the continental grip."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Q: What is the continental grip in tennis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ans: Continental grip also called hammer grip. It’s the easiest tennis grip that not only provides power to your shorts but also allow you to play great verity of shorts. You can easily play different shorts without changing tennis grip between the shorts."}}]} { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "description": "The way you hold the tennis racket is called the tennis grip. Along with tennis shoes there is a very significant amount of importance attached to the tennis grips of the racket. The spin of the ball has a direct connection to the grip of your hand on the racket.\nThere are various tennis racket grips that are used for specific shots. The grip has an enormous effect on how the ball behaves when you hit it. Obviously, no tennis racket grip is better than the other one. It’s the choice of the player how he holds the racket and what shots does he play.\nIn this blog post, we will discuss the salient features of each type of tennis grip. So, it will be easier for you to go through the different types of grips and choose the one that fits your taste and playing style.", "datePublished": "2020-02-09", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "https://besttennisreviews.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Best-Tennis-Shoes-ever.jpg" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://google.com/article" }, "headline": "Tennis Grips", "image": [ "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Tennis-Grip.jpg.webp", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tennis-Grips.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/continental-grip-e1581264408459.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Eastern-Forehand-grip-e1581264544654.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/eastern-backhand-grip-e1581264665781.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/western-grip-e1581264790833.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/semi-western-grip-e1581264970789.jpg", "https://besttennisreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/double-handed-backhand-grip-e1581265108811.jpg" ], "dateModified": "2022-03-30", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stan Kozin" } }
