Along with skills, mental strength, and equipment, tennis grips have always been a crucial factor in a player’s development. How and where a player holds the racket has a major impact on their overall game. In this article, we will explain the advantages and disadvantages of each grip, which shots they are used for, and which ones we recommend.
What grips are used in tennis?
In tennis, there are four main grips used to hold the racket:
Continental, Eastern, Semi-Western, and Western.
We will not focus on the Western grip, as it is an extremely exaggerated grip that is not practical for most players, and there are much better alternatives.
As you may have noticed, the handle of a tennis racket has an octagonal shape. Based on this octagon, the grips are numbered to make them easier to identify. These numbers are called bevels, and each bevel corresponds to a specific grip position.
On your racket handle, it should look something like this.
How do we hold a tennis racket?
It is very easy to get confused about how, where, and what grip to use on the racket. That is why we created an imaginary reference point on the hand to help you always hold the racket correctly. We call this point the “Imaginary Grip Line.” It connects the base of the index finger with the opposite base of the palm.
The base of the index finger is how we initially locate the grip we want and place it on the correct bevel. It is equally important that the base of the palm is also positioned on the same numbered bevel. The “Imaginary Grip Line” connects these two points, making the process much easier and more consistent.
This is how it should look when holding the racket correctly.
1. Continental grip
The Continental grip, also known as grip number 2, is the grip we want to use for all shots except the forehand. It is commonly referred to as the “hammer” grip, and we will often call it that. It is the ideal grip for the serve, slice, backhand, and volleys, but it is less effective when it comes to producing topspin on the forehand.
2. Eastern grip
The Eastern grip, or grip number 3, is ideally used only for the forehand. It may feel like a good option for serving for beginner players, but it should be avoided due to its limitations on the serve. The Eastern grip is also known as the “frying pan” grip, and we will often refer to it by that name.
3. Semi-Western grip
The Semi-Western grip, or grip number 4, is a more extreme version of the Eastern grip and allows for greater topspin production. It is the grip used by top players such as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The Semi-Western grip is typically used for the forehand, but it is inferior to the Continental grip when it comes to handling low balls.