How to Hold Your Tennis Racket (4 Different Grips)

In this video we will be looking at the four grips in tennis. The Continental, Eastern, Semi-Western and Western grip. Joseph explains how we hold them, what we use them for and the pros and cons of each. 

Before diving in we must know the different bevels. By bevels we mean the edges on the handle of our rackets. This is explained in the video in greater detail. Once we are familiar with the bevels we can start to play around with the different grips.

The Continental (“Hammer”) Grip

We like to call it the “hammer” because we’re holding the racket the same way we would hold a hammer if we were trying to knock some nails.

How do we hold it? Your index knuckle should be aligned with the second bevel of your racket handle.

What do we use it for? We should be using it to hit our volleys, slice shots and serves.

Pros: Versatility - with the continental grip we can hit three different shots!

Cons: The continental grip is difficult to master so be sure to get your coach to run you through various drills with you.

Three Forehand Grips

There are three grips you can use to hit your forehand: The Eastern, Semi-Western and Western grip. Let’s check them out so we can start experimenting to find the right one for hitting our dream forehand.

The Eastern Forehand: How do we hold it? Your index knuckle should be in line with the third bevel of your racket handle. 

Pros: Makes it easier to hit flatter, harder shots and better with hitting low bouncing balls

Cons: Makes it more difficult to control higher bouncing balls.  This is because of our wrist positioning when adopting an Eastern grip for the forehand.

Suited court surface: Players with an Eastern grip will usually prefer to play on a lower bouncing surface such as grass or carpet.

The Semi-Western Forehand: How do we hold it? Your index knuckle should be aligned with the fourth bevel of your racket handle.

Pros: Versatility - allows us to hit varied shots.  Powerful flat drives or heavy brushing topsins shots are both possible with a Semi-Western grip! We also won’t have too much trouble dealing with low and high balls. 

Cons: None, really.

Suited court surface: Players with a Semi-Western grip should be able to hit their forehands comfortable on all surfaces.

The Western Forehand AKA “The Frying Pan Forehand”

We call it the “frying pan” because we’re going to be holding the racket like a frying pan if we use the Western grip. 

How do we hold it? Your index knuckle should be aligned with the fifth bevel of your racket handle.

Pros: Can generate the most amount of topspin on your shots. This is because of the brushing up motion that the Western grip facilitates.

Cons: It can feel pretty awkward trying to scoop up low bouncing balls when you are holding the grip like a frying pan.

Suited court surface: Players with a Western grip will prefer higher bouncing surfaces such as clay and hard court.

Coach’s recommendation: Still unsure about which grip you should be using for your forehand? We recommend starting out with the Semi-Western. Main reason being its versatility. You can always make changes later on. Best thing is to get on court and try out the different grips! 

Backhand Grips

For the single backhand we want to be using the Continental grip. For the two-handed backhand, use the Continental grip for your dominant hand and the Semi-Western for your non-dominant hand.

Now that you are familiar with the different types of grips, you should try to apply what you have learnt. It will not be easy trying to hit a forehand with a grip that you are not accustomed to. Do not worry too much about the results but focus instead on the proper technique first. Experiment with the various grips and find one that suits you.

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