Guide To Tennis Grips And Tennis Grip Techniques

Tennis grips such as the continental grip can define a tennis player. Regardless of if you are a beginner, amateur, or professional the grip you choose has had or will have a big influence on your individual style of play.

Furthermore, as well as the technical mumbo jumbo, check out the large array of the best tennis racket grips :-)

Grip Pages:

Common Types Of Tennis Grips

Used For: The Semi Western is used for baseline play. This tennis grip can generate a deadly combination of spin and power.

Find It: There is a very simply, and I guess, slightly unorthodox way to find the semi western. Just drop your tennis racquet on the ground... and then pick it up. Yes that's it! Assuming you picked the racquet up by the tennis grip, you will naturally be holding a semi western.

This is the tennis grip used by the majority of players on tour. It is strictly a forehand grip, there is no semi western for the backhand. When playing with a semi western grip, a player will have to hit shots with fast upward swings so as the ball passes the net.

Continental Grip.

Find it: Place your racquet so one edge of it is facing the sky and the other the ground. If you observe the grip you will notice it is actually in the shape of an octagon.

Wilson 30 Pro Overgrip

This grip is what people use to play with in the 1970s. Now it is still used for serves, overheads, and volleys. If you are a serve volleyer this will be your bread and butter grip!

Eastern Grip.

Used for: Most coaches will use this grip and it is sometimes even nicknamed "the coaches grip" :-)

Find it: Yes, another trick! Have you racquet so one edge faces upwards and the other edge faces the flaw. Next, simply shake hands with your racquet! An eastern grip is a handshake grip.

People who play recreationally will tend to have this grip to. Of course, some professionals as well... but they are definitely minority. The eastern grip doesn't allow much top spin, for todays game. In the past this grip was more common.

However now, it tends to provide that "easy ball" that comes at a mediocre pace, with not too much spin that it pushes you back, but enough spin that it bounces up to a nice height. Therefore, the coaches use it with beginners.

Western Grip.

Used for: Extreme spin, few people use this grip and even fewer use it on hard courts as explained below.

Find it: Have your racquet with one edge facing the sky and the other edge facing the floor (I know, I said it again!). The full western grip will place your palm on the bottom of the racquet. It is basically a continental grip, but then try and hit the ball with the other side of the racquet!

This grip is very uncomfortable, at least to the player that isn't used to it. It has severe limitations as well, because the extreme turn of the grip closes the racquet face it can be difficult to get enough lift on the ball. So, if somebody decides to play low slices to you... you are in for some tricky times.

That is why the majority of players that use this grip, which isn't a very big number, use it on clay. It is more difficult to slice low on clay court.

Buy Tennis Grips

Return to How To Play Tennis from Tennis Grips

New! Comments