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What grip is best for topspin?

Semi-Western Grip Semi-Western Grip The semi-wester grip falls neatly between the eastern and western and has become the most common forehand tennis grip in modern tennis because it allows for excellent topspin and quick grip changes.

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Forehand Grips

The forehand is often the more natural groundstroke for players to learn and therefore has a tendency to become a player’s favorite shot.

Let’s take a look at the different types of forehand grips.

Continental Grip

As we covered in the history of tennis grips section, the continental grip dominated the early years of competitive tennis, but it has disappeared from the modern sport as far as forehands go. Despite that, we like to share how to form it to give players context for how grips have evolved, but you’ll also use this grip for a handful of other shots as well cover later on.

Easy to handle low bouncing balls

Little to no grip change required for other shots

Disadvantages

Lack of topspin

Lower power potential

Difficulty handling high bouncing balls

How to Form a Continental Grip

To form the continental grip, place the palm side of your index finger’s bottom knuckle against the second bevel if you’re right-handed or the eighth bevel if you’re left-handed. Then, position the butt of the racquet’s handle at the base of your palm and then wrap your fingers around the handle.

Eastern Grip

The eastern forehand grip perhaps reached the peak of its popularity during the late 80s and 90s, with Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf serving as excellent examples of players who used this grip to dominate. These days, the eastern grip remains somewhat popular among tour and recreation players, but more often than not, players who appear to have an easter grip are using a slightly modified version.

Quick grip changes, ideal for serve and volley

Sufficient topspin production

Works well on faster court surfaces

Easier for beginners to learn

Disadvantages

Less topspin vs. western counterparts

Difficulty handling higher bouncing balls

Not ideal for aggressive baseline play

How to Form an Eastern Grip

To form the eastern grip, place the palm side of your index finger’s bottom knuckle against the third bevel if you’re right-handed or the seventh bevel if you’re left-handed. Then, position the butt of the racquet’s handle at the base of your palm and wrap your fingers around the handle.

Semi-Western Grip

The semi-wester grip falls neatly between the eastern and western and has become the most common forehand tennis grip in modern tennis because it allows for excellent topspin and quick grip changes. In the 90s and into the new millennium, players like Andre Agassi and Martina Hingis put the semi-western grip to work. However, these days it’s become the most prevalent grip that you’ll find used throughout the ranks, including top pros like Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.

Excellent topspin

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Quick grip changes

Ideal for baseline and all-court play

Great defense against higher bouncing balls

Works well on all court surfaces

Disadvantages

Some difficulty with low balls or shots that cause players to stretch wide outside their strike zone

How to Form a Semi-Western Grip

To form the semi-western grip, place the palm side of your index finger’s bottom knuckle against the fourth bevel if you’re right-handed or the sixth bevel if you’re left-handed. Then, position the butt of the racquet’s handle at the base of your palm and wrap your fingers around the handle.

Western Grip

The western grip is the last of the four primary forehand tennis grips, which falls a step beyond the semi-western and allows players to generate maximum topspin. The western grip exists on the pro tour, and you’ll find plenty of amateur players using – especially players from Europe where clay is a popular court surface, such as Europe and Latin America. Clay makes for the slowest court surface, and the ball bounces higher, which the topspin of more extreme grips accentuate. Although you’ll find a handful of tour-level players using, it tends to be a bit too extreme for many players. At the beginner level, it can be hard to fathom how to hit a forehand with this grip.

Maximum topspin

Works well on slower court surfaces

Ideal for baseline play

Well-suited for high bouncing balls

Disadvantages

Challenging to switch grips quickly

Difficult for beginners to learn

Hard to handle low balls or shots that cause players to stretch wide outside their strike zone

How to form a Western Grip

To form the western grip, place the palm side of your index finger’s bottom knuckle against the fifth bevel if you’re right-handed or left-handed – it’s the halfway point around the handle. Then, position the butt of the racquet’s handle at the base of your palm and wrap your fingers around the handle.

Hawaiian Grip

Last, and in this case least, the Hawaiian or extreme-western grip pops up periodically but has never seen widespread usage. In essence, it has the drawbacks of the western grip but magnified. Plus, it can be difficult for players to flatten out and drive the ball, which adds another challenging layer to the equation. Topspin is beneficial, but players need to be able to hit through their opponent periodically and put shots away to compete at higher levels of the sport.

High levels of topspin

Disadvantages

Challenging to switch grips quickly

Difficult for beginners to learn

Increased likelihood of injury

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Tough to drive the ball and play offensively

Hard to handle low balls or shots that cause players to stretch wide outside their strike zone

How to Form a Hawaiian Grip

To form the Hawaiian grip, place the palm side of your index finger’s bottom knuckle against the sixth bevel if you’re right-handed or fourth bevel if you’re left-handed. Then, position the butt of the racquet’s handle at the base of your palm and wrap your fingers around the handle.

Which Forehand Grip is The Best?

Many would argue the semi-western is the best forehand grip and be quick to dismiss all other grips in its favor. However, doing so neglects the tendencies, comfort, and preferred playing styles of each player. Therefore, players and coaches should be willing to experiment and find the grip that best aligns with the player as a whole, which may include a slight tweak or variation in many of the grips we’ve discussed. With that said, we’d encourage new players to steer clear of the continental and Hawaiian forehand grips, which will prevent the vast majority fo players from reaching their full potential. Players looking for an easy grip to start with should consider the eastern forehand grip. Once a player gets the hang of it, they can begin to experiment with the western grips to see what works best for them. It’s also worth noting that many of the best tennis players don’t rely entirely on one specific grip, and they’ll make minor adjustments on the fly to achieve the desired effect, i.e., more topspin or a flatter shot.

Injuries

There has been some study of tennis injuries that have found what appears to be a correlation with the type of grip and likelihood of injury, such as the 2016 paper titled Wrist Injuries in Tennis Players: A Narrative Review. However, while the study’s abstract seems to indicate an increase in total wrist injuries or as a percent of common injuries, it does not seem to be conclusive. Furthermore, the article seems to suggest that overuse and repetition may be the culprit, which the type of grip might amplify. With that said, we’d encourage players to listen to their bodies, allow themselves sufficient rest and recovery when needed, and, most importantly, speak with their doctor if they’re experiencing pain or discomfort while using a specific type of grip.

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