Have you ever felt like you had an advantage over your opponent on the tennis court because of your different grip? Or maybe you are just trying to find a different type of grip that feels more natural for you. Either way, this article is for you! We will be discussing different types of grips and what they are best suited for in order to help make your game better.
Backhand vs. Forehand Tennis Grips
The first difference between grips to discuss is backhand vs. forehand grips. These are different because each one requires a certain way for your hand and fingers to hold onto the racket. With the backhand grips, you position your hand to facilitate movement for taking shots on the backhand side of your body. With forehand grips, the opposite is true: you position your hand to hit shots on the forehand side of your body.
Types of Backhand Grips in Tennis
The Continental Grip
This grip is different in that it uses the fingers to hold onto the racket. The palm of your hand should be relaxed and flat in order for this grip to work best. This type of grip works well when you want a lot of control over shots, especially with slice backhands because it allows you to hit low shots more easily.
The Western Grip
This grip is different in that it uses the palm of your hand to hold onto the racket, as opposed to using your fingers like with a continental grip. This type of grip works well for hitting shots on both sides because it gives you more power and control without sacrificing too much accuracy or spin capability. However, it can be more difficult to hit a slice backhand with this grip.
Types of Forehand Grips in Tennis
The Eastern Grip
This type of tennis grip is different because it uses the fingers and palm of your hand to hold on instead of creating different angles for hitting shots on either side. This grip works well when you want more control over your shots, especially with topspin forehands. However, you will sacrifice some power and accuracy when using this grip so it is not best for all situations.
The Semi-Western Grip
This type of grip allows your palm to be more vertical than with an eastern grip but less vertical than with a western one. This means that this grip is different because you get a good amount of spin capability while also maintaining some power. This is not the best grip for hitting slice shots but it can be used to hit flat shots on either side with ease.
While this is not a comprehensive list of tennis grip types, it is a primer on the most common ones to use. For more information on how variables can affect your game, read: How Court Surface Affects Your Tennis Game. And for assistance in building and maintaining your courts, speak to Talbot Tennis, your tennis court contracts in South Carolina.