Best Tennis Forehand Grip? Eastern vs Semi Western vs Western - Forehand Grips Explained
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- čas přidán 19. 07. 2024
- Best Tennis Forehand Grip? Eastern vs Semi Western vs Western - Forehand Grips Explained. The grip you use on your tennis forehand will determine a lot in your tennis game.Turn your forehand into a weapon with out FREE guide - www.top-tennis-training.com/f...
There are three main tennis forehand grips that you can use, the eastern tennis forehand grip, the semi-western tennis forehand grip, and the western tennis forehand grip.
Your forehand grip will build the basis of your game style in rallies.
The Foundation of All Tennis Grips
There are two main pressure points on your hand when holding a tennis racket. The base of your index knuckle and the heel pad on the palm. Where you position both of these pressure points will determine which grip you're using.
It's important to spread the hand out, over the grip, especially the index finger.
This will allow you to maneuver the racket with more ease and feel what the racket is doing.
You want to avoid holding the racket like a club, with all your fingers squashed together.
The Eight Bevels on A Tennis Racket
There are eight bevels on your tennis racket, starting with number one at the top. For right-handers, you go clockwise from 1-8, and for left-handers, you go anti-clockwise.
Each bevel is a straight line before a sharp edge that goes onto the next bevel.
Eastern Forehand Grip
If you place both your index base knuckle and heel pad on bevel three of the tennis racket, this would make an eastern forehand grip. This grip allows you to hit flatter, produce a longer contact zone, and suits a more aggressive game style.
Dealing with low and medium height balls is easy with this grip, but many players struggle to handle high balls using the eastern forehand grip.
This grip works well on faster surfaces such as grass, artificial grass, fast hard courts, carpet courts, and indoor surfaces.
Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro are two players who use the eastern forehand grip.
Semi-Western Forehand Grip
Place the heel pad and index knuckle on bevel four, this makes the semi-western forehand grip. This grip will allow you to deal with high, medium, and low balls but some players will struggle to generate power on lower balls. Ideal for players who like to mix up play, sometimes using heavy topspin and sometimes flattening out the ball.
This grip will work well on all court surfaces including grass, clay, and hard courts. Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray use the semi-western forehand grip.
Western Forehand Grip
If you place the base index knuckle and heel pad on bevel five, this makes the western forehand grip. This grip helps players produce lots of topspin since the strings are closed most of the way. The contact point has to be timed perfectly in order to make the most of this grip.
The western forehand grip suits players who play on clay and high bouncing hard courts, but you may find it hard to produce power with this grip.
Kyle Edmund and Jack Sock use the western forehand grip.
Which Tennis Forehand Grip Is the Best?
The best grip will be different for each and every player. For a more attacking game style, the semi-western or eastern would suit them more. For someone who mainly plays on clay and likes to grind, they might prefer the western forehand grip.
Which Grip Do the Pros Use?
Most ATP and WTA players use the semi-western forehand grip since it allows you to produce both heavy topspin and a flatter forehand when you need it.
Video Timeline
00:00 - Best Tennis Forehand Grip Video Intro
00:44 - Pressure Points and Tennis Racket Bevels Explained
2:21 - Your Forehand Grip Will Help or Hinder Your Gamestyle
3:13 - Eastern Forehand Grip Explained
7:01 - Semi-Western Forehand Grip Explained
9:10 - Western Forehand Grip Explained
13:08 - Which Forehand Grip Is Best?
#Tennis #TennisForehand #ForehandGrips - Sport
Download our free forehand PDF here - www.top-tennis-training.com/free-guide/
thank you coach simon, it helped a lot
@@Haazgamer p
The coaching is great but can we take a minute to talk about how good a tennis player this lad is! He's a hell of a player, can play all types of shots and it's pretty satisfying to see him lay those shots down!
Many thanks for the support
haha I was really enjoying him him on that hard court especially
I started playing with eastern grip when I was younger, but then I had problems with high balls, especially on clay so I learned to use semi-western grip. In the beggining it was pretty hard because you have to learn how to work with your wrist. But now I'm playing only semi-western and I think this is an ideal grip for modern aggresive tennis game.
The semi western is the best choice for the majority of players 👍
for me it feels harder to hit higher balls with the semiwestern grip rather than with the eastern (which is my grip).
@@Ilegatoryou have to get used to semi western first
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficialWhen ever I use semi western I use way too much too spin. Have you made a video about this?
OMG SAME. I couldn't have a medal with my eastern grip as I always lose to high strong balls when I started at 11 'til I changed to semi western at 18. If that never happened my 3 non-ranking championships (Toby's) wouldn't be possible!!!
Well done chaps. How I understand. I asked for this video 2-3 weeks ago and you did it. how absolutely marvellous of you!
Thank you for the support 👍
All the best
Simon
Awesome video, now I know why I’ve been struggling to put away short balls haha. Counterpuncher is such an accurate description for Western grips, so hard to hit flat when opponents aren’t being aggressive enough
I always used the eastern grip, i found it easier to atack with it, and i could deal well with high balls, but with the semi western i could do those return of serve winners like Djoko, but it was much harder to atack my oponent during the point, and the grip change to volley was very hard
My son, who is an advanced baseball player but only dabbles with tennis, actually discovered the secret to hitting flat with a full western grip. It involves emulating the top hand of a baseball swing for hitting the forehand, and specifically starting with a strongly flexed elbow that extends as the racquet approaches the contact zone like a pushing or punching motion -- something that real tennis players never do. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone but I just thought it was funny that he did this naturally, and it took me forever to figure out HOW (and why) he was holding the racquet in a full western grip but still hitting chest-high balls completely flat.
I'd say that most of the players that use the western have that sort of technique, bent elbow for closer contact and those high balls become easier, it is the lower balls they struggle with.
Thanks for watching,
Alex
Very comprehensive! I will be checking out your other vids. Thanks man!
Thank you for all the slo mo shots, very helpful
I've been struggling abt the pace of my shot since i've been using full western for a long time now since I was 14 when I started using full western. I haven't played tennis around 5yrs, and I'm trying to get back on track... I'll consider trying that semi western grip to add more speed and froce to my shots this time. Thanks to your video.this will help a lot.
Thank you for watching and good luck with the semi 👍
All the best
Simon
Very helpful and informative video. 👍🏽
This is an excellent video. It answered all my questions. Thank you!
Thanks for watching 👍
Thanks coach Simon. I recently switched from an Eastern to a Semi-western grip and started having wrist problems. As a recreational player, I guess I'd stick to my natural Eastern FH grip.
Thanks for watching 🙏
Are there any lessons you would like to see in 2023?
Maybe you can do a video on backhand grips? I always wondered why a lot of the pros use an eastern on their double handers while using a semi western on their forehands?
We’ll add it to the list 👍
You really hit the points. i am changing my grip from semi western to western, and have met every problem u mention in this video including struggling with low balls and hard to find the timing. But i kinda prefer western grip cuz i am just a bit short so mostly i have to deal with higher balls.
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Omg...same man
Lol... I have opposite problem... I am 6 foot 5 inches tall and I use an eastern... I hit decent spin and am ok from baseline but I come to net a lot so western grips feel bad when changing grips to slice and approach grips (I use one handed backhand too)... I wish I felt good with western grips because I have many friends who play very week from the baseline with them
*very well from baseline with them*
How about taking the ball early, before it has bounced high?
You are talented, great forehand strokes.
Thank you for the support 👍
All the best
Simon
Favourite tennis players definitely are Fed and Simon, both seem like proper banter over a pint.
😂
Simon, I very much enjoy your videos on even the fundamentals such as this. I have made a great deal of progress over the past year, but am still struggling to change my forehand grip from semi-western to Eastern. It's as if my hands fit the grip in only one way, which is the semi-western. When I return fast balls with the Eastern grip, I find that my grip slips near the buttcap of the racquet, thus compromising my Eastern FH stroke. I have no such slippage problems with the semi-western. I suppose I will have to make do and figure out how to flatten out in a reproducible manner with the semi-western grip. Thanks, Simon!
Great tips on the forehand grips
Thank you very much Coach! Your explanation with the different kinds of grips is really clear. I'm struggling with keeping the consistency of the shots that I make, I'm not sure if its the timing or maybe the grip will help, I'll try this out soon!
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial Hello Coach, I was wondering if you have any tips and insights for left handed players?
Great video! Very informative.
Thank you for the support
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Your discussion of grips is right on. But as a player who loves to experiment and as a coach who actually encourages it, unlike most, I think you are just missing a lot of the joy of tennis if you are relying on just one "shot" for a forehand and one "shot" or type of backhand. To me, part of the joy of tennis is using the RIGHT shot for every situation.
As you say, sometimes people struggle with a high ball with an Eastern grip. But if the ball is way up there, the right shot is not a normal forehand. Better to hit some type of punch slice, or a jumping forehand, or move your feet to take the ball lower, or synthesize some pseudo-overhead. A pseudo-overhead with a ton of side-spin is not difficult to hit once you get it down. It's fun to hit, and gives the opponent all kinds of trouble.
The comment you usually get from the other side of the court is something like "that's not a real shot" or "lucky shot", but then they are calling the score with scowl right after and you can tell you are really in their head. After being burned twice they usually abandon the tactic of trying to spin the ball to give you a high bounce. At this point you have them exactly where you want them, playing YOUR game.
The best players in the game have all the shots and have the ability to improvise more than robo-pros. Even if this was not the case, I would still advise most players to experiment, because learning and creating more shots will keep your love of the game flaming, and you'll practice more and more effectively if you have more weapons to practice.
I challenge you to show me the budding pro who can go out there and hit his 800th practice forehand in his 3rd hour of training on a particular day, and not be bored to tears. You might be burning a few calories at that point if you are trying to lose weight or something, but you surely aren't learning anything or getting better at anything.
But if you are working on a leftie forehand to add to your right-handed game, or adding a two handed backhand to your one-hander, or vise versa, or working on a killer forehand slice, (yes that's a real shot) you're having fun long after robo-pro has quit for the day, and lllllooooonnnnnnnngggggggg after the he has lost interest in the game, plateaued at age 16 and started declining, you are headed for glory. Tennis has so so so much more to offer than just learning to have one or two shots down 2% better than the other guy. Add more weapons, win more wars, and have LOTS more fun.
I agree on many of your points, but changing grips on your forehand on every second shot would just ruin your feel. Experimenting is great, but doing so intelligently is key
Excellent technique! Great explanation
Thank you for watching 👍
Such amazing content!! kudos!
Thanks for watching
All the best
Simon
Best Tennis Channel on YT, thks Simon
Thank you for the support 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Thank you coach for the detailed analysis!
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial I have been watching tennis more than three decades now, but in practice I am beginner, so all your videos are truly helpful!
I would like to ask you about the crips, how is possible to change the crip in the middle of the game or we do not change and we choose the one that fit us the most?
Thank you!
I'm a shorter player and was simply taught by my mom who has a more eastern grip but mine is somewhat an extreme western because I grew up playing against adults. She was definitely able to create alot of pace that I struggled to generate, i would have to change the grip mid stroke to flatten it out. I could create power but it's not pace, alot of my junior matches came down to a grind if the player was fast enough to get to it.
That’s why they developed the mini courts, rackets and softer balls
Could you do a video about the pro-players' racquet preparation? What are the pros and cons of those and how to develop your own way to prepare the racket?
Check out this lesson- czcams.com/video/ipn0_ISQkPI/video.html
Good info, thank you sir👍
Thank you for watching
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Disclaimer: Long Post
Great Video! I'm a Italian amateur 5'7 player and now ive been playing since 7/8 month...mainly on clay courts. Ive started with a Semi and even full western grip (i know that sound absurd but i feel that form more natural for some strange reason), its good because of my height, ive to hit that high balls very often so that help, but when it comes to manage longer rallies ive a lot of problem generatin power and precision...Also my style is not a long grinding one...my serve very fast (for amateur level) so my first istinct is to attack the return inside with a power forehand, but in matches against stronger opponents i cannot do that...so im forced to play in a back position where my forehand starts to lack of consistency...i need to have the ball very close to my body so ive nightmares returning side shots! To compensate that im used to hit a forehand slice, but at that point im in the other player's hands... And to generate power i need to really do that swing with my arm, but when i miss a couple of shot im not so confident...so my forehand became very bad...
So, of course isnt only the grip but also my bad footwork and stance, but considering my style, im thinking to change my forehand to a eastern grip...any opinions? Thanks!
Nice video, Simon. I think it’s also worth mentioning that the Eastern grip is probably better served with a heavy racquet. Versus the Semi-Western and Full Western which require more wrist snap and therefore benefit from a lighter racquet that is easier on the wrist. My opinion at least.
An interesting observation, the eastern forehand players do indeed play with quite heavy racquets so you may just be right! All the best, Alex
i never thought about this, smart
I just recently graduated high school, but love playing tennis. I’ve been trying to play tennis more as of lately and have been finding myself loving the game of tennis even more than I did in school. I used to use an eastern grip; however, by my junior year of high school, I made the switch to semi-western and I haven’t looked back. It’s been great seeing my forehand get better over the years. I’ve been struggling with my serves and backhands recently, but your videos have made it more consistent. Thank you for the videos Simon! I appreciate all of the lessons you provide!
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
When I first started tennis, I used a semi-western. Over time I find playing with Eastern was much more natural for me and I play better with it. I also generate more spin with Eastern than semi-Western.
Very interesting. That’s why it’s so important for players to experiment with different methods 👍
Can you tell me how do you change your grip and how long it takes ?
@@behradbavarsad7423 Uhm just naturally change it to eastern forehand, there's nothing complicated about it. Index knuckle is 3 o'clock on the handle (or 9 if you're a leftie).
As for how long it took for me to be natural with it, well... honestly it took me 10 minutes. It just felt right off the bat.
I am very late to this conversation but this was the situation I was in too. I used semi western but I automatically changed to Eastern in a short time. Lol
I started with eastern and tried to switch to semi western to get more spin but it just didnt work. Semi western just felt too tight to the hand and I didnt get that much benefits from it. Eastern just feels so natural and relaxed to me. It just works
Lovely video mate!
Thanks for the support 🙏
thanks, I will use semi-western!
Thank you coach, learned a lot, can’t wait to try the semi-western. Been having difficulty in drive volley using eastern grip.
You can do it!
Hey coach are you still using the Dunlop CX 200 tour. I started using it because of you and I hate it at first but I love it now. Have you switched since then?
Super helpful. Thanks.
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Great lesson, thank you Sir
Thank you for watching 👍
Awesome. You have clarified my confusion regarding grips. Currently, I am using eastern grip and time to gradually transition to semi-western to produce more topspin and become versatile to play on any surface
Thank you for watching
I hope the lesson will help you 👍
All the best
Simon
Here in 2022 mysteriously all along I knew I had a modern eastern forehand grip like Roger Federer whose my favorite since I use a One handed backhand but I noticed after shooting a video & someone taking pictures of me that I actually use Semi western or it slides to full western without even me noticing came back to your video to see the pros & cons of my western grip & how 2 improve 😢 the fact that my grip just slides simply shows I have Nothing I can do but continue with it I do generate allot of topspin & power & am kinda short so guess God just wanted me more consistent guess I will continue with the western Grip 🔥 I better start watching how Nadal whips the ball & also increase my racquet specs weight since I plan to play futures tournaments & turn Pro hopefully it's The dream after my Software Engineering course
awesome video!!
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
excellent as always
Thank you for the support 🙏
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
I appreciate your remarks on coaching kids. I try to encourage young players to experiment with grips and feel the bevels with their hands. Most coaches insist on the continental grip for beginners (it's convenient to avoid changing grips for the backhand) but it causes problems for kids who copy my forehand motion - balls go sailing for the sky. I notice that some young children will start hitting balls with a racquet that some big person has left lying on the ground. They pick it up and start whanging away with a natural semi western forehand. Then some grown-up comes along and interferes...
Anyone teaching kids the continental grip for their forehand, regardless of levels, deserves to get bagelled by my left hand
Thank you coach! Good explanation.
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the future?
All the best
Simon
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial - I can't think of any since you've covered a lot already. Thanks for all the excellent tips!
As a club player whose gone to Nationals, every shot needs a different grip. Low fast flat slider incoming to backhand, gets a slice return. Where as, high deep bounce to forehand gets a wrist slap side spin return
I assume you mean using a slice, chip, block or drive shot?
Since changing actual forehand grips ruins timing and feel
Very informative. thank you. from Texas
Thanks for the support 🙏
Best tennis channel ever!
Thank you for watching 👍
Are there any lessons you would like to see in the near future?
All the best
Simon
Superb again - thank you! I have a strong western grip, which supports deep and high spin baseline shots on a good day, but difficult to attack and consistency is too low. And indeed trouble with low / short balls unless I am moving really well and able to maneuver the racquet. I would like to make a change towards semi western grip, but slightly nervous of the required change journey as strong western grip is so deep in my playing style and racquet plane. Any wise words / supporting ideas?
I would adjust it ever so slightly every few weeks and let the body adapt to the small changes. After 3 months or so, you’ll be at the semi-western grip and it won’t be such an extreme change for the body.
Good luck with the improvements,
Simon
Great video - thanks for making it! Seems slightly strange holding a semi-western grip and western seems outrageous!
Western is outrageous 🤣
Eastern is the best grip for long-term play into your 6-70s. It also looks the sweetest imo ala Federer
Hey Simon, what strings do you use when you play?
Amazing video Simon! I use an eastern grip but I comit the mistake to grab the raquet as a hammer so my knuckles are at 4/5 and I don't spread my fingers at all. I'll try to correct this on my next class. Maybe my hand is telling me to change to a semi grip since I am quite a short player and hight balls are difficult to deal with 😂
See how it feels with the fingers more spread out 👍
This is an older video so I don’t expect a reply... I also use sort of a hammer type hold for all of my grips (eastern forehand and eastern one handed backhand plus continental for serve and slice stuff)... I get decent spin, pop, and control with how I hold my grips and feel that the less spread I use I can change grips better (I play net a LOT because my coach trained me to do so due to my height being 6 foot 5 inches)... my question is should I potentially invest in changing the way I hold my racket (I am 17 and have been playing like this for a lot of years)... i would prefer to keep my less extreme grips though because I never felt good with western grips
Tal vez la mejor explicación del forehand . Gracias
🙏
Nice video! What video editing software do you use if you don't mind me asking?
I typically struggle with kick serves and higher balls. I may want to practice with a semi eastern since I naturally hit a flat ball anyway. This may give me more margin for error since I hit the tape more often than I feel I should.
Good luck with the improvements 👍
I was shown a really weird grip at school in the 80s and early 90s that made the racket face point towards the sky. Index finger knuckle on bevel 8. Several PE teachers tried to get me to use it, repeatedly, but I was always so much better with my own grip and they all eventually said quietly to me, away from the other kids, that I was allowed to continue using it. My grip was and still is halfway between Eastern and Semi-Western and it always just felt most natural to me. At no point have I been able to hit with that weird grip the teachers tried to push on me!
I do not recommend the western grip for younger players. I used it for a while, thinking spin was everything, but all of my shots landed short with lots or spin but almost no pace at all. An extreme western grip requires lots of wrist strength and leg strength that are not fully developed in children. Over this past quarantine summer , I just switched to a semi western and I’m really happy.
Very well said Colin 👍
All the best
Simon
I've been struggling abt the pace of my shot since i've been using full western for a long time now since I was 14 when I started using full western. I haven't played tennis around 5yrs, and I'm trying to get back on track... I'll consider trying that semi western grip to add more speed and froce to my shots this time.
@@j0hnmer yea, and since you haven't played in a while, this is a great opportunity to just switch, because it might be a lot faster since you don't have those habits engrained into your muscle memory.
Very informative video
Many thanks 🙏
Hi I love watching your videos and being so passionat about it. I am a boxing coach (57y) and I fall in love with tennis. I have a question: which grip is less stressful for the wrist and ellbow? Semi Western Continental etc. thank you
Semi-western or eastern are the best for the body 👍
i'm mainly eastern but i can adapt depending of the shot i need to do. semi-western sometimes but mainly eastern. if you can read and anticipate well enough, you have time to prepare your grip for the coming shot. same for backhand. that's why for me, choosing only one grip is not really useful. people need to learn to be flexible in all situations. i come from Table Tennis and i used to rotate the handle a lot between backhand an forehand without losing time or thinking about it. it was natural. be flexible folks.
Interesting. I have an eastern forehand grip but I would say that my hinge points are between the first and second knuckles of the index finger and the little finger. This combines with a shorter stroke that accelerates slowly at the start but much faster near and past contact. So at contact you are swinging closer to your top speed without allowing your racquet to pass up your wrist. The backswing and contact point are about the same length, but the followthrough is only about 1/3 as far and your balance is better. Nobody ever seems to address stopping the swing and it is, I think, the key to balanced power and to recovering for the next shot. I wonder if it is related to Sampras’ elbow hinge at the end of his serve. (Just watched your video comparing the serves of Sampras and Federer.)
#SemiWestern: Can we have slight adjustment of the grip when hiting very high or very low balls during Forhand rally? I'm not asking to change from Eastern to Western but just little change when we see that ball is high and deep.
Thanks for the video! Hey is it okay for yall to make a video about hitting the balls in rally cause im struggling when I rally but when I just practice by myself I make some great hits. Would appreciate it!
Try to keep eye on ball.
Say bounce when ball bounces
Say hit when ball hits strings.
@@Casatoman preciate bro ill implement this in my training today!
@@dontjinxme794 I think that idea came from author of Inner game of tennis which you should read. This sports book is read by athletes in many sports.
@@Casatoman oh fr thanks dude!!
@@Casatoman thank God theres a pdf for it 💪
What racquet is that beautiful all white racquet?
I used to play with an eastern grip but then changed to a semi-western... Took some time but now I'm comfortably used to it. I wish I could hit consistently with all three grips as coach Simon does... It would really give much more variety to my game.
I changed my grip from semi western to western. I can hit flat balls with no issues and my down the line forehands are much more precise now.
how is your elbow now? because it will quit soon or late. don't abuse of western grip.
@@jiboo6850 yep, felt that. Went back to semi wester lol
@@viniciuscandido7133 western grip tends to give Golf elbow instead of the Tennis one.
It's an amazing video, I'm 100% agree with what you said, but I have a question: you said that the Western grip is not good for the low balls, but for me I'm finding my self very comfortable with the low balls which they are next to the line of service, and in the back I'm using the semi western, so do you think it's a good idea to change the grip according to the position of the ball, or I have to stay just on the semi western
It’s better to keep one grip and master that. You lose feel and control when you keep switching as the angle of the strings changes a lot between the grips.
All the best
Simon
I like to hit flat and fast. In fact the faster my opponent hits, the better my return will be once I get past the mental intimidation part of it. I tend to have most trouble with high bouncing short balls where I have too much time to eff it up! I guess I need to switch to a semi western grip to deal with those!
I would stick to the same grip. Changing grips between various strokes can ruin your feel
I got an pretty solid western grip that I love, but I always get recurring wrist pain. Idk if I should switch to semi-western and if I do, how long it will take to relearn the stroke
Sergui Bruguera's extreme Western forehands was a thing to behold.
It's curious how in Rafa's forehand the bottom of his racquet is inside his palm but, hitting a volley, he moves his hand toward the head of the racquet and you can easily see the butt cap under his pinky. Luckily you didn't mention the infamous “Hawaiian” grip. I saw Mayar Sherif using it. It looks like a continental grip but she hits the balls with the other face :) The nice part is she can deliver forehand drop shots without changing the grip... Anyway, great video as usual!
Thank you for watching
Yes it is interesting how Nadal changes the way he holds it. For volleys it makes sense to control the racket in an easier way
more control and handling simple as that. short = handling and control for net play, long = power and racquet speed for forehand and serves. nothing strange.
Iga Swiatek has extreme western grip, 4 grand slams at age 22. However 3 from the slowest surface, clay. It makes sense now 😅
Hi there, I'm learning the semi western grip for the forehand and was curious about racket orientation at contact. I've read different things from racket being slightly closed for good topsin to it should always be neutral (flush). I'm experimenting and wanted to get your thoughts? Thanks
Slightly closed will impart more topspin.
Flat would help you hit through the ball more for a chatter shot.
All the best
Simon
I've been playing with western grip for 3 years but after watching the video I think it would be much better if I use the semi western grip ...so is it reasonable to change it now ?
Absolutely 👍
There is a question that has troubled me for a long time. What model is Simon’s white racket? She is so beautiful.
A prototype frame 👍
Great information and demonstration. I have always used a semi western grip (I’m only a 3.5 level player) but my forehand has always been my relative strength. I recently started experimenting with the eastern grip because I’m getting older (47) and wanted to be able to generate more power and consistency with a bit less effort. I feel with the semi western I was always having to swing the racquet so fast to generate pace whereas the eastern seems to produce more easy power. We’ll see if I can make the change, making thee type is changes is not easy for me.
Look forward to watching more of your content.
Take it small steps at a time and you’ll get it 👍
I PLAY LIKE FEDERER! I always grab the racket with Eastern Grip! It is easier to hold and transmit FORCE to the racket and ball without slipping the handle. To be more precise It is a bit semi-Eastern kinda holding the racket like Eastern but you gently turn a bit to semi-Eastern!
Nice 👍
@Ian M Federer uses an eastern
Man, I grew up in the 80's and I'm not sure how I learned a western grip as a kid, but I am paying for it now in my 40's because I want to change to a semi western to hit a flatter ball. Tough. Your videos have been very helpful.
Keep working on it, even tiny adjustments over time will help you 👍
Good luck with the changes
Simon
Are there any drills that help manifest technical changes, so that they become automatic as fast as possible? Because what I struggle most with is that I accomplish a technical improvement (for example closing racket face when swinging forward) but I constantly need to think about that specific step in order to do it right, otherwise I just fall back into my old technique. Any tips? :)
2,500 repetitions is the standard for building a new technique.Fast learners is around 1,500 and slow learners around 4,500 so keep those numbers in mind when changing a stroke
amazing clarity
Many thanks 🙏
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial we got to have a game where r u now
any drills on converting a junior western to semi western?
Western grip gang! Apparently i have an extreme western grip. I hold it like an upside-down continental but i get some massive spin. I can flatten my balls out for some extra speed though! I do wish there were more western grip videos because some techniques dont work on western grips
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Please elaborate more on how RF manipulate the head to generate more spin.
Watch this lesson- czcams.com/video/pLs30GcRlm0/video.html
Quick quistion- is an eastern forehand better for more topspin then semi western? (Basically whats the biggest difference in result from eastern and semi)
I’ve been playing tennis for a few years now, and my forehand is pretty decent, but when I grip the racket I use a semi western grip sort of but I have my pinky hanging off the racket, I played like that for almost 2 years and tried to correct it for around five months but the muscle memory that built up in those almost 2 years, made it impossible for me to try to change my grip, is there anything you recommend, and is it bad to play like that.
If I'm not wrong, Nick Kyrgios also uses a full western forehand. And both Nick and Jack Sock have insane flat forehand drives. So I would disagree that it is difficult to hit flat and fast with a full western forehand grip.
Also if memory serves me right, I think Federer uses a grip that is somewhere in between a semi-western and an eastern. Not sure if that is accurate but I recall hearing about it somewhere.
Kyrgios and Sock do use full western grips, and they’ve mastered the motion after 20+ years of training. So it’s definitely possible, but for 99% of players who play recreationally, there are far easier ways to hit a flat forehand.
Federer uses a standard eastern, no modification, there are countless images proving that.
Lindsay Davenport use to hit very flat with so much depth and power and she’s recognized as one of the of the best ball strikers ever to grace the planet of tennis. Was she using eastern forehand and backhand grip?
Nice explanation! If I feel uncomfortable with certain grip, should I try using a different grip or take more time and keep practicing to make myself feel comfortable with the original grip? I just wonder each person has his/her best grip that fits for him/her.
For most players, the semi works best.
Trying to adapt to a western for instance isn’t smart. It’s better to adapt to a good semi grip 👍
I use a western grip for top spin shots , and an eastern grip for flat shots....And by the way low balls are very easy with a western grip.
i grew up watch pete and lendl so eastern.. you can also take high spin balls early..
Some high balls you can take early, not all of them
Thanks!
Many thanks for the support 🙏
Hey Simon, I am playing tennis for 1 year, right now i am using eastern forehand grip which is thought by my instructor but i am not so satisfied with it, i can’t produce enough topspin and my forehand shots are usually goes beyond baseline when i tried to shoot faster against to the slow balls. Do you suggest to change the grip to semi-western?
Try it, see what happens. Experimentation is a great tool
Does it make sense to play eastern and use a semi western just for balls at shoulder level or higher??
Years ago I switched from an eastern to semi-western grip due to my inability to handle heavy/high shots to my forehand. Nowadays I can hit as hard as I want on high forehands (my motion naturally adds just as much topspin as pace), but low short balls and good slices keep tripping me up. Maybe it's just the lack of practice, but it's become so much of a weakness in my game that I'm tempted to either switch back to eastern, or adjusting my grip between semi-western and eastern depending on whether I get a short ball or not. I don't have to adjust my (two-handed) backhand grip since it's usually my stronger (more reliable) wing anyway, but my forehand is just too much of a loose cannon sometimes. I can hold my own blasting heavy forehands back and forth with a stronger opponent, but I will definitely miss any weak short slices that 90% of people seem to be able to rip for a winner without even thinking.
I would not adjust your grip, but work on getting closer to the ball with your legs and bending down lower through your legs then driving up. It requires practice but thee semi-western should allow you to handle low balls.
Thanks for watching our videos!
Alex
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficialThanks for the tips, I will try it the next time I play!
I am 57 years old and 164 cm tall. I play semi-western but I have problem with power. The balls are too slow. When I change the grip to the eastern, there is more power, but I have to hit less because the balls go out of the court. And I still have a problem which grip to choose to play with.
I haven't played for over 40 years....and I thought that there was only one grip. And it was NEITHER of these. I was taught to hold the racquet as if you were shaking hands. And when you strike a ball, your wrist is rigid! How times have changed!
Ah yes, the continental grip. What a massive shift in tennis you must notice
When I played tennis young we had wooden racket with a small head. Very unforgiving so even a semi western grip would not work for me. My grip should be eastern grip as described. At that time Borg had woodern racquets but he stood out with his top spin. Can you tell me what grip McEnroe held as I don't recall he used too much top spin, but often slice and fine touch to control the ball, which seems quite a dying art for today. McEnroe also used woodern Wilson ProStaff racquets in his time.
McEnroe used a continental grip for all his strokes
Thanks for the video Simon, which grip does djokovic use for his forehand? Sw or w
Semi western 👍
great vid
Many thanks 🙏
Im shanking with my forehand all the time and i dont know what im doing wrong. Sometimes im too close to the Ball and sometimes im late but 9 times out of 10 i hit with the edge of racket. Second problem is that my backswing is way too big and how i can try shortening it?
Watch this lesson - czcams.com/video/foD2mMKl7xs/video.html