Tennis forehand grips explained: continental, eastern, semi-western and western

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The grip is where every forehand starts. It decides how much topspin you can make, which balls you hit comfortably and which ones feel awkward. There is no single correct grip, but understanding the main ones helps you choose, and explains a lot of the mistakes beginners make.

How grips are described

A racket handle has eight sides, called bevels. Grips are named by where the base knuckle of your index finger and the heel of your hand sit. Hold the racket out in front of you with the strings vertical, edge facing the sky, and number the top bevel 1, then count round clockwise if you are right-handed (anticlockwise if you are left-handed).

Continental grip

Index knuckle on bevel 2, roughly as if you were holding a hammer. It is the standard grip for serves, volleys, overheads and slices, but on the forehand it leaves the racket face open and makes topspin difficult. Useful to learn first because you will need it everywhere else.

Eastern forehand grip

Index knuckle on bevel 3, as if you were shaking hands with the racket. The palm sits roughly behind the handle, so the strings face where your palm faces. It produces a flatter ball with some topspin, is good on low and medium-height balls, and is easy to learn. Many coaches start beginners here.

Semi-western grip

Index knuckle on bevel 4, a little further under the handle. This is the most common forehand grip among modern players. It allows plenty of topspin, copes well with higher bouncing balls and still handles low ones reasonably.

Western grip

Index knuckle on bevel 5, with the hand well under the handle. It makes heavy topspin and suits high balls, especially on clay, but low balls and fast, skidding courts are harder, and switching to other grips takes longer.

The stages of a forehand

Ready position: feet apart, knees bent, racket in front, weight on the balls of your feet.
Unit turn: as soon as you see the ball coming to your forehand, turn your shoulders and hips together, with the non-hitting hand reaching across towards the ball.
Backswing and footwork: move to the ball with small adjusting steps and set up so the ball will be slightly in front of you. The racket goes back, often in a loop.
Drop and swing: the racket head drops below the ball, then swings up and forward as the hips and shoulders rotate.
Contact: in front of your body, with the racket face square to the target and the wrist relaxed but stable.
Follow-through: let the racket finish over the opposite shoulder or wrap round the body, depending on the grip.
Recover: return to the ready position and the middle of the court.

Common faults

Arming the ball: swinging with the arm alone instead of turning the body. Power comes from the legs and rotation.
Late contact: the ball gets beside or behind you. Turn earlier and take it further in front.
Too tight a grip: a stiff wrist and forearm kill racket speed. Squeeze just enough to control the racket.
Not bending the knees: you end up hitting down on low balls and into the net.
Wrong grip for the ball: an extreme western grip on a low, skidding ball, for example. Adjust your footwork or your grip.
Watching the opponent instead of the ball: keep your head still through contact.

Practice drills

Shadow swings: practise the full motion without a ball in front of a mirror, 20 at a time, focusing on the unit turn.
Drop-feed: drop the ball beside you and hit it to a target. It isolates the swing from the footwork.
Mini tennis: rally from the service lines with soft topspin. Excellent for feel and contact point.
Cross-court rallies: hit cross-court with a partner, counting consecutive balls in. Consistency first, then pace.
Targets: put a cone or towel deep in the court and aim for it once rallies are steady.

Changing grips takes a few weeks of awkwardness before it feels natural, so give it time. A coach watching a few minutes of your forehand will spot more than any article can. Which grip do you use, and what are you working on? Share your questions and progress in the comments.