Eastern vs Western vs Semi-Western 🎾 Which Tennis Forehand Grip Is BEST For YOU?
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- Eastern vs Western vs Semi-Western 🎾 Which Tennis Forehand Grip Is BEST For YOU?
When it comes to the forehand in tennis, the foundation is set by the way you hold your racket, your forehand grip. So which forehand grip is the best one for your game?
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There are three main ways to hold a racket on your forehand side:
1. The eastern forehand grip
2. The semi-western forehand grip, and
3. The western forehand grip
Each grip has pros and cons, and in this lesson, Coach Simon Konov of Top Tennis Training will explain in-depth each grip and hopefully give you all the important information required for you to make a decision on the best forehand grip for your playing style.
Eastern Forehand Grip
This is where you have the heel pad and the base of your index finger on bevel 3 on the grip. Due to the angle of the strings with this grip, it's much easier to flatten out the forehand, plus has a longer strike zone so it's easier to time your forehand effectively.
This grip would suit an aggressive game style, someone who likes to attack the net and play a more attacking style of play.
This grip works best on medium and low balls, but some players will struggle to handle high balls and create topspin using the eastern forehand grip.
Semi-Western Forehand Grip
This grip is where you have the heel pad and index knuckle base on bevel 4 of the grip. This is the most commonly used grip on both the ATP and WTA tours, and for good reason. It's the most versatile of the three grips, allowing you to create heavy topspin but also flatten out the forehand.
It's ideal for dealing with low, medium and high balls, and can be used on all court surfaces from grass to clay to hard court.
The only real negative is the fact you cannot extend through the strike zone as much as with the eastern forehand grip, but overall, it's the best grip for the vast majority of tennis players.
Western Forehand Grip
This grip is where you have the heel pad and index knuckle on bevel 5 on the grip, which is the most extreme of the three main forehand grips.
Due to the angle of the strings, it's ideal for producing heavy topspin but it isn't great for the flatter shots.
It's perfect for dealing with high balls, and many juniors will adopt this grip if they're playing on high-bouncing surfaces with normal tennis balls.
The major cons with this grip are the fact it's very hard to handle low balls and extremely difficult to hit flatter forehands or have an extended strike zone.
Video Timeline:
00:00 - Why your forehand grip matters
01:02 - Eastern Forehand Grip
03:34 - Semi-Western Forehand Grip
05:00 - Western Forehand Grip
08:16 - How to choose your forehand grip
#tennis #forehand #toptennistraining - Спорт
Download our FREE forehand guide here - www.top-tennis-training.com/forehand-guide/
I’m so glad that I naturally started using the semi western grip when I started playing tennis back in the late 70’s. All my coaches said it was wrong back then, but when I became an elite protégé of Nick Bollettieri’s in 1985, he was so impressed with my forehand - saying it was the hardest he’d ever seen in his life - that he ended up making another protégé there who was younger - you might know him, his name was Andre Agassi - and nick made him change more to a semi western from his eastern grip. I’ll take that credit any day! Thanks for the video Coach! 🎾🙏💥
That’s a great impact to have, that must have been when it was just a few courts in the middle of nowhere in Bradenton?
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial it was already big. Over 200 live in juniors and only 5 elite protégés (me, Agassi, Courier, Blackman, & Wheaton) and Arias and Krickstein trained there. Nick ONLY was there a few days every month and he ONLY worked with us and arias/krickstein. He paid no attention to the 200 juniors there who were paying lots of money (their parents) and only focused on creating a new forehand- the “killer forehand “ and to create his first grand slam champion. He believed in us 5 and he KNEW we or some of us would become that one day. He said in 4 to 5 years. He was right. Courier did it first then Agassi. But my appreciation is that nick said I had the hardest forehand and he modelled it for the others. I quit tennis that summer for good until a year and a half ago! Now at 59, I’m returning to pro tennis and on a mission to be ATP ranked at 60 years YOUNG. I’ve got time to train and get there. One day at a time. And you are helping me immensely. Thanks!!!
“Killer Forehand” VHS by Nick B. I bought that when I was a teenager and studied it religiously. Great stories mate, let’s catch up in Crete hopefully 🙏
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial I saw that video a few weeks ago! I’m sure it inspired a lot of people back then! Nick first started video taping my forehand and my forehand return of serve. He was so excited to change the world with this new attacking flat forehand that I possessed. I’ll see you in Crete for sure!!! I’m soooo excited for this!!! I look forward to finally meeting you both and to soak up more advice and inspiration from you both!!! Thanks!!! If you need anything, I’m here for you.
@@PrecisionPointTennis going for ATP points at 59 is WILD. All the best to you and thanks for inspiring me as a 33yo.
Great video as always Simon ! Thank you 🙏
very interesting...well explained....thanks!
Great video as always Coach Simon! Your channel is a treasure trove
Many thanks 🙏
When I started to play tennis in 1989 I had eastern grip. In 1992 I recevied a Tennis Magazine and there was a poster of Bruguera, playing forehand with strange grip, so I have started to imitate that grip (western) and game became much better! 🎾👍
What surface do you mainly play on?
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial clay only!
Great video, thank coach Simon.
Many thanks 🙏
Great breakdown. I found that a "3/4" western works incredibly for me. I can still generate a lot of power and flatten shots out if needed, but it just adds a ridiculous amount of topspin and safety margin. Genuinely makes me feel like a much better player instantly.
edit: the comparison is to my regular semi-western grip
Thanks for sharing, it’s vital that each player finds their own grip
Nice, my Elder Brother had taught me the Semi Western Grip Which to this day seems to be the best for me as it is easy to get top spin and make a rainbow shot but the Eastern Grip Seems the one Someone like me would like to use
You've got to experiment with the eastern and see if it suits your game
Great video, IMO a soft semi-western is the absolute best!
Thanks for watching
Great video! What is your opinion about changing grip during the match (to surprise the opponent) or even during the rally (for example for low balls - esastern, for high - western)? Is there any pro who do something like that?
Great video as usual Coach SImon! Is there a trick to flattening out the shot with the semi-western grip?
Hitting through the ball, trying to keep the ball on the strings for longer
Been using eastern for 20 years, but recently changed to semi-western to handle those big fluffy high balls of recreational level and it's going quite well. I have a question. Is it strange or unheard of to use either eastern or semi western depending on the play situation if I am familiar with both grip?
Wonderful video as always! Simon, just play with eastern forehand grip, please. That is grip for you, without any doubt. Forehand grip is so important topic, and I do not think same player can use two different grips with maximum shot potential. Semi western and western grips requires bent elbow during stroke, while eastern can be struck with full extended arm. I am not sure that Nadal uses semi western grip, I think he uses western kind of eastern forehand grip. Eastern forehand grip allows maximum duration of penetration through shot, best grip for driving the ball. This is best grip in my opinion. Kyrgios forehand is not good with western grip, but Sock and Berretini have cannons in the forehands with western grip, Edmund and Swiatek too. Alcaraz, Dimitrov, Tsitsipas all use west variation of eastern grip. All of them have pure quality forehands. I played with semi western whole my life only to reveal how much better is eastern grip. Much heavier ball can be created, in my case better spin too because racket head speed is greater and contact point with the ball much better. With semi western I had too thin contact. My point, use western variation of eastern forehand grip. Coco Gauff struggles so much with her forehand because of wrong western grip, she must go eastern. Zverev too.
I’ve used eastern for many years now, since around 2008/9, never changed since experimenting with it. I did use a semi western for many years before that and used a next gen style forehand prep, with elbow leading and racket tip pointing forward, but the eastern gives me so much more power and control
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial Yes. You launch bombs from forehand with your eastern grip. So beautiful to watch. It can be seen that is your grip, ball is so much heavier comparing to sw and w grip. I think modern forehand preparation is better. More simple and efficient. If possible, in future can you make analysis of Berretini forehand? His ball is so heavy. Top 3 forehand now. Thank you for giving so much quality content.
Do you use the Aero because your grip is Eastern ie to get more spin? @@TopTennisTrainingOfficial
Which is the best for an approach shot?
Eastern for a flatter approach, semi western for the versatility
I'm currently using semi western grip, but I don't really like it because my shots are not deep enough with this grip. I have used this grip for around 8 years, since the beginning of my tennis life. So, is it worth it if I change my grip into more eastern, maybe a la federer, extreme eastern grip? My aim is to have deeper shots that penetrate the court with high efficiency.
You can always experiment and see if it suits your game
Have you tried different strings and tensions for more power and depth.
When is the time to change grip?
Do you mean in a rally setting or change grips from eastern to semi for example?
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial to be changed to eastern to semi
wrist injury
If you feel like you’re not gaining topspin with the eastern, or you need more control, an experiment can help you decide it’s time
@@TopTennisTrainingOfficial OK thank you
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Bro this was a comment I made by mistake lmao