During the course of a tennis match, a player will use different grips on the racket, depending on what action he wants the ball to take. Forehands, backhands, slices, volleys, serves and smashes all may require a slightly different hand position on the racket. The ability to effortlessly switch from one grip to another will enable you to make the most effective shot at the right time.
Eastern Grip
The Eastern grip is the standard "shaking-hands" grip that many players use when starting out. Hold the racket so the "V" formed between your thumb and forefinger is even with the side edge of the racket. To simplify your grips, consider the "V" of the Eastern forehand to be pointing to 12 o'clock. For an Eastern backhand, rotate your grip a quarter-turn counterclockwise on the handle if you're right-handed, or counterclockwise if you're left-handed.
Continental Grip
The continental is a flat grip that's used for smashes, volleys and serves. It enables you to hit down on the ball and create backspin. Start with your basic Eastern grip and then move the "V" counterclockwise toward the middle. Stop when your hand is between the Eastern forehand and backhand positions, or at 11 o'clock. The "V" is at 1 o'clock for a left-handed player.
Semi-Western Grip
The semi-Western grip is efficient for power strokes and putting topspin on the ball. Starting with the Eastern forehand hand-shaking grip, rotate your hand a quarter-turn toward the outside, or clockwise. The "V" should be between 2 and 3 o'clock, or 9 and 10 o'clock for a lefty.
Full Western Grip
Most players don't use the full Western grip often, but clay-court players sometimes prefer it. The "V" between your thumb and index finger should be rotated past 3 o'clock for this grip, or 9 o'clock for a lefty. Your knuckles should point at the ground. The full Western grip can make it challenging to return hard serves or low shots.
Switching Grips
Considering the speed of tennis, the prospect of actually changing grips during play is a daunting one. It is wise to get into the habit of bringing your racket to your nonracket hand after each shot. Touch your hand to the throat of the racket and you will be in position to switch your grip, if necessary. You still have to anticipate which grip to use before the ball is on you, but you'll be in position to switch.
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