Tell me about your two-handed grips

[Bad Seed]

I'm a right-hander with a two-handed backhand. I'm currently starting to experiment with grip changes: I've always tended to use an Eastern backhand on the right and Eastern forehand grip with my left hand.

Now, I'm starting to move my left hand in more of a semi-western direction, with the goal of trying to close the face more and create more topspin. I like the way it feels and I've been wondering why I didn't do this sooner.

So I'm thinking of ways of tweaking with my right hand. I'm thinking of Continental. I was hoping you guys could chime in and talk about your own grips/experiences and maybe talk about grips commonly used by pros like Nalbandian, Mathieu, Del Potro, etc.

Basically, I'm just trying to get an idea of what grip combinations are popular nowadays and hear some of your observations.

[oneguy21]

I believe the most popular grip is continental with right and semi-western with left.

[150mph_]

I believe the most popular grip is continental with right and semi-western with left.

i tried that grip it did not work for me..
i use conti (right - dominant hand) and eastern (left)

[OhDear]

Semi-western with my left hand, and with the right, I use my forehand grip (whatever the grip between Eastern forehand and semi-western is). But, it requires this unnatural wrist bend, just a warning.

[Soar]

western + continental = duh

[fuzz nation]

I like to use a one hander when I have time to set it up, but I like the two hander for an aggressive return of serve or for fighting off a deep fast ball on that side. I'm a righty and while I've used continental rh and eastern forehand for my left hand in the past, I've been finding better success lately with more of a semi-western left hand. Fortunately there's no "gospel" on exactly which grips you must use as long as you can make both hands work well together.

You definitely want to use a natural grip that lets you fire the racquet without having to manipulate your wrists into strange angles and your move toward more of a semi-western left hand should work great - sounds like it already is! I think that you'd be smart to let your right hand come around to continental so that it's in more of a neutral position. I think that if you leave it over in the eastern forehand location with your left hand moved farther "behind" the grip, you'll have both hands fighting each other a little too much. It could be easy to get some irritation in that right wrist if it's hooked over the front of your racquet while you're trying to whack balls with it.

What I've found lately with my continental rh/semi-western lh grip for the two hander is a lot more authority and control when taking balls on the rise off the court. Much easier to hit through the ball with a neutral feeling grip - I don't need to mess with my wrists to hold the racquet face shut.

[Mansewerz]

I use continental and extreme eastern.

[J011yroger]

Picture worth 1000 words.

http://i36.tinypic.com/xbelhe.jpg

J

[B-rian]

Continental on right and Semi-western on left. I naturally fell into this set up and it has served me well.

[Jack Romeo]

continental on right (dominant hand), eastern forehand grip on left hand. i don't have a problem generating topspin with this grip although i don't get as much as some others who use more western grips. but it works for me because i like to be able to hit flatter and harder without having to change grips. also, it makes it easier for me to hit a volley or one-handed slice backhand (which i do quite often to mix it up) or drop shot by simply taking the left hand off the racket.