Switching Grip on Service Return

[Thanatos]

I usually prepare for a service return with a FH grip and switch to BH grip if the serve lands on my BH side. However, when I play really good players (4.5+) they exploit this weakness by constantly serving to my BH.
On some occassions I can run around my BH to hit a FH return.
However about 40% of my BH returns result in unforced errors or just weak replies which creates easy winners for my opponnent.
Should I do the opposite and prepare with a BH grip and switch to a FH grip?

This change will feel very awkward for me and I know I will lose
close matches bc of the change. However, I'm willing to do it if it means a long term improvement in my game. Also, I'm curious whether you prepare for a service return with a FH or BH grip? Thanks.

 

[Rickson]

I usually prepare for a service return with a FH grip and switch to BH grip if the serve lands on my BH side. However, when I play really good players (4.5+) they exploit this weakness by constantly serving to my BH.
On some occassions I can run around my BH to hit a FH return.
However about 40% of my BH returns result in unforced errors or just weak replies which creates easy winners for my opponnent.
Should I do the opposite and prepare with a BH grip and switch to a FH grip?

This change will feel very awkward for me and I know I will lose
close matches bc of the change. However, I'm willing to do it if it means a long term improvement in my game. Also, I'm curious whether you prepare for a service return with a FH or BH grip? Thanks.

I wait in an eastern forehand grip because I can block balls back from either side with that grip. Some people wait in a continental, but I prefer the efh. I used to do exactly what you did, but blocking balls back with a sw fh grip and an efh grip are like night and day; the latter is so much easier to do. If I face a relatively slow serve to my backhand side, I adjust my grip to the eastern backhand, but when I face moster serves, I have no time at all to adjust my grip so the efh works well for me. As far as the fh, I'm sure you can hit with the efh grip from that side and if you can't, a little practice will remedy that. Try the efh and the continental and see which grip works better for you on serve returns.

 

[jBayjoey]

I use the continental because I like to slice back returns on either wing.

 

[Rickson]

I use the continental because I like to slice back returns on either wing.

Not a bad idea. I love forehand slices, but haven't tried any on monster serves.

 

[goober]

I usually prepare for a service return with a FH grip and switch to BH grip if the serve lands on my BH side. However, when I play really good players (4.5+) they exploit this weakness by constantly serving to my BH.
On some occassions I can run around my BH to hit a FH return.
However about 40% of my BH returns result in unforced errors or just weak replies which creates easy winners for my opponnent.
Should I do the opposite and prepare with a BH grip and switch to a FH grip?

This change will feel very awkward for me and I know I will lose
close matches bc of the change. However, I'm willing to do it if it means a long term improvement in my game. Also, I'm curious whether you prepare for a service return with a FH or BH grip? Thanks.

I wouldn't wait in you BH grip because it is very hard to switch to FH. You have no offhand to change grips with on take back. I hold FH and never have problems switching to BH because it is natural to change your grips on the take back for a BH. Continental for both sidesis a viable option if you are facing a big server that is not giving you very much time.

 

[Slazenger]

You might not want to hear this, but the only remedy is to just bite the bullet and practise.

If you can run around the serve and hit a FH then the you have more than enough time to change grip and hit a BH return.
Most of us have all been there. I know I have. I would cheat so much to the BH side it was ridiculous.
If you have a BH groundstroke, you have a BH return. You just need to build confidence in the shot.

Practise hitting open stance BHs and have someone serve (and eventually smash) from the service box to you while you wait in your FH grip.

It will be frustrating at first and a glaring weakness when you play matches but you just have to keep at it. When you hit your first BH service return winner, it will be all worth it.

All that being said, It's my opinion that it's easier for the 2hander to develop a BH service return than the 1 hander.

 

[rfprse]

I prepare the return with a fh grip.
However, if your backhand return has been picked on all the time, it's not a bad idea to try to wait with a bh grip. It may not feel natural to many (I'm one of them) but you can still use the non dominant hand for changing bh to fh grip in the same way you use for changing fh to bh. It's not that hard as long as you hold somewhere around the throat with your non dominant hand. It's rather a matter of preference. During the rally, we do that anyway, even though we don't often recognize it consciously. Give it a shot and see what happens.

Imho, the more important thing might be to practice your bh return more than you used to, whichever "ready grip" you decide. Have fun!

 

[tonysk83]

I used to do that aswell but I figured I have a very good slice so I might as well start continental. So I just do that, I can either switch grips to my backhand or forehand or I can just slice it back and get prepared for the point.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I usually prepare for a service return with a FH grip and switch to BH grip if the serve lands on my BH side. However, when I play really good players (4.5+) they exploit this weakness by constantly serving to my BH.
On some occassions I can run around my BH to hit a FH return.
However about 40% of my BH returns result in unforced errors or just weak replies which creates easy winners for my opponnent.
Should I do the opposite and prepare with a BH grip and switch to a FH grip?

This change will feel very awkward for me and I know I will lose
close matches bc of the change. However, I'm willing to do it if it means a long term improvement in my game. Also, I'm curious whether you prepare for a service return with a FH or BH grip? Thanks.

Most players will wait in the forehand grip and shift their grip to the backhand side during the takeback. The other thing you can do is wait in an inbetween grip making a minor shift to either side.

 

[paulfreda]

I play with a SW grip on both sides most of the time ( server is not pressuring me for much time) so there is no change of grip for me. Only positioning of the racquet head and takeback.

Against a big server I will lightly hold an in between like BB mentioned and use his power to block it back with an EFH or EBH. No time for a full groundstroke.

Against a low ball or slicing server I will hold Continental to cut and lift the ball back easily for placement.

 

[Midlife crisis]

I try and hit flat or topspin returns the majority of the time, so I always hold my eastern backhand grip waiting for the serve return, and I turn my body so it is facing more towards the left netpost (I'm right handed and hit one handed backhand) rather than facing straight at the server. I do this because I can easily hit an open stance forehand but not an open stance backhand, and preparation is faster on the forehand than backhand.

 

[Pomeranian]

I think it's a matter of practice, ever hit against a wall or do you have access to one? Walls don't really help me so much for practice because I never know if my shot was short or deep, ect, but for the purpose of grooving my preperation, technique, grip, it's great. If you stand close to a wall and hit to your right and to your left, keep alternating backhand and forehand, you can get your grip changes down pretty easily.

Another thing that some people do is wait in a neutral grip, between your forehand and backhand. I wouldn't say this is a guarenteed way to improve but for some people it's more comfortable.

 

[Thanatos]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll stick with waiting on a FH grip and switch to a BH grip. I thought I was doing something wrong bc my hitting partner, who is around a 4.7 waits for the serve with a BH grip. I really really need to work on my return. It's horrible!

 

[NoBadMojo]

What needs to be discussed is:
-if the player can use continental on groundstrokes
-if the player has a 1H or 2H BH.

 

[fbone]

I have a 2H-BH but I wait w/a one handed continental grip and slice on backhand if serve is fast, or quickly switch to western 2H-BH if serve is slower.

Forehand, I either slice with said continental grip if serve is fast, or quickly switch to western if serve is slower.

I've experimented w/having both hands on the racket while waiting:

western FH grip on bottom hand
western BH grip on top hand

...and then only switch my FH grip to match up w/the 2H-BH grip if hit to my BH. It feels akward, but I know in the long run this will work better for me once I get better and play better competition.