continetial grip on serve....WOW

[moroni]

well i just changed grip from eastern backhand to contitnential and the power is woooow i only practised hitting serves for 15 minutes before the match started so my first serve precentage droped from 65-70% to 35% put i got some serious aces and alot of unreturned serves when i got the ball in..

well here is my problem i found it difficult to adjust grip after i served it was hard to get my grip to semi western for forhand and harder to get it to eastern backhabd for the backhand so i ended up hitting always slice for backhand but i hit forhand topspin like 50% of the tim on forehands because i could not get the grip right and i felt that it was wrong so i hit slices i did not face this problem while returning serves and i hit pretty normaly ... so how could i solve this problem?? i ended up losing 6-3 7-6 and i know that i would have had i bigger chance to win if i changed grip normally.

[Nellie]

If you focus on a good split step right after the service motion to get set, you will have more time to prepare for the return (i.e., so you can hold the handle with your off hand while you rotate the right) Otherwise, you are rushing to go to the next shot while still finishing the service motion

[NickH87]

Yeah I just recently switched to continental as well and my 1st serve % actually went up. The only thing I need to work on is the returns that get blocked back and drop around the service box, I am not good at hitting in the middle of the court.

[javierjavier]

it'll just come with time and practice and repetition.

a good drill, if you have a friend is to have him kneeling at the service line on the side you're serving on. hit your serve then have him immediately toss a ball to you. it's a good drill and will give you the repetitions you need to get used to switching your grip.

you could probably do it on your own and simulate hitting...

[Sublime]

After you serve, as you're recovering you need to get into the habit of getting both hands on your racket. You really don't have far to go. 2 bevels either direction will get you to your FH grip. One bevel, turning it clockwise with your non-hitting hand will get you to your BH grip.

I'd suggest that since you're used to serving with an EBH, immediately switch to this grip after serve. That should kick your mind back into its comfort zone.

[moroni]

im really optimistic about the precentage because the grip felt so natural and i think it will go up in time because when i was serving i would hit like 5 serves in a row .all of em go in but then i would lose it again and miss ten first seves (consistency will come in time) (nickhh87)


i will focus on split step next time and see if it works(nellie)


i will certainly try this drill next time i play (sublime)

thanks for the reblies everyone

[NickH87]

Lol the only reason my 1st serve % went up was because I was using a frying pan grip and the would spray it everywhere, including the courts next to me, so naturally this continental grip and figuring out what pronation was worked out.

But for some reason everytime something good happens, I lose another part of my game. Before I learned the proper serves, I would use topspin serves and have a good %, now I lost it lol.

[moroni]

WOW u are a copy of me fix something and it gets really good and ruin something that was almost perfect... like today i fixe the serve but i lost my smooth 1hbh i usually get a couple of down the line winners with it and more crosscourt ... I'LL try to pull eveything back together by the next two practise sessions.. XD