players who use eastern forehand grip

D

DJG

Semi-Pro
Somebody should ask Fed - Hey Roger, show us how you hold your FH grip so we can take close-up pictures of it. Not sure it will ever settle the debate, but...

As for my view - it looks like my old FH grip, which is an eastern. Knuckle is on the edge between the bevels (more towards the "flat" side), palm is more "underneath". Not a SW, modified eastern at best. And yes, it is more "extreme" than Sampras' "V on-top of the racquet" FH grip.
 
P

pow

Hall of Fame
coloskier said:
Connors used a continental grip, that is why he hit with almost no topspin, just like McEnroe. He hit everything flat or with sidespin.
Click to expand...

My friends hits a continental grip and he gets surprisingly good topspin. He comes over the ball with an aggressive swingpath, so it is possible to get spin with continental. I'm not sure about the pros discussed though.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
Andres Guazzelli said:
'Shake hands' is an Eastern. Try shaking someone's hand and check the gripping :)
Click to expand...

I suppose that depends on how you shake, or how a shake translates to a racquet handle.

Connors said "shake hands" and his colleague said "continental". That's what I heard. I really don't even care at this point.

It's all a bunch of semantics. BeHappy insults me and says it's not an "extreme eastern" it's a "mild semi western". What the hell is the difference? Is there any? If there is a difference, then what is it? A millimeter?
 
kabob

kabob

Hall of Fame
Federer changes his grip from eastern to modified to semi-western depending on the ball's positioning. Like this picture for instance; in the top picture, he's using a semi-western grip to hit a high ball and in the bottom, he's using a modified grip to hit a normal height ball. I've seen him completely go eastern for low balls.

federer%20forehand%20eyes.tvnz.xo.nz.left.forum_site.right.jpg
 
Andres

Andres

G.O.A.T.
stormholloway said:
I suppose that depends on how you shake, or how a shake translates to a racquet handle.

Connors said "shake hands" and his colleague said "continental". That's what I heard. I really don't even care at this point.

It's all a bunch of semantics. BeHappy insults me and says it's not an "extreme eastern" it's a "mild semi western". What the hell is the difference? Is there any? If there is a difference, then what is it? A millimeter?
Click to expand...
You're right. To me, an Extreme Eastern and a Mild SW is the same grip.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
kabob said:
Federer changes his grip from eastern to modified to semi-western depending on the ball's positioning. Like this picture for instance; in the top picture, he's using a semi-western grip to hit a high ball and in the bottom, he's using a modified grip to hit a normal height ball. I've seen him completely go eastern for low balls.

federer%20forehand%20eyes.tvnz.xo.nz.left.forum_site.right.jpg
Click to expand...

Well the pictures can't lie. The first picture seems to be the only one of his having such a true semi western grip.

Why not vary the grips for the forehand? Makes sense to me.
 
BreakPoint

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
stormholloway said:
Well the pictures can't lie. The first picture seems to be the only one of his having such a true semi western grip.

Why not vary the grips for the forehand? Makes sense to me.
Click to expand...
Are you referring to this pic?

27y4pbq.jpg


If so, that is a classic Eastern Grip. His palm is behind the handle and not underneath it in any way.
 
Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill

Hall of Fame
stormholloway said:
I suppose that depends on how you shake, or how a shake translates to a racquet handle.

Connors said "shake hands" and his colleague said "continental". That's what I heard. I really don't even care at this point.

It's all a bunch of semantics. BeHappy insults me and says it's not an "extreme eastern" it's a "mild semi western". What the hell is the difference? Is there any? If there is a difference, then what is it? A millimeter?
Click to expand...
An eastern forehand is a "shake hands" grip. A continental grip is a "hammer" grip. Shake hands with someone and compare it to how you hold onto a hammer and you will notice a difference.

In the picture a few posts above, Federer does not look like he is shaking hands with his racquet.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
Beacon Hill said:
An eastern forehand is a "shake hands" grip. A continental grip is a "hammer" grip. Shake hands with someone and compare it to how you hold onto a hammer and you will notice a difference.

In the picture a few posts above, Federer does not look like he is shaking hands with his racquet.
Click to expand...

Well, most say Connors used continental. He said he used shake hands. His colleague then said continental and Connors didn't object, so it's a mystery to me.

As for Federer, there's no way he uses a true eastern, as much as Breakpoint would love to believe this.... maybe for low balls.
 
Last edited:
skierpaul

skierpaul

Rookie
Beacon Hill said:
An eastern forehand is a "shake hands" grip. A continental grip is a "hammer" grip. Shake hands with someone and compare it to how you hold onto a hammer and you will notice a difference.
Click to expand...

I use an eastern grip on my framing hammer! I'm a full time carpenter, btw.
:twisted:
 
BreakPoint

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
stormholloway said:
Well, most say Connors used continental. He said he used shake hands. His colleague then said continental and Connors didn't object, so it's a mystery to me.
Click to expand...
Borg used to say that he used a Western forehand grip when in fact he used an Eastern forehand grip. I think many pros just use what's comfortable for them and what they're most familiar without even knowing the technical names for the grips they use.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
I think people around here are probably more scientific with their obsession of grips and strings etc. than 99.9% of professionals.

If Borg used eastern then why were people so obsessed with his 'extreme' grip and how he could never win on grass with it? I always thought it was semi western.
 
BreakPoint

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
stormholloway said:
If Borg used eastern then why were people so obsessed with his 'extreme' grip and how he could never win on grass with it? I always thought it was semi western.
Click to expand...
I think that was more because he was a baseliner that didn't know how to serve and volley when he first went to Wimbledon and also because of his big, loopy, topspin swings which are not as good dealing with low, skidding balls. People also thought that his topspin shots which go very high over the net would be easy pickings at the net for a good volleyer, like McEnroe, for example.
 
H

heycal

Hall of Fame
stormholloway said:
I think people around here are probably more scientific with their obsession of grips and strings etc. than 99.9% of professionals.
Click to expand...

Probably so. I remember being very surprised when some interviewer asked James Blake about how the surface was playing at some tournament (it might have been 2007 AO, but not sure), and he basically said something to the effect that he was the worst guy in the world to ask about such things because he didn't really pay attention to the nuances of different courts, nor alter his game or gear in any way for different courts.
 
D

Deleted member 3771

Guest
This year at Sydney he was complaining that the new surface was slower than last year(he won last year and lost early this year) and didn't suite his game as well so he must be paying more attention to these things these days.

heycal said:
Probably so. I remember being very surprised when some interviewer asked James Blake about how the surface was playing at some tournament (it might have been 2007 AO, but not sure), and he basically said something to the effect that he was the worst guy in the world to ask about such things because he didn't really pay attention to the nuances of different courts, nor alter his game or gear in any way for different courts.
Click to expand...
 
A

Addi

New User
I don't even know why there's such a big fuss about what grip the pros use. what do you think will you get if you use the same grip as federer? I mean actually spin is not about the grip but about the swingpath.

btw. the pimp himself uses an eastern...

addi
 
R

RB

Rookie
BreakPoint said:
Borg used to say that he used a Western forehand grip when in fact he used an Eastern forehand grip. I think many pros just use what's comfortable for them and what they're most familiar without even knowing the technical names for the grips they use.
Click to expand...

Absolutely--ive seen Connors play in person---take a look at some pics --he hits his forehand with his hand BEHIND the racquet-----not on top of it---
 
H

heycal

Hall of Fame
TheNatural said:
This year at Sydney he was complaining that the new surface was slower than last year(he won last year and lost early this year) and didn't suite his game as well so he must be paying more attention to these things these days.
Click to expand...

That's weird. Because he was quite explicit last year in his remarks, saying how it's kind of embarasing to be a world top 10 player and not really care/notice surfaces, and how unlike some of his peers, he does not string or play differently depending of the surface, and just goes out there and plays his game.
 
skierpaul

skierpaul

Rookie
On the topic of pro players not being "in tune" with everything...

I think I can provide a little bit of insight on this, being pro skier on the IFSA Freeskiing Circuit.

People would frequently ask me stuff, like:
"What skis should I buy"
"How much does your equipment cost"
"what do you think about >insert whatever here<"

Most of the time I had no answer, because, for example, the gear that I'm on, is so drastically different from what they need. Likewise the topics that I read up on are completely different than what recreation skiers read in their magazines. For example, most avid recreational skiers have a much more in depth knowledge of what equipment is out there in the retail market. I know about my sponsors gear, and about the specialty, high performance skis that my competitors are on, but I have no clue about anything for the "average joe".

People would ask about what was I working on in my skiing, thinking that if they applied the same focuses, they would be instantly brought up to my level. My focus would be on some rediculous nuance that would fine tune just a fraction of one phase in a turn, when they needed to be focused on basic fundamentals.... fundamentals that are second nature to me and require no thought what-so-ever.

Most likely tennis pros are likewise focused on obscure things for the same reason. A grip, something that Rodger has been doing since before he could read and wright, is completely trivial to him. Not that he hasn't experimented with it, its just that he probably played with his hand placement over time and found what works best for him. He's thinking of the shot he needs to make, and the grip just happens. His body knows what to do to make that shot. This is probably why, there are pics of him with an eastern grip, and pics of him with a semi-western. This is the same reason, when skiing, I'll use terrain unweighing on one turn, and absorption on the next while arcing GS turns down a mogul run. Its just what I need to do to make the turn shape that I need to make. I don't think about the process at all, at that level, you just execute.
 
Djokovicfan4life

Djokovicfan4life

Legend
Mansewerz said:
If the magazine your talking about is "TENNIS", then read this. Yes it is old, but it shows how the same source can give out differing information.

http://www.tennis.com/yourgame/instructionarticles/forehand/forehand.aspx?id=85482
Click to expand...

Uh oh, what's this, differing information from the same source? This has got to be the first time that has EVER happened. :roll:

But on second thought, there's probably no point in arguing with BreakPoint. He's always right and you're wrong, regardless of logic.

Plus the OP was referring to the classic eastern grip, making this whole argument irrelevant.
 
Last edited:
O

obnoxious2

Semi-Pro
Federer's arms are soo skinny. I remember seeing him change shirts during a changeover this year and he looked hella skinny. And don't blame it on the mono.
 
Djokovicfan4life

Djokovicfan4life

Legend
Beacon Hill said:
An eastern forehand is a "shake hands" grip. A continental grip is a "hammer" grip. Shake hands with someone and compare it to how you hold onto a hammer and you will notice a difference.

In the picture a few posts above, Federer does not look like he is shaking hands with his racquet.
Click to expand...

No wonder I was always confused about grips, my dad told me that continental was the "shake hands" grip. :neutral:

I always thought I was using continental when I first started when in reality I was using eastern. Backhand volleys with an eastern forehand, I shudder just thinking about it now. Not that it matters anyway, semi-western owns both grips, at least for my game it does.
 
Last edited:
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
BreakPoint said:
I think that was more because he was a baseliner that didn't know how to serve and volley when he first went to Wimbledon and also because of his big, loopy, topspin swings which are not as good dealing with low, skidding balls. People also thought that his topspin shots which go very high over the net would be easy pickings at the net for a good volleyer, like McEnroe, for example.
Click to expand...

Good point. I mean, Hewitt uses a western grip and Federer is nowhere near that extreme, yet Federer puts more spin on his forehands.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
skierpaul said:
Most likely tennis pros are likewise focused on obscure things for the same reason. A grip, something that Rodger has been doing since before he could read and wright, is completely trivial to him. Not that he hasn't experimented with it, its just that he probably played with his hand placement over time and found what works best for him. He's thinking of the shot he needs to make, and the grip just happens. His body knows what to do to make that shot. This is probably why, there are pics of him with an eastern grip, and pics of him with a semi-western. This is the same reason, when skiing, I'll use terrain unweighing on one turn, and absorption on the next while arcing GS turns down a mogul run. Its just what I need to do to make the turn shape that I need to make. I don't think about the process at all, at that level, you just execute.
Click to expand...

"Read and wright". Hehe...

I agree though. There's no sense in changing your grips around unless you plan on changing your swing. Grips and swings are part of the same entity. If you change your grip you will, to some degree, have to change your swing if you want the same result.
 
H

heycal

Hall of Fame
The funny thing about this argument is that it seems that those of us who use eastern grips ourselves want to label Federer's grip some version of eastern, while semi-western users want to label his grip as semi-western. It reveals more about our own biases and insecurities than it does about Federer's actual grip.

Maybe we think we're doing something right if we use the same grip as Federer, even though his grip should be and is completely irrelevant to any of our games.
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
heycal said:
The funny thing about this argument is that it seems that those of us who use eastern grips ourselves want to label Federer's grip some version of eastern, while semi-western users want to label his grip as semi-western. It reveals more about our own biases and insecurities than it does about Federer's actual grip.

Maybe we think we're doing something right if we use the same grip as Federer, even though his grip should be and is completely irrelevant to any of our games.
Click to expand...

Most definitely true. "I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be like Fed."
 
spikyblackhair

spikyblackhair

Rookie
Wow, is it really soon enough already to joke about 9/11 in Europe?

Even if it's more of a joke about how stupid your comedic character is, I can't imagine being able to do that stateside. The joke would just fall flat. Then again, I'm more politically motivated and patriotic than a lot of people, so maybe I'm just projecting my feelings onto how I perceive others.
 
H

heycal

Hall of Fame
spikyblackhair said:
Wow, is it really soon enough already to joke about 9/11 in Europe?

Even if it's more of a joke about how stupid your comedic character is, I can't imagine being able to do that stateside. The joke would just fall flat.
Click to expand...

The joke aired here on U.S. television, and may have even been filmed here as part of an interview he conducted with an American. And it didn't fall flat at all, as Storm and I can evidently attest to.

I also remember someone relaying to me a 9/11-related joke the American comedienne Sarah Silverman apparently told an American audience not long after the event.
 
spikyblackhair

spikyblackhair

Rookie
OK, so I am just exceptionally patriotic... that makes me sad. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised, though. Even the war in Iraq is yesterday's news to a lot of people. They just don't care anymore unless they have relatives over there.
 
A

Addi

New User
heycal said:
Maybe we think we're doing something right if we use the same grip as Federer, even though his grip should be and is completely irrelevant to any of our games.
Click to expand...
if I play the same grip as the pimpster himself (radek stepanek), will I get the hot chicks of my club?

addi
 
spikyblackhair

spikyblackhair

Rookie
Wow. The last joke was funny, but the first two were pretty lame.

On the one hand, it's good that she was trying to bring a sense of normalcy back to American life, but I'm sure the people who lost friends and relatives didn't appreciate the jokes. I also can't like the fact that it exposed in a way how typically normal American life is self centered and is based on keeping yourself as ignorant as possible to the problems in the rest of the world. Well, I like the fact that it was exposed, actually, but I don't like how it's true. I know it was a joke, but most Americans really would consider the caloric value of soy lattes or whatever more important than rebuilding Iraq or the Kosovar declaration of independence.
 
spikyblackhair

spikyblackhair

Rookie
Hehe, I've seen her comedy before, and she's alright... never thought that she was all that attractive, if that's what you mean :lol: She's OK, but not great.

That particular bit is exceptionally interesting and socially significant, though. It makes a few different statements about American culture between the lines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Any pros use eastern grip?
Replies
14
Views
1K
crazylevity
crazylevity
M
Federer and Sampras......two best players of all time...forehand grips
Replies
12
Views
1K
BreakPoint
BreakPoint
S
gasquet forehand grip!!
Replies
49
Views
8K
ESP#1
ESP#1
Andy Zarzuela
How common is the eastern grip on the Pro Tour?
Replies
30
Views
4K
erik-the-red
E
T
Are Tsitsipas and Bautista Agut the only active eastern forehands?
Replies
34
Views
2K
flanker2000fr
flanker2000fr
Top