Does Federer at times hit with a Semi Western Grip? (Photo/Video Analysis)

[drakulie]

Sometimes however his heel pad is more western,

which means he is hitting with a semi-western/modified eastern

From Tennis.com:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tennis.com/articles/articlefiles/370-2008_05_08_federer_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/%3Fa%3D370&usg=___yZua8ZIkl0eLXy9xHWFWFhJKKc=&h=177&w=300&sz=28&hl=en&start=241&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=48_qXcOoTLKHiM:&tbnh=68&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfederer%2Bforehand%26start%3D234%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1W1ADBR_en%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

"...his grip is closer to Pete Sampras’. Federer keeps part of his hand off the end of the grip, but most of it is still on the back of the handle, directly aligned with the face of the racquet. He shifts his index base knuckle slightly downward about half a bevel toward a semi-Western grip (to do this, stand the racquet on its end, as in the diagram below, and place your index base knuckle between bevels 3 and 4 if you’re right-handed or between 6 and 7 if you’re a lefty). This modifi ed Eastern grip is more conservative than that of most top players, who typically shift farther toward the Western grip and place part or most of their hands under the handle."



At Wimbledon, note the knuckle on the side of the handle (bevel 4, rather than behind the grip (bevel 3).

FYB's analysis that he ONLY hits with an eastern :roll:

 

[salsainglesa]

This is fun! (as in a sarcastic way of saying this actually isn't)

Why is it so important to be right about what grip anyone uses?
What you use and how you use it is what really matters, that you understand what happens at contact matters... naming the grip doesnt.

a WW can be hit with eastern, semi-w and w.

The clasical eastern is at 0º from the part of the palm that gives you the information of how you slap someting, 45º on semi-w and at 90º on western.

there is another angle that changes the whole knuckle and heel pad stuff and its the angle in wich you hold the racquet in your hand, be it from ppinky knuckle to index knuckle, or from index knuckle to heel pad. theres a 45º diference.

The rest, is an adaptation in little angles on how much the wrist is flexed, pronated and/or deviated.

Whats natural and confortable is totally matter of preference.

 

[Bud]

In the Drak pics... the grip is closer to SW than E

 

[drakulie]

Why is it so important to be right about what grip anyone uses?

the same reason you feel compelled to write up your definition of the grips, and post in a thread you feel isn't "important".

In the Drak pics... the grip is closer to SW than E

and my point is not to say he ALWAYS hits like this. My point was to simply provide the true definition of an eastern (heel and index knuckle on bevel 3), and provide proof that he is not always in this position.

 

[TommyGNR]

This is fun! (as in a sarcastic way of saying this actually isn't)

Why is it so important to be right about what grip anyone uses?
What you use and how you use it is what really matters, that you understand what happens at contact matters... naming the grip doesnt.
/QUOTE]

I will tell you why. BECAUSE THERE ARE ALOT OF GRIP ****'S OUT THERE. THEY CANT DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO USE THE SAME GRIP TO PLAY WELL.