Does Federer use continental grip for FH volley?

Does anyone knows what grip Federer uses for FH volley? I know he uses eastern grip for his FH but I don't know if he changes for FH volley

What is the best grip for FH volley?

I have a grip between eastern and sw grip for my FH. Someone call it weak eastern grip. When I rush to net I forget to change to strong eastern grip ( a little over turned toward conti). That is my comfortable FH volley.
I have trouble to change my grips during matches even during practice rallies. Did anyone has same problem like me and found solution?
Does most people change grips for FH volley from FH grip?
 
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dsa202

Banned
Every pro uses a continental grip on their forehand volley. As for changing grips, its just a transition you'll have to practice. Use your left hand which should be at the throat to assist.
 

WildVolley

Legend
Overwhelmingly, professional players switch from semi-western to continental to volley. IMO, the continental is the best grip for the volley and it allows you to hit overheads and volley off each side without a grip change.

It will feel unnatural to volley with it at first, but you can quickly develop the proper technique and contact point with a little practice.
 

rkelley

Hall of Fame
Use one grip for all volleys, a continental. Exact details of the grip can vary a bit, i.e. shaded towards an E. fh or E. bh, but it's a continental. You have plenty of time to change grips between a ground stroke and a volley, though you might need to practice it. What you don't have time for is changing grips once you're volleying.

For me I always have my right hand in a continental grip in the ready position except when I'm receiving serve. Every stroke I hit will use my right hand in that grip except a fh ground stroke, so it's the most convenient grip to hold.

On the naming the grips, What I've seen here is that the "strong" modifier is used for the more western grip. So if you're normal fh grip is between an E. and SW, then it would called a strong Eastern. I've also seen modified Eastern for this grip. I use this grip BTW.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
You SHOULD use continental for all volleys, half volleys, overheads, however....
Some pros use a conti with a slight twist towards eForehand for their forehand volleys, then turn their shoulders tons and use a long slicing motion for their backhand volleys.
The above takes some practice to hit the backhand volleys.
You might consider just using a straight continental grip for all volleys for about 5,000 volleys, THEN you can decide or not, to switch to strengthen your forehand putaway.
Sampras tended to go slightly eForehand on his conti on pickup half volleys and putway volleys, which is the majority of his forehand volleys. He, of course, had hit over 6 years of volleys before the slight switch.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I don't know about Roger but many elite players might deviate slightly from the continental grip for the FH at the net. Their grip at the net is pretty much a continental grip. However, some/many elite volleyers might make a very slight shift (towards a semi-conti) when hitting many of their FH volleys. The shift is so slight from the conti grip that it might be difficult to detect. The off hand is not really needed to make this slight shift.
 

Rui

Semi-Pro
I don't know about Roger but many elite players might deviate slightly from the continental grip for the FH at the net. Their grip at the net is pretty much a continental grip. However, some/many elite volleyers might make a very slight shift (towards a semi-conti) when hitting many of their FH volleys. The shift is so slight from the conti grip that it might be difficult to detect. The off hand is not really needed to make this slight shift.

^^ Yes, very true. You need to have a relaxed grip to allow the slight alteration that SA is talking about.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
You need a soft, relaxed grip in order to volley at any decent level.
A strong hammer grip makes for a slow unfeeling rackethead.
 

BevelDevil

Hall of Fame
\ However, some/many elite volleyers might make a very slight shift (towards a semi-conti) when hitting many of their FH volleys. The shift is so slight from the conti grip that it might be difficult to detect. The off hand is not really needed to make this slight shift.

Would this be rolling the handle slightly into a more open position so the handle is seated higher in the hand?

On a related note, on the fh volley which fingers, if any, should be applying the most pressure on the handle? What about bh volley?



You need a soft, relaxed grip in order to volley at any decent level.
A strong hammer grip makes for a slow unfeeling rackethead.

^^True again. We're on a roll.

how much wrist layback would you say?

And do you suggest the hand be locked into as much of a 90-degree as comfortable?
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Would this be rolling the handle slightly into a more open position so the handle is seated higher in the hand?
...

Don't know what you mean by this. I would roll the racket very slightly, primarily with my thumb and index finger, so that I can hit my FH volley with a grip that is a shade toward a semi-conti grip.


... On a related note, on the fh volley which fingers, if any, should be applying the most pressure on the handle? What about bh volley?
...

When I prepare my racket for the volley, my grip is rather loose (relaxed). I will often create a gap between the racket handle and my palm by pushing the handle forward while relaxing the grip even more with my last 3 fingers. As I move the racket forward to meet the ball, I will squeeze with the last 3 fingers to close the palm gap and accelerate the racket head forward. This squeeze technique is sometimes known in some badminton circles as "finger power".

The gap and finger action is more pronounced on slower incoming balls. The squeezing action will result is a slight wrist action. I use a similar technique on both FH and BH volleys. The implementation is slightly different and the slight wrist action is also different. On faster incoming balls, I do not create much of a gap at all but I will still squeeze into contact.
.
 
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BevelDevil

Hall of Fame
Don't know what you mean by this. I would roll the racket very slightly, primarily with my thumb and index finger, so that I can hit my FH volley with a grip that is a shade toward a semi-conti grip.
.

That sounds great, I'm going to try it.

Your ready position is continental? Can you change to this grip quickly?

Also, do you always hit fh volleys with this grip, or do you alter it by the circumstance?
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
That sounds great, I'm going to try it.

Your ready position is continental? Can you change to this grip quickly?

Also, do you always hit fh volleys with this grip, or do you alter it by the circumstance?

Yes, my default "ready" grip at the net is a true continental. The grip change can be made very quickly. Quite a few years ago, I was often aware of the grip change. It's become so automatic tho', I am no longer aware of it (unconscious proprioception?). I believe that I do not always make the change but I could not tell you how often that I do it.

Every once in a while, I will make a conscious grip change for particular situations but, most of the time, minor grip changes are so automatic that I'm not aware of it at all. There are times when I will purposely change to something of a FH grip to hit a BH volley. In this case, I've usually been pulled wide to my BH side and I want to hit an extreme angle back (nearly parallel to the net).
.
 
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