Grip on return of serve question

[The Unknown]

Hi guys, just got a question about grips on return of serve and what people typically do out there.

I come up often against some biggish serves, so on first serve I hold the racket with a continental grip and attempt to either chip the ball back on my forehand or punch it back with my two handed backhand. In fact, I favour my backhand return.

My grip means I dont play a lot of topspin forehands on the return of the first serve. Is this normal/a bad thing? I just feel like I dont have enough time to change my grip to the semi western, so I try reduce the risk and forget about playing it all together.

Thanks

 

[dct693]

I think people typically wait with one grip: either forehand or backhand and adjust as the shot comes in.

I use the "Almagro" unigrip method: I use a 1HBH, with a semi-western forehand and a semi-western backhand using the same side of the strings to contact the ball, whether it's a forehand or backhand. It means no grip change is necessary.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls41]

I have a one hander so I'll always prepare and ready myself with an eastern backhand grip so i can block big serves back on the backhand side. I'm usually quick enough to switch to a semi-western for my forehand if it comes to that side. It's a quick adjustment. I suppose continental would work too as a good universal grip but i'd rather have my backhand prepared before the serve is hit.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

One option. You might try holding the racket with your top (non-dominant) hand in its normal 2-handed BH position and have your dominant hand in a Eastern or a milder (less extreme) version of your regular FH grip. You can then shift your dominant more easily to a continental (or semi-continental) grip for BHs if you have time.

I hit more 1-handed BHs that 2-handed BHs. And my most common FH grip is an extreme Eastern (almost a mild SW). I kind of "float" my grip (very loosely) for serve returns against big servers. I will often wait with a continental or a semi-continental in my ROS ready position. I might vary it for different servers. Here is an article from TP.net that discusses some ROS grip strategies employed by the top pros:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/public/tour_strokes/bobby_bernstein/the_ pro_return/the_ pro_return.html

 

[The Unknown]

One option. You might try holding the racket with your top (non-dominant) hand in its normal 2-handed BH position and have your dominant hand in a Eastern or a milder (less extreme) version of your regular FH grip. You can then shift your dominant more easily to a continental (or semi-continental) grip for BHs if you have time.

I hit more 1-handed BHs that 2-handed BHs. And my most common FH grip is and extreme Eastern (almost a mild SW). I kind of "float" my grip (very loosely) for serve returns against big servers. I will often wait with a continental or a semi-continental in my ROS ready position. I might vary it for different servers. Here is an article from TP.net that discusses some ROS grip strategies employed by the top pros:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/public/tour_strokes/bobby_bernstein/the_ pro_return/the_ pro_return.html

Thanks Im a subscriber and will check it out

 

[rkelley]

2hbh here. I hold the top (left) hand in my 2hbh grip (SW) and my bottom hand in my regular fh grip (SW). This allows me to be aggressive off either side. I could do this in rallies too, but I don't. In rallies I have enough time to switch.

 

[10isMaestro]

I usually wait for serves with my off hand on the throat and my right hand in my forehand grip (semi-western). When it comes to my backhand side, I am usually fast enough to get a continental and slide my left hand in place. It doesn't take a lot of time, it's really a fast adjustment and I prefer to start out with a forehand for two reasons:
1. If the serve comes fast, my two handed backhand is much easier to prepare than my one handed forehand, so I bias the preparation to compensate;
2. If the serve is slower, I'm definitely looking to attack it and I do hit my forehand harder.

Some people do wait with a continental grip on their dominant hand, expecting backhand side serves most of the time, but I feel the grip change is trickier that way.

 

[LeeD]

I suspect you play against bigger servers than most of the guys who are replying.
Very few returner's can hit topspin forehand, or backhand, against a good strong serve placed well. Faced against a good serve, the default is your conti grip chip, mostly deep, but keep it low.
Watch any ATP tennis. Against a big serve, they block it back with underspin, like you do. Against a weak first serve, they have time to hit a topspin return.
There is no ONE grip that works against every server in every situation. You have to know how fast the max serve is going to be, decide for yourself what grip to counter that, and then figure out the ratio of fast first serves to spin serves, and take your chances.
Good big servers, when faced with a good returner who stands back a few feet, will just hit wide slices to move the returner off the court.
Good servers, when faced with strong returner's, will test to see if the returner is better at returning wide serves, whether he can handle body shots, and vary to spin of serve to find weaknesses.

 

[Tight Lines]

One option. You might try holding the racket with your top (non-dominant) hand in its normal 2-handed BH position and have your dominant hand in a Eastern or a milder (less extreme) version of your regular FH grip. You can then shift your dominant more easily to a continental (or semi-continental) grip for BHs if you have time.

Yup. This is what I do.

 

[dlam]

I like to use what I call a "pinch" grip . I pinch the grip with the forefinger and thumb.
The grip has to be relaxed at the ROS. Better to keep a relax grip and even twirl it with the "pincher" grip a few times.
More important is to stutter step as you get ready to return the serve and then when you land on your feet is when you take the grip