Hey Western forehand guy, what grip do you use when reveiving serve?

[benasp]

I was wondering cause i'm having a bit of trouble with my return. I don't have great reflex and my partner serve really fast. I usually wait with my 2 handed backhand grip (lower hand continental) and it is good for receiving backhand but when the serve is to my forehand, I don't have time to switch to western and end up messing up.

Tonight I tried waiting with a western grip on the lower hand and it helped a lot for my forehand return but my backhand got worse.

How do you guy deal with this ? do you keep something neutral and have enought time to make the switch ?

thank you, a really bad returner!

 

[esgee48]

With your current grip setup, I would bring back the racquet (sholder turn) with the head up and rotate the right hand 2 bevels counter clockwise. Your hand's thumb should be able to lock into a western or semiwestern grip. I start off continental and rotate the right hand one bevel left or right for a one handed eastern BH or FH.

 

[jdubbs]

Continental

 

[[d]ragon]

I like to hold my racquet such that my left hand is with my backhand grip (easternish) and my right is holding a mild semi-western. Serve to my forehand, I just have to turn my shoulders and release my left hand. Serve to my backhand, I just turn my shoulders and my left hand is already with the right grip so as I rotate and take the racquet back abit, it's a quick easy switch for my right hand to continental

Try it out.

Other than that, you could
-stand further back to give yourself more time to switch (i.e. Nadal)
- keep the continental all the way and chip returns back (i.e. Sweeting)
-work on being able to switch extremely quickly (i.e. Nishikori)

 

[Meaghan]

You need to hold the racket in your fh western grip loosely and your top hand in your 2hbh grip.

Its easier to twist your top hand upwards so that your fh grip slips into your bh grip position.....ala nadal

 

[FloridaAG]

Depends on pace of server - I can switch from my western to a continental for backhand or forehand chip/block faster than I can go the other way for some reason, so I generally start with a lost forehand grip and adjust as needed if to my backhand or a slice serve to my forehand I can generally switch to conti in time. If within hitting zone, I have my forehand grip ready to go

 

[LeeD]

Depends IF you can volley.
Yes, you hold conti grip to return FIRST serves, chip underspin, move forwards, don't flinch.
No, you use W grip on the forehand, but shorten the backswing to almost nothing for first serves, lengthen for second serves.

 

[lodeen]

I am right handed. fh is full western. 2hbh is left hand full western and right hand eastern, with left hand the predominant hand. Ready position is racquet in front with the racquet head horizontal with the ground. Notice that my right hand grip does not change from fh to bh. If the serves are fast, there is almost no back swing but long and fast follow through. Always shoulder turn and pivot. This works for me as it shows in my strong return of serves which caused many opponents to double fault. Also the split step just before the opponent strikes the ball when serving is important.

 

[LeeD]

Seems to me, if your opponent flinches into a double fault when facing your return of serves, you need a better level of opponent.
We are not judge by who we can beat, we're judged by equal or better players that give us a game or beats us.

 

[lodeen]

Seems to me, if your opponent flinches into a double fault when facing your return of serves, you need a better level of opponent.
We are not judge by who we can beat, we're judged by equal or better players that give us a game or beats us.

These opponents are REAL 4.5 to 5.0. Any level better than that is hard to find!

 

[lodeen]

btw since I don't have a strong serve, I've focused a lot on my return of serves to make up for my mediocre serves.

 

[LeeD]

Not too many 4.5's thru 5's would double fault just because you're hitting heavy forcing returns. Most would first probe your high backhand, then into your body forehands, then lower bouncing slices, if not over your head bouncing twists and kicks.
If you stand back to face my 4.0 serves, I'd serve wide and move in.
If you stand in to face my serves, I'd flat/twist/top/slice into your body with a modified spin serve that goes around 95 mph. You cannot hit out on those serves, no matter your level.
And being a lefty, I could easily hit about 75% top/slices wide of your serviceline/sideline intersect, forcing you to return ad court serves 5' beyond (wider than) the doubles sidelines.
And I'm a 4.0.

 

[lodeen]

Not too many 4.5's thru 5's would double fault just because you're hitting heavy forcing returns. Most would first probe your high backhand, then into your body forehands, then lower bouncing slices, if not over your head bouncing twists and kicks.
If you stand back to face my 4.0 serves, I'd serve wide and move in.
If you stand in to face my serves, I'd flat/twist/top/slice into your body with a modified spin serve that goes around 95 mph. You cannot hit out on those serves, no matter your level.
And being a lefty, I could easily hit about 75% top/slices wide of your serviceline/sideline intersect, forcing you to return ad court serves 5' beyond (wider than) the doubles sidelines.
And I'm a 4.0.

Good for you!

 

[LeeD]

Yup, and every 4.5 or 5.0 can beat me with superior endurance, speed, court coverage, and sheer mental toughness.

 

[tlm]

I use continental on both sides for the first serve, i like to just chip it back. But i do use western on forehand for 2nd serves.

 

[maggmaster]

I use my semi western grip and switch to my backhand grip. Its not that hard to do even against big servers.

 

[benasp]

I would Also have to work on the less backswing part because I feel that I instinctively make a big backswing when i'm rushed, that is probably a bad habit.