What's up athletes! Thanks for watching. Just wanted to clarify some players mentioned in the video. To clarify, Nadal is not using a full western grip. He's likely using a grip somewhere in between the semi-western and full western (especially earlier in his career). And now, may be using a full semi-western. These nuances are difficult to tell even with high-speed video because they're so nuanced, can change depending on the shot, and sometimes over a players' career. Upon closer inspection, it does look like Gasquet is using more of a full Eastern. However, it appears milder due to his flexed wrist and pronated forearm position during his backswing. On that note, it's not recommended to use anything milder than the standard Eastern grip if you're trying to hit a modern style forehand. Showing different players provides a starting point for the general grip types. But there are always slight differences from player to player. And ultimately, what's important is that each player experiments and finds their own preference. Hope this helps, and great luck out there!

I would like a video explaining the various variations of the two-handed backhand and their characteristics, it would be incredible

can't wait to see this series of videos. Great job as always guys.

Nail on the head! Eastern is 'less athletically demanding'. So why do so many coaches START students with the semiwestern? Beats me.

I've been following tennis channels and videos for over 10 years and this by far the best explainer out there! The key takeaway for viewers should be that there is no one semi-western grip but multiple variations...

Excellent video breakdown. End of the day it is all about the semi-western forehand !

THANKS A LOT FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!!

It’s a good day when racquet flex posts videos. Welcome back

More western you go then the closer the elbow gets to the body it seems, yes? Closer contact point to the eyes. Great video, guys.

Wow. So much info I’m going to have to watch this 2-3 times!

This is one of the best tennis videos on this platform, pls pls pls do this for the backhand also, I cannot wait

Great info and presentation. 👍

I understand what you're saying intuitively because I've been doing these things for ages, but seeing them explained so well is incredible. Really good writing!

I've read so many times on the internet that many coaches start their students with a semi western grip and I always thought it was really weird. I'm a tennis coach aswell and in my country every kid starts with an eastern grip no matter who their coach is. Children can't get enough power with a semi western grip until he/she reaches a certain age. They either willingly change it to a semi western (when the time is right for it) or it naturally changes when they play with older opponents that hit with lots of power and spin which causes them to continuously receive high balls and the grip starts to slip to a more extreme position in order to hit comfortably. What grip do you think a beginner, especially a kid should start with and what does the majority of American coaches encourage their students to use?

Thanks for the different "Semi Western Grips" i thought every SW grips are all the same this is ver helpful for us beginners

Amazing content, guys.. ty!

We need more video on the one handed backhand please 🙏 I want to learn this technique

Very nice summary. Nadal changed his grip to mild Semi as well as changing his strings to thinner guages.

Hi Coach, Thanks for this video bc I have been looking for content on this and had not found it! Technically I am using the semi western forehand grip, but I am feeling I am not getting a solid enough contact with the ball...I feel i am coming over the ball too much at contact..do you recommend I adjust the grip?

I would love a video breaking down how the racquet/swing is putting spin on the ball at the actual contact point. How closed is the racquet face. Where is 12 o clock on the racquet facing. I’m really interested in learning more about the actual physics of it.

Started with eastern used to experiment with western . switched to a semi western . can hit with a hawaiian grip but only do it when practising or having a friendly . Cici Bellis retired at 22 with a wrist injury from this grip 😩. Semi western works well for me .

Great video! I am the kind who changes raquet grip like socks, but I think next summer I'll settle on eastern or a close variation.

More please 😊

Great video

I started tennis in late 1970s with wooden racquet era. Grip taught was eastern grip. I think most players at that time like McEnroe, Lendl, Sampras were doing similar grip. The only exception I read about was Rod Laver with western grip at his time. Is it partly a function of advance racquet technology that made the more aggressive style possible? What was Bjorn Borg's grip, seeing that he was a top spin player?

In 10 years, some new world tennis champion is asked in an interview, “how did you develop those beautiful strokes“ he answers “well, there’s these guys on KZfaq…

I've always pretty much lived on a Continental grip and even used to find the Western not very fun, but I largely agree with the analysis. I just started out and formed all my habits in a very different era of tennis (yes, wood rackets and all). I had a continental grip on the forehand, but I would slip to the East on my backhand (one-handed backhand, of course). Unsurprisingly, my backhand was the far more versatile stroke. Aside from the fact that I'm old enough to be the father of anyone on tour today, the game has changed so much that I barely even have anything in me that is relevant or competitive. About the only skill I have that is remotely impressive anymore is my knack for picking up half-volleys. I also often played serve-and-volley, which is practically a dead paradigm in today's tennis.

Curious as to that Uniqlo shirt you're wearing in this video, looks both good and comfortable - can't find it on their website.

Kyrgios actually uses on-the edge between semi western and full western grip. An interesting case is Fritz who currently uses a bit deeeper grip than western.

How significant is the difference beteeen extreme Eastern and mild semi western? I’ve been playing for 2 years consistently, taking lessons once a week and and playing another day. I am around a 3.5 level at this point. I’ve naturally developed an extreme eastern grip, and people say I get a lot of spin for someone my level. I am extremely confident on low balls, but I do struggle a little bit on the higher bouncing balls. Is it worth adjusting to a mild semi western grip? My goal is to essentially consistently improve for as long as I play, I’m only in my 20s so I am completely fine playing the long game. Thanks,

to be sure to understand well, would you say that the hand is more open with the index more spread on full semi-western than on mild semi-western ?

Where'd you get that uniqlo tennis shirt? Looks great

What a great way to start the year!! I always wondered!

I can't help but associate the Western with Kent Carlsson, who used even an extreme version of that and looked like he was throwing uppercuts when he swung. I've been an Eastern adherent my whole life and as I've aged, I've found that it fits my game even better now (50+) than when I was a teenager, mostly due to requiring less athleticism to hit. However, what I have been trying lately is rotating to a semi-western when I know a high ball is coming, and that's greatly improved my put-away percentage because I can strike sharper angles, even if I'm only using it on the slow loopy balls that I can better set up for.

2:08 just to clarify clockwise and counter-clockwise are wrong here? or are they from your perspective holding the racket?

Can you please cover Yannick Sinner forehand and backhand thank you

What is Holger rune grip ? Ils like alcaraz ? 3 and 4 or just 4

Could you explain the terminology in more detail? Such as, what does a "milder" grip mean?

Nice.

I tried switching to a semi western grip when I was younger and I was committed to it but my forehands were never as consistent.. ended up switching back to that eastern, just felt more comfortable to me, immediately the instructor at the club told me my forehands looked better.

Where can I get that Shirt? It looks really nice 😅

Coach from Greece here, thank you for everything, go on to the next video!

The eastern grip counters the westerns body full use as athletic , when you run foward .

Which racquet are you playing with?

Which grip you would say, Agassi uses?

Hello my friend. for the " Flat " shot it's easier to use Continental grip.

It is the personal preference of the player that counts not that of the coach.. i am a tenniscoach, i start them in eastern with beginner's.

You can use both but at a higher level the eastern ends up being better for people who want to hit more winners from the baseline and short balls above the net. The western is good for smaller and younger players who need to loop the ball over the net more. The western can be considered more consistent perhaps, but the eastern requires less torque on the body. I used to be western grip all up until I turned 30 and now at 33 I'm playing the best tennis of my life with the eastern grip. At the end of the day it is whatever you feel comfortable with.

What means modified eastern grip?¿ That's what the quiz tell me to use it

The wrist deviation stuff -- just flex toward your pinky through contact, yay!! -- was very confusing, guys. Otherwise excellent video as always.

I use Fedistic modified/extreme eastern grip so I'm no expert but your description of the semi-western grip and its contact point etc. was confusing and unclear. You mean your wrist moves from radial deviation to ulnar deviation during the contact?! Sounds crazy and impossible!?

i use the Eastern when i feel like pushing or hitting on the rise but a semi western when i wanna just thwack it lol. i used the semi w as a teenager, quit for about 10 years, came back super out of shape and not having the gas tank or the patience to stand 3 feet back and run at every shot. switched to the eastern so i could hit on the rise on 80% of my shots, which was great because i could cover the baseline in 3 steps rather than 5 or 6. Been about 2 years since I came back and I'm slowly building back up my old form and fitness and being able to competently hit both versions has been such a treat (I'm roughly a 4.0 player). I genuinely love using both depending on the situation. My favorite part of the eastern is that it unlocks the disguise forehand dropper/slice shot. Not the greatest conventional competitive shot, but the insane sidespin slice that you can put on it can get you some easy points at club level just from people not being good enough at on the rise backhands. I do get caught between two minds sometimes playing with people who hit harder than I'm used to though. Having to pick one or the other in split second situations is not an advantage.

Is full Western grip the same as a continental grip, just hitting forehand using the other side of the racket?

i have important question : Do pro tennis player use many grip ? they choose the grip compared to the ball they receive

You forgot extreme full western which is on 6-5

Always been an Eastern gripper. It feels more natural for my swing path.

This is really, really interesting. But it also feels funny to me. While I have taken many, many golf lessons and understand the theory of the golf swing very well, I still don't swing the club well or naturally. On the other hand, I have never taken a single tennis lesson and have no theoritical knowledge of tennis technique, and yet I feel that I hit the tennis ball much more comfortably and naturally than the golf ball. Maybe it's just because I started playing tennis earlier than golf.

I would say the best example of the true western grip is nishioka that racquet face is as flat as a pancake and he still hits a really deep and powerful shot

Great explanation of the modern forehand grip variations! My only suggestion has nothing to do with the explanations, per se, but the players you use for examples. All men and no women. How about Iga's or Coco's extreme Western grips? Serena's semi-western? My daughter is more interested in watching women's tennis, and frankly I am as well. Bring more viewers into your world by including women!

what string do u use plsssssss?

Federer gets more topspin because he has a very low racquet drop, similar to Nadal. Nadal has to swing incredibly hard with that racquet drop given that he has a semi-western grip.

the best grip is the grip u like best

#winner winner chicken dinner!!

Love your videos, keep them coming! #winnerwinnerchickendinner

love y'alls videos but the audio mixing is wild 💀

Americans have a great serve and good forehand but why so weak backhand compare to us in Europe? Just asking

#winnerwinnerchickendinner :)

#winnerwinnerchickendinner

# winner winner chicken dinner 😅

Kyrgios and Nadal are not extreme grip users.

Tsitsipas uses eastern

the music is a little to loud

Nadal has changed his grip in his career a few times

Your videos are great but I think Federer uses a classical eastern forehand grip: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z6qIpaSKlrDekXU.htmlsi=MTLY9NHsWMaHmUtT kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l76TpsWduJmunGg.htmlsi=Sn2yRxGy78zGB5dJ

Rafa's grip is semi- Eastern, I reckon. I analysed his latest training video.

Nadal is actually semi western. should probably change your thumbnail

Anyone who uses Nadal as an example of how to use a western grip on a low ball shouldn't be doing instructional videos. Nadal uses and has always used a standard semi-western grip--just like 80+ percent of professional players.

I feel like I’m your friend

Claiming Nadal has a western grip and same as is wild. Or that he has the same grip as Novak smh. Especially when you show a vid of Nadal using radial deviation when creating spin (as he always does) and not ulnar deviation. His buggy whip is tons of radial deviation and wouldn’t really be possible with a western grip or a grip like Novak’s. Love this channel but this was was a big miss. Tsitsipas seems very eastern too very similar to Sampras, his idol.

the clips you show for western are not really western look at nishioka and khachanov

You gotta do your research first. Gasquet uses semiwestern grip . Not the continental grip .

For those wanting to hit like a pro, just hit.

Fantastic video great topic and examples. I recommend your channel daily on the court. Keep up the great work. #winnerwinnerchickendinner

Screw it. I'm going Hawaiian grip

2:57 So your viewers are supposed to know what you mean by "a grip close to Jack Socks"???

Just use semi western. No one uses eastern. Even Fed uses a in between the two.

Nadal definitely uses a SW forehand grip. You can't hit straight arm with a full western.

bent vs straight forehand style please

#winnerwinnerchickendinner

Nadal has changed his grip in his career a few times

#winnerwinnerchickendinner