What grips are the current tennis elite using?

Question

Also, how is this different from days of yore?

Detail much appreciated!

Answer 1

For the serves, pros use mainly the continental grip so that the ball can go straight. Others use an eastern grip for serves. For forehands most players use a semi-western to western grip because it offers the most control over the ball and allows the players to place heavy topspin on the ball. Backhands are either semi-western or eastern, though two-handed backhands sometimes use continental backhands. Volleys are just about always continental because its otherwise difficult to direct the ball.

The grips remain the same since older days except for groundstrokes. Back in the day, the western grip was seldom used and the eastern was more popular.

Answer 2

If you mean grip size, it's long been maintained that the proper grip size is to allow a finger width's space while holding a racquet. A grip too large can cause hand fatigue and a grip too small can cause the racquet to turn or spin in your hand. I've always been more comfortable with a slightly smaller grip (been playing for 25 years) and find the advent of tacky overgrips has removed the fear of the turning or spinning.

Roger Federer uses a 4 3/8 grip size which is one size too small. He feels this allows him to get a better wrist flick to get around the ball on reaching shots. Not sure if there is a significant trend with the rest of the tour players.

If you mean grip material, well a lot has changed. 30 years ago, all grips were leather or some synthetic poly urethane. The only overgrips were gauze wraps that absorbed moisture but had to be replaced often. Vitas Gerulaitis was famous for using gauze.

Tourna-Grip was introduced in the early 80's and an entire market of grip accessories sprouted up. Gamma Grip was the 1st to introduce a tacky overgrip, unlike the suede-like feel of the Tourna-Grip. Most players today seem to prefer some variation of a tacky overgrip. The last high profile player I can recall using the signature blue Tourna-Grip was Pete Sampras.

Answer 3

The modern forehand grip is the semi-western grip. This allows you to generate plenty of topspin for control. The backhand depends on what type it is: continental for slice, eastern for one-handed topspin or drive, and continental or eastern for a two-handed backhand. As far as the serve is concerned, a continental grip is the standard grip for slice and flat. You may need to shift to a backhand grip to hit a topspin or kick serve. The type of serve you hit depends on how aggressive you are and the situation. Slice, flat and topspin are all useful on a first serve. The slice and topspin give a little extra margin for error on a second serve. I would recommend talking to a pro or at least a very solid player to go over the details of each.

Answer 4

well grips themselves...on the racquet the TournaGrip is by far the most popular and i personally use it...for a serve almost all players hold continental..and those who dont hold continental arnt far off as they might hold an eastern forehand or backhand grip (but continental is much more prominent)

For volleys and a two handed back hand continental is also held...the second hand on the back hand anywhere from continental to backhand semi western...

And for forehand...the recent wave of tennis players have been swinging semi and full westerns for the most part..although i personally dislike the full western because it causes for a great lack of power compared to the eastern and semi...But it is solid for clay courts as Rafa Nadal has proven...but i personally feel Eastern is the best choice even though like only a small percentage of pros use it...one of them being...ROGER FEDERER....and other greats such as PETE SAMPRAS...it allows for u to hit with spin when needed on more defensive shots...but also allows u to completely smack the ball on anything in ur wheel house... so yeah...thats about it i believe

Answer 5

for serve continental or more like an eastern backhand grip. for forehand semi western or full western, or nadal and some others even use further over than full western. for one handed backhand eastern backhand. and for volleys continental.