Listen up, tennis friends! Today we’re diving into the mysterious world of the backhand grip in tennis—that thing your coach probably mentioned once while you were daydreaming about actually winning a match. I’m Sophia Williams, and I’m about to share some grip secrets that might actually transform your backhand from “please don’t hit it to me” to “PLEASE hit it to me so I can destroy you.”
Let’s face it: most recreational tennis players treat their backhand like that weird cousin at family gatherings—something to be tolerated, not celebrated. But what if I told you that with the right grip, your backhand could become the life of the party?
Backhand Grip Tennis: The Foundation of Your Not-So-Secret Weapon
Before we jump in, let’s get one thing straight. Your racket handle has eight sides, not six, not ten, EIGHT. I once had a student who insisted there were seven. We counted together slowly. Twice. Math is important, people!
These eight sides (or bevels, if you want to sound fancy at your next tennis social) are the key to understanding grip positions. Think of the handle like an octagon, with each side offering a different relationship between your hand and the racket face.
For right handed players, we number these sides clockwise when looking at the butt of the handle. For left handed players, it’s counterclockwise. Don’t mix these up unless you enjoy hitting balls into the next county.
When holding the racket for a backhand, your palm generally faces toward the opposite direction you’re hitting. If that sentence confused you, just stand up and pretend you’re holding a racket. Now imagine smacking your annoying neighbor’s garden gnome with a backhand. See how your palm naturally turns? That’s what we’re talking about!
Eastern Backhand Grip: The Classic That Never Goes Out of Style
The eastern backhand grip is like that little black dress in your closet—timeless, versatile, and appropriate for almost any occasion. To find it, place the base knuckle of your index finger on bevel 1 (if you’re right-handed).
Here’s how to get into this grip without twisting yourself into a pretzel:
- Hold your racket perpendicular to the ground (like you’re about to shake hands with it)
- Place your hand so that the base knuckle of your index finger rests against bevel 1
- Wrap your fingers around, with your thumb comfortably crossing over to provide stability
The eastern backhand gives you a beautiful balance between control and power. It’s particularly handy when you’re hitting backhand slice shots or dealing with those annoying low balls that seem to be specifically designed to make you look foolish.
What makes this grip so effective is that it positions your wrist for stability. The racket becomes more like an extension of your forearm, rather than something you’re desperately flailing around while praying to the tennis gods.
Roger Federer, you know, that guy with 20 Grand Slam titles, uses an eastern backhand grip for his one handed backhand. If it’s good enough for Roger, it should be good enough for you too—unless you’re planning on winning 21 Grand Slams, in which case, please mention me in your victory speech.
Continental Grip: The Swiss Army Knife of Tennis
The continental grip is the multi-tasker of the tennis world. It’s that friend who somehow manages to have a successful career, perfect family, and six-pack abs while you’re over here just trying to remember if you brushed your teeth this morning.
To find it, place the base knuckle of your index finger on bevel 2. Voila! You’re now continental—très chic!
This grip sits right between the eastern forehand and eastern backhand positions, making it the perfect “transition” grip. When you’re playing at the net and need to react quickly to volleys coming at your face at Mach 5, you don’t have time for grip change theatrics. The continental is your best friend.
The continental grip is essential for:
- Volleys (both forehand and backhand)
- Serves (including that fancy kick serve you’ve been trying to master)
- Overheads (when your opponent lobs you and you want to smash the ball into oblivion)
- Drop shots that make your opponent run while internally cursing your name
- Slice backhand shots that stay low and skid across grass courts
Fun fact: Before the evolution of modern tennis with its power-heavy baseline game, the continental was THE grip for basically everything. Players would use it for both forehand and backhand groundstrokes. These days, using a continental grip for your forehand groundstrokes is like showing up to a pool party in a three-piece suit—technically possible, but really, why would you do that to yourself?
Forehand Grip: Wait, Why Are We Talking About This?
You might be thinking, “Hey Sophia, why are you talking about forehand grip in an article about backhands?” Good question, hypothetical reader!
The truth is, understanding your forehand grip helps you recognize how far you need to rotate for your backhand. It’s all connected, like how my coffee addiction is connected to my ability to function as a human being before 10 AM.
Most professional players use some variation of the semi western forehand grip or western forehand grip these days. These grips close the racket face slightly and make it easier to generate that greater topspin that keeps balls from flying to the moon when you swing like you’re trying to swat a particularly annoying fly.
To find the semi western forehand grip, place your base knuckle of your index finger on bevel 4 (for righties). For the full western forehand grip, it’s bevel 5. And if you’re Rafael Nadal and want to hit with so much spin that physicists study your matches, you might go for an extreme forehand grip by placing it between bevels 5 and 6.
The more “western” you go, the more closed your racket face becomes at rest, which means more potential topspin but also more potential for embarrassingly whiffing those low balls.
When transitioning from a forehand to a backhand grip, you need to rotate your hand clockwise (for righties). The farther west your forehand grip is, the farther you’ll need to rotate for your backhand. It’s like a dance, except instead of impressing people on the dance floor, you’re trying not to look like a complete novice on the tennis court.
Eastern Grip: The Middle Path
The eastern grip falls between the continental and semi-western positions. For a forehand, you’d place your base knuckle on bevel 3. This was the popular grip before topspin became all the rage, and players like Pete Sampras used it to devastating effect.
The eastern forehand grip gives you a nice flat shot with decent control. It’s easier on the wrist and arm compared to the western variations, which is something your elbow will thank you for after age 30.
This grip is particularly effective on fast surfaces like grass courts where the ball stays low, and you don’t need to generate as much spin to control your shots. It also works well for taking the ball on the rise or hitting through high balls that would otherwise sail over your shoulder height.
But what does this have to do with backhands? Well, when you use an eastern forehand grip, transitioning to an eastern backhand grip requires a significant but manageable rotation. It’s like doing a quarter turn of a steering wheel, rather than the half turn you might need from a western grip.
Two-Handed Backhand vs. One-Handed Backhand: The Great Debate
Now that we’ve covered the foundational grips, let’s talk about the eternal tennis debate: two handed backhand or one handed backhand? This is like the “pineapple on pizza” controversy of the tennis world, except with more elbow injuries.
The two handed backhand grip typically uses:
- Your dominant hand in an eastern backhand grip or slightly modified version
- Your non dominant hand in a continental or semi western grip position
- Your left hand (for righties) providing stability and additional power
The one handed backhand grip usually means:
- Just your dominant hand in an eastern backhand position
- More wrist flexibility (for good and for bad)
- A classier-looking Instagram slow-mo video of your technique
I personally use a two handed backhand because I enjoy feeling like both my arms are part of the same team. But there’s something undeniably beautiful about a well-executed one-hander, kind of like watching someone parallel park perfectly on the first try.
For two handed backhand grip setup:
- Start with your dominant hand in an eastern backhand position
- Place your non dominant hand above it, with the base knuckle of your index finger somewhere between bevels 2 and 3
- Both hands should work together like they’re best friends, not like awkward strangers on a blind date
The non dominant arm provides stability and helps you handle those high-bouncing shots that would make a one-hander curl up in the fetal position and cry. The trade-off is slightly less reach and the need to use both arms for every backhand (obviously).
For the one handed backhand grip:
- Use a pure eastern backhand or slightly modified version
- Position your thumb up the back of the handle for additional support
- Your index knuckle should sit comfortably on bevel 1
- Prepare for random strangers to compliment your backhand when it looks good (and silently judge when it doesn’t)
The one-hander gives you more reach, potentially more slice options, and definitely more street cred with the tennis purists. The trade-off is dealing with those dreaded high balls to your backhand that bounce above shoulder height. Just ask Stan Wawrinka how much fun those are against Rafael Nadal.
The Backhand Slice: Your Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card
Let’s talk about the backhand slice—the shot that saved my pride more times than I care to admit. When that ball is coming at you fast, and you have as much time to prepare as a parent of twins has to sleep, the slice is your new best friend.
For a proper slice backhand, you’ll want to use:
- A continental grip or eastern backhand grip
- An open racket face throughout the swing
- A beautiful follow-through that makes you look like you’re waving goodbye to your opponent’s hopes and dreams
The slice is particularly effective when:
- You’re scrambling and out of position
- The ball is too low for a comfortable topspin backhand
- You want to change the pace and throw off your opponent’s rhythm
- You need time to recover and get back to a neutral position
The beauty of the slice is that it doesn’t require a major grip change from your volleys or serves if you’re using a continental grip. This makes it the perfect “panic button” shot when you’re being pushed around the court.
Grip Size: Yes, It Actually Matters
Before we wrap up this grippy adventure, let’s talk about grip size. Using the wrong size grip is like wearing shoes that don’t fit—you can do it, but why would you punish yourself that way?
To check if your grip is the right size:
- Hold the racket with your normal backhand grip
- There should be enough space between your fingertips and heel pad to fit another finger
- If your fingers touch your palm, the grip is too small
- If there’s a canyon of space, the grip is too big
For two handed backhand players, you might prefer a slightly smaller grip to allow your non dominant hand to wrap around more comfortably. For one handed backhand players, having the right size is crucial for wrist stability.
Using the wrong grip size can lead to:
- Tennis elbow (which is about as fun as watching paint dry while suffering from insomnia)
- Loss of control on your shots
- Grip shifting during your swing, sending balls to neighboring courts
- Unnecessary strain on your forearm muscles
The Real Secret: It’s Not Just About the Grip
Here’s the dirty little secret professional players don’t want you to know: the perfect grip means nothing if you don’t have proper technique to back it up. It’s like having a Ferrari but not knowing how to drive stick shift.
For any backhand grip to be effective, you need:
- Proper preparation and unit turn (getting your shoulders turned early)
- Weight transfer (from back foot to front foot)
- Appropriate contact point (in front of your body, not at your side)
- Follow-through toward your target (not stopping at contact point like you’re afraid of commitment)
The grip is just the foundation—it’s what you build on top of it that matters. Think of it as the difference between having a good recipe and actually knowing how to cook.
Real Talk: How to Actually Improve Your Backhand
Now that I’ve thrown enough tennis grip terminology at you to make your head spin faster than a kick serve, let’s talk about how to actually apply this information:
- Find your grip comfort zone Start with the standard grips (eastern for one-hander, eastern dominant/semi-western non-dominant for two-hander) and make small adjustments until it feels comfortable.
- Stick with it Changing your grip feels weird at first, like writing with your non-dominant hand or wearing socks with sandals (please don’t do that last one). Give yourself at least a few weeks before deciding if it works for you.
- Practice the transition Moving between forehand and backhand grips should become second nature. Practice this transition even without hitting balls.
- Video yourself Nothing is more humbling than seeing your “perfect” technique on video. Trust me, I’ve had several existential crises after watching myself play.
- Focus on consistency first, power later Get comfortable making clean contact before you try to hit backhand winners that make the crowd go wild (the crowd being your patient friend who agreed to hit with you).
Conclusion: Grip It and Rip It (Responsibly)
Whether you’re a one handed backhand devotee or a two handed backhand enthusiast, finding the right grip is just the beginning of your backhand journey. Like most things in tennis (and life), there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Professional players from different eras have used various grip styles with success:
- Andre Agassi: Slightly modified eastern/semi-western with his two-hander
- Roger Federer: Classic eastern for his one-hander
- Novak Djokovic: Two-hander with his dominant hand between eastern and continental
- Rafael Nadal: Two-hander with both hands in quite extreme positions (because being normal was never his style)
The best forehand and backhand grips for you depend on your physical attributes, playing style, and the types of shots you want to hit. It’s like choosing an ice cream flavor—the “best” is whatever works for you, except vanilla, because that’s just boring. (Kidding! Sort of.)
Remember that grip techniques have evolved with modern tennis. What worked for players in the 1980s might not be optimal for today’s game with its increased pace and spin. Be willing to experiment, but also be patient with yourself during the adjustment period.
Most importantly, enjoy the process! Tennis is a lifelong sport, and developing a backhand you can trust is one of the most satisfying achievements. Even if your backhand never becomes your favorite shot, a functional backhand keeps you in points and matches that would otherwise be lost causes.
Now get out there and grip it like you mean it! Your future backhand winners are waiting.