The Eastern Forehand Grip

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The eastern forehand grip is where the heel pad and index knuckle of your hitting hand are resting on the third bevel of the tennis racket handle. In the video, you can see a shot of me holding the racket with a eastern forehand grip, and you can see my heel pad and index knuckle resting on the third bevel of the tennis racket handle.

A shortcut to finding the tennis eastern forehand grip is to hold the tennis racket with your non-hitting hand and then grip it with your hitting hand like you were trying to shake someone’s hand. If you hit with an eastern grip, your natural contact height will be about waist high, the lowest of the three common forehand grips. Also, if you hit with an eastern grip, it will be easier to flatten out and drive the ball than it would be with either a semi-western or western forehand grip, but the tradeoff is that you will not be able to hit with as much topspin.

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  • Rarebird

    Kenny–
    Here’s an idea, albeit maybe a weird one:  I use an Eastern forehand grip yet also manage to get a mega ton of topspin on the ball, but I change it up by throwing in suddenly much flatter, faster, lower-bouncing, and barely over-the-net balls by simply extending my index finger up the handle of the racquet.  My stroke looks the same (resembles Rafa’s “helicopter” follow-through) but that little index finger allows me to completely change the type of shot my opponent gets.  It also aids in controlling the ball direction when you need some extra help.  I wouldn’t use it for every stroke because maybe it places a lot of stress on your finger/hand/wrist. 

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  • david

    If my index knuckle is on the third bevel but my heel pad is on the second one, does that qualify as an eastern grip? It seems more natural to me.

  • Ryoma

    how do you do this left-handed because I am.