Pro Grip Series: ATP Forehands

[jimlosaltos]

Your discussions in this forum inspired our new Tour Portrait: ATP Forehand Grips, the first in a series focusing on tennis grips.

When the ATP published its rankings of the top 5 forehands, we recognized that it comprised players with a wide range of grip types (I've repeated the ATP ranking graphic below). When I got requests for images showing close ups for some players and that drew more comments we decided to reprise an TPN topic from years back.

Here's the first, ATP grips. We intend to follow with more tour portraits on grips - WTA, backhands, drop shots/volleys/serves, interleaving them with regular portraits of players on alternative months.

This is one larger version I like, hope you do as well. Not the same grip he uses to beat his leg with his racket after losing big points


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The ATP Top 5 Forehands Again. We've got tight views of the forehand grips for all these players and many more from Rafa to Kyrgios.

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[jimlosaltos]

An amateur observation on pro forehand grips. Nadal hits ( present tense, not retired for another few weeks! ) with as much velocity and RPMs as anyone, and unlike players with severe Western grips, feasts on low forehands.

By current trends, Rafa's grip is out of date. Only Medy and perhaps Grigor are more "conservative". Also, the heel of his hand is off his tiny 4 1/4 in grip.

Any thoughts? {The collection of ATP forehand grip photos in this month's Tour Portrait are at this link. Please click to check them out.}

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[stroke]

Fed sometimes seemed to have the butt of the grip in his palm/heel of hand off grip, also. Obviously, that would create more centrifugal force into contact, but it does sacrifice control. Nadal to me is just in a pretty standard semi western grip.

[jimlosaltos]

Fed sometimes seemed to have the butt of the grip in his palm/heel of hand off grip, also. Obviously, that would create more centrifugal force into contact, but it does sacrifice control. Nadal to me is just in a pretty standard semi western grip.

This what you are referring to? Back in 2012. Couldn't find the original on short notice but it shows Fed's grip.

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[stroke]

This what you are referring to? Back in 2012. Couldn't find the original on short notice but it shows Fed's grip.

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Yes we have talked about this before I think. Someone pointed out Verdasco, who had great technique and a huge forehand, was not like this at all. The whole heel of his hand was clearly on the grip.

[jimlosaltos]

Yes we have talked about this before I think. Someone pointed out Verdasco, who had great technique and a huge forehand, was not like this at all. The whole heel of his hand was clearly on the grip.

Good memory. That's right. Summer of '23, 39/40 year old Fernando coming back from a TUE suspension at the Golden Gate Open. I was trying to stick to current players in this Tour Portrait but Fernando is certainly one to note. Helps, if one is trying to do this, to have huge hands like him. Not sure this is what you described, tho?

Fernando is also in a noteworthy minority, straight-arm forehand hitters: Fed, Rafa, Fernando, Shappo, Alcaraz, Grigor. Not a half-bad group to be part of.

From Golden Gate Open 2023 at Stanford Taube (c)jfawcette

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[jimlosaltos]

stroke, I created another to provide a different view of Fernando forehand grip (and great extension ! )

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[stroke]

Interestingly, Fernando seems to have no gap between his ring finger and the heel of his hand, and we all know traditionally, the guide for proper grip size was there needs to be an approximately finger width gap.

[jimlosaltos]

Interestingly, Fernando seems to have no gap between his ring finger and the heel of his hand, and we all know traditionally, the guide for proper grip size was there needs to be an approximately finger width gap.

Observant (and sadly, I'm not in "we" )

[jimlosaltos]

ATP recently posted the nearly-year-end forehand MPHs and RPMs, that might be worth knowing when thinking about these grips.

A player with one of the most conservative grips left amongst the top players heads the speed rankings. Also, this from Craig/ATP: "Dimitrov won the Brisbane International Presented By Evie to start 2024, defeating World No. 8 Holger Rune, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final. Dimitrov’s average forehand speed was a cracking 81 mph against Rune and elevated to 82 mph in his second-round victory over Daniel Altmaier.

Top Ave ATP Forehand Speeds & Spins for 2024

Average Forehand Speed
1. 80 mph = Dimitrov (outdoor hard)
2. 80 mph = Dimitrov (clay)
3. 79 mph = Dimitrov (indoor hard)
4. 79 mph = Fritz (indoor hard)
5. 79 mph = Rublev (indoor hard)

The Top 10 average for forehand speed is 75 mph

Average Forehand Spin
1. 3291 rpm = Ruud (clay)
2. 3207 rpm = Ruud (outdoor hard)
3. 3177 rpm = Alcaraz (outdoor hard)
4. 3141 rpm = Ruud (outdoor hard)
5. 3056 rpm = Alcaraz (clay)
6. 3055 rpm = Alcaraz (indoor hard)

Here's a larger image to see Grigor's Golden Oldie Grip in more detail. And, for convenience here is the link again to Tour Portrait: ATP Forehand Grips

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[stroke]

ATP recently posted the nearly-year-end forehand MPHs and RPMs, that might be worth knowing when thinking about these grips.

A player with one of the most conservative grips left amongst the top players heads the speed rankings. Also, this from Craig/ATP: "Dimitrov won the Brisbane International Presented By Evie to start 2024, defeating World No. 8 Holger Rune, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final. Dimitrov’s average forehand speed was a cracking 81 mph against Rune and elevated to 82 mph in his second-round victory over Daniel Altmaier.

Top Ave ATP Forehand Speeds & Spins for 2024

Average Forehand Speed
1. 80 mph = Dimitrov (outdoor hard)
2. 80 mph = Dimitrov (clay)
3. 79 mph = Dimitrov (indoor hard)
4. 79 mph = Fritz (indoor hard)
5. 79 mph = Rublev (indoor hard)

The Top 10 average for forehand speed is 75 mph

Average Forehand Spin
1. 3291 rpm = Ruud (clay)
2. 3207 rpm = Ruud (outdoor hard)
3. 3177 rpm = Alcaraz (outdoor hard)
4. 3141 rpm = Ruud (outdoor hard)
5. 3056 rpm = Alcaraz (clay)
6. 3055 rpm = Alcaraz (indoor hard)

Here's a larger image to see Grigor's Golden Oldie Grip in more detail. And, for convenience here is the link again to Tour Portrait: ATP Forehand Grips

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Very interesting, thanks Jim.