Grip

[alvin123]

Hi, John
May I have your comments regarding using semi-western forehand grip and semi-western single backhand grip. So that no need to change grip and save the preparation time. What is the advantage and disadvantage using this grip? Thanks.

[johnyandell]

Alvin,

No problem but in the future if you would post in my section ok?

Geoff Williams (see his great article this month) makes that work, and a limited number of pro players do as well.

But I don't see any advantage and if there were one, I think a significant number of players would do it. It only takes a fraction of second to change a grip. It's no big deal. Another problem is what if you turn your hand over to hit a backhand and then have to adjust to a slice grip?

But I think the controlling issue is why would you won't that extreme western grip in the first place? The switch style forces you to hold this on the forehand side.

If that's just you, well, that eliminates one but not all disadvantages.

John Yandell

[GeoffWilliams]

I believe that Philip Kohlschreiber does the same thing on his returns, which is the reason why I decided to use it in the first place. No grip change on returns means a quicker strike capability. I always seemed to be caught in a grip change off a flat serve. Maybe I am just too slow in the first place!

[johnyandell]

You are correct about Big Phil K. If you are commited to that underneath grip, it makes sense. That's a long way from a forehand drive to a backhand drive in terms of the grip shift. If you want to drive most returns, rather than slice, I can see it. The assumption is about the forehand grip--and the commitment to drive the backhand returns.