grip on return of serve

[llll]

I use a continental grip in the ready position to return serve. this way i can chip the return easily(no grip change) slice backhand return with no grip change and not have far to go to hit a semi western forehand or topspin backhand. my new coach would like me to start in my backhand topspin grip (one hander) since that is the toghest grip for me to find quickly. comments anyone?

[mdhubert]

I discovered recently that against big serves the continental grip is the best to block on FH and chip on BH. Aainst more "regular" serves I try to read the patterns ans usually I have enough time to prepare, e.g. a guy who slices most of the time I will wait with my FH grip; if the guy targets my BH I will go with my BH grip, and if he varies a lot I will wait with a neutral continental grip and hopefully will still have time to switch at the last second.

[johnyandell]

I think the way you are is the better play, but that's just my opinion. If you are having trouble with the shift, you might try just practicing the shift.

[julian]

grip on return of serve

Did you change your grip or did you change your coach?
juliantennis@comcast.net

[indnix]

Block or Chip Return

I play two or three times a week with the same hitting partner. We do groundstroke drills (i.e. crosscourts and down-the-lines) for 10 minutes at a time, then each of us serves ten points. My hitting partner has an excellent first serve and I have gotten into a rut of trying to take a full swing on first serves. I typically wait with an eastern forehand grip. However, when he busts a big flat serve down the middle (on deuce court) or out wide (on ad court), I just don't have time to prepare. He gets a very high percentage of his first serves in (I would guess about 65%).

When I do get the first serve back (with my relatively big swing) inside the service line, he is able to hit winners whichever way he wants to go.

Would you recommend waiting with a continental grip on the first serve? I probably need to get out of this rut and be a little more flexible.

[johnyandell]

I agree with your current strategy. Very few players wait for the return with the full backhand grip.