Topic: Best grip??

[DropShotUser]

what the best grip to use the Western, the Eastern or the Continental. I use the Contineantal and mid-western half the time

[kickserve]

For which shot? Regardless, the best grip to use is the one you feel most comfortable with.

[Ryoma Echizen]

Id say use Western for your forehand, and continental for everything else.

[jeffrx]

Also depends on the players age.  These days, most kids are taught to use a semi-western forehand grip.  But, it depends....If your old (like me , the Eastern grip works perfectly.  Like Kickserve said, it depends what is comfortable to you...One thing is for sure, for serves and volleys, the Continental is the proven best.  For forehands, the Continental is not that good, although the players from the 70s used it for the most part.  The game has changed to grips that allow more spin with increased racquet speed; hence, the semi-western. 

But, if you aren't sure, take a few lessons to find out what will work best for you. 

[Jamesdster]

Chalk me down for the one that you feel most comfortable with.  For me, it's semi-western grips to get lots of top spin on the groundies.

[dmastous]

Chalk me down for the one that you feel most comfortable with.  For me, it's semi-western grips to get lots of top spin on the groundies.

Me too. It doesn't matter what grip you use, it matters what stroke you have. I actually will hit with various grips on the forehand.
One question though; why is it that any question about grips always is answered with the forehand? I mean you do hit backhands, and volleys and serves too.

[Jamesdster]

Chalk me down for the one that you feel most comfortable with.  For me, it's semi-western grips to get lots of top spin on the groundies.

Me too. It doesn't matter what grip you use, it matters what stroke you have. I actually will hit with various grips on the forehand.
One question though; why is it that any question about grips always is answered with the forehand? I mean you do hit backhands, and volleys and serves too.

Good point.  I use continental on the serve and on volleys, and i don't even know what to call my bh grip...grip with 2 hands and rip 

[dmastous]

Chalk me down for the one that you feel most comfortable with.  For me, it's semi-western grips to get lots of top spin on the groundies.

Me too. It doesn't matter what grip you use, it matters what stroke you have. I actually will hit with various grips on the forehand.
One question though; why is it that any question about grips always is answered with the forehand? I mean you do hit backhands, and volleys and serves too.

Good point.  I use continental on the serve and on volleys, and i don't even know what to call my bh grip...grip with 2 hands and rip 

I use an eastern grip on the backhand, but one handed backhands usually have very different grips than twohanders. So there's another wrinkle.
On the serve, I use a continental when I want to hit flatter, but an eastern backhand grip for more spin in a kick serve. Contintental for volleys.

[djinni9]

Forehand: i would suggest anything between semiwestern to continental (mine is usually midway, i get plenty topspin when i want to). the nearer to continental it is, the more versatile, flexible and easily adjustable it'll be from shot to shot. it should be your default grip in the ready position
Backhand (1H): eastern, and you can still use it for the slice. some prefer semi-W
Backhand slice: continental
Serve: Going from semi-western to cont. to eastern: very flat >> some topspin/slice >> extreme slice (but less topspin In my experience, or rather, a lower bounce).
Volleys: continental; but for net-level backhand volleys you might go a little eastern (or the ball could pop up), usually when you're too close to the net.
Dropshots: continental or very close to it.

continental is the most natural, most intuitive and easiest to convert to when you have little time. you can still manage to hit high balls, and it's the most effective grip on low balls.
 
lastly, don't go too extreme until you have perfect strokes, so most likely, never  . I see plenty of wannabe nadal types, especially young kids as well as some teachers (during their matches) hitting with extreme topsin (or rather trying to) with their nifty Babolat's. Their strokes looked contrived, forced and they have more mis**ts than hits.