Eastern Grip
Also known as: eastern forehand grip, handshake grip
The eastern grip places the base knuckle of the index finger on the flat side bevel of the handle (bevel 3), allowing a flat or moderate-topspin forehand with a comfortable contact height.
The eastern forehand grip was the standard professional grip through the 1970s and produces a flat-to-moderate-topspin contact at waist-to-shoulder height with the racquet face perpendicular to the ball. It is often called the "handshake" grip because the position mirrors shaking hands with the racquet. The eastern grip allows a relatively natural, straight arm through contact and is the easiest grip for beginners because it does not require excessive wrist adjustment. It becomes less comfortable on high-bouncing balls (shoulder height or above) because the face naturally opens, producing error. The eastern backhand grip mirrors this concept for the backhand side (base knuckle on bevel 1 for a right-hander). Many coaches teach eastern first, then gradually shift players to semi-western as their game evolves.
Example
A club-level player who learned tennis on slower courts uses an eastern forehand grip, producing clean flat drives on low balls but struggling on high-kicking topspin.
Why it matters
Grip choice constrains which balls you handle comfortably. SwingVantage notes contact height and miss patterns to flag whether your grip is causing you to open the face on high balls.
Frequently asked questions
Should I switch from eastern to semi-western?
If you struggle on high-bouncing topspin balls or want more topspin on your forehand, shifting toward a semi-western grip helps. It is a gradual change — move one bevel at a time and adjust your swing path.
Related terms
- Continental GripThe continental grip positions the base knuckle of the index finger on bevel 2 of the handle, the universal grip for volleys, serves, overheads, slices, and drop shots.
- Semi-Western GripThe semi-western grip (base knuckle on bevel 4) is the most popular modern forehand grip, balancing topspin capability with comfortable contact across a wide range of ball heights.
- Western GripThe western grip rotates the hand fully under the handle (base knuckle on bevel 4–5), enabling extreme topspin on high balls while making low-ball and flat shots very difficult.
- Grip ChangeA grip change is the adjustment of hand position on the handle between shots to match the optimal grip for the incoming shot type — most commonly shifting from a forehand grip to continental for volleys, serves, or slices.
- ForehandThe forehand is a groundstroke hit with the dominant arm swinging across the body from the non-dominant side, the most natural and typically most powerful shot in a player's arsenal.
- BackhandThe backhand is a groundstroke hit on the non-dominant side of the body, played either with one hand or two, and can be struck flat, with topspin, or as a slice.
Related guides & benchmarks
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