The continental grip is a way of holding a tennis racket that places the base knuckle of the index finger and the heel pad of the palm on Bevel 2 of the handle, and it matters because this single hand position unlocks the serve, the volley, the overhead smash, the slice, and the drop shot without requiring a grip change between any of them. Every professional tennis player on the ATP and WTA tours uses the continental grip for serving and volleying. It is the most versatile hold in the sport, and learning it correctly is the bridge between recreational play and competitive performance. This article covers exactly how to find the continental grip on your racket, which shots depend on it, how it compares to other grips, and how to practise it at any skill level.
What Is the Continental Grip in Tennis and Why Does It Matter?
The continental grip in tennis is a method of holding the racket where the base knuckle of the index finger and the heel pad of the palm sit directly on Bevel 2 of the octagonal handle, and it matters because this position gives the wrist the freedom to pronate, supinate, and angle the racket face for every shot that requires touch, spin, or quick reaction. Coaches around the world refer to the continental grip as the “hammer grip” because holding the racket this way feels exactly like gripping a hammer. The wrist sits in a neutral, relaxed position that allows natural rotation in every direction.
The continental grip is not just one grip among many options. It is the foundational grip that every other grip builds from. The United States Tennis Association (USTA), the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and Tennis Canada all teach the continental as the starting point for serve, volley, and overhead instruction. A player who skips the continental grip and tries to serve with an Eastern forehand grip will develop the “waiter’s tray” motion, a flat, powerless swing that sends the ball long or into the net. Learning the continental grip early prevents bad habits that become harder to fix with every month of play.
How Do You Hold a Continental Grip?
You hold a continental grip by placing the base knuckle of your index finger and the heel pad of your palm directly on Bevel 2 of the racket handle, with the “V” shape formed by your thumb and index finger sitting on top of the handle. To find this position, hold the racket out in front of you with the strings perpendicular to the ground. Look at the bottom of the handle. The butt cap reveals that the handle is not round. It is an octagon with eight flat sides, and each side is called a bevel.
For a right-handed player, Bevel 1 is the flat edge on top when the racket face points straight ahead. Moving clockwise, Bevel 2 is the next angled face. For left-handed players, Bevel 2 sits in the mirror position, moving counter-clockwise from Bevel 1. Once you place your index knuckle and heel pad on Bevel 2, wrap your fingers around the handle with a relaxed grip. The result should feel like you are holding a hammer, ready to drive a nail into a wall.
What Is the Bevel System on a Tennis Racket?
The bevel system on a tennis racket is the numbering convention for the eight flat sides of the octagonal handle, running from Bevel 1 at the top through Bevel 8 around the circumference. Every tennis grip in the sport is defined by which bevel the index knuckle and heel pad rest on. The continental grip sits on Bevel 2. The Eastern forehand grip sits on Bevel 3. The semi-Western forehand grip sits on Bevel 4. The Western forehand grip sits on Bevel 5. This system gives coaches and players a precise, universal language for describing hand position instead of relying on vague instructions like “rotate your hand a little.”
Why Is the Continental Grip Called the Hammer Grip?
The continental grip is called the hammer grip because the hand position on Bevel 2 creates the same wrist alignment as holding a hammer, with the edge of the racket frame leading forward rather than the flat string face. When you grip a hammer, the striking face points down naturally. The continental grip mirrors this orientation. The thin edge of the racket frame leads the swing on the serve, and the wrist rotates (pronates) at the last moment to bring the strings forward into the ball. This hammer-like wrist action is what generates the snap that produces serve power and spin.
What Shots Use the Continental Grip?
The shots that use the continental grip are the serve, the volley (forehand and backhand), the overhead smash, the backhand slice, the forehand slice, and the drop shot. The continental grip is the standard for every shot where a player needs to react quickly, generate spin through wrist action, or hit with underspin and touch. It covers roughly half the shots in a competitive tennis programme, and the other half (topspin forehands and topspin backhands) use grips further around the handle.
The versatility of the continental grip comes from its neutral wrist position. A player standing at the net with a continental grip can redirect the ball to either side of the court, forehand or backhand, without spinning the racket in their hand. According to biomechanics research published in ResearchGate, a study of 12 competitive volleyers found that 10 out of 12 (83%) used the continental grip for both forehand and backhand volleys. The remaining two used modified Eastern grips and demonstrated less efficient stroke transitions at the net.
Why Is the Continental Grip Essential for the Serve?
The continental grip is essential for the serve because it allows forearm pronation, the biomechanical snap that generates maximum racket head speed, spin, and power at the point of contact. Pronation is the outward rotation of the forearm and wrist that occurs in the final milliseconds before the racket strikes the ball. Without the continental grip, this rotation is physically restricted. A player using an Eastern forehand grip on the serve approaches the ball with the flat strings facing up, eliminating the edge-first swing path that makes pronation possible.
Research confirms the importance of this grip position. A 2025 motion-capture study from La Trobe University in Australia used a 22-camera Vicon system at 240 Hz to analyse 30 right-handed tennis players during serves. The study found that continental grip serves produced measurable increases in elbow pronation and wrist ulnar deviation during the propulsion-acceleration phase compared to modified grip positions. All 30 participants used the continental grip as their preferred serve grip. The serve is the most completed shot in professional tennis, contributing to the majority of strokes throughout a match, according to research by Reid et al. (2016) published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Mastering the grip that powers this shot is not optional for competitive players.
Why Does the Continental Grip Help With Pronation on the Serve?
The continental grip helps with pronation on the serve because placing the hand on Bevel 2 positions the wrist in a neutral alignment that allows the forearm to rotate freely and accelerate the racket head through an edge-first swing path. When the hand sits on Bevel 2, the racket edge leads the upward swing toward the ball. At the highest point of the swing, the forearm and wrist snap outward, rotating the string face into the ball at the last moment. This late rotation is what creates the whip-like acceleration that separates a 150 km/h serve from a 100 km/h serve. The continental grip does not force pronation. It simply removes the mechanical restriction that other grips impose on the wrist joint.
How Does the Continental Grip Work for Volleys and Overheads?
The continental grip works for volleys and overheads by keeping the wrist in a stable, neutral position that lets the player redirect the ball to either side without changing hand position, which is critical because net play leaves no time for a grip switch. A passing shot from the opponent can arrive in a fraction of a second at the net. The player needs to block the ball with a firm, stable wrist and punch it back deep into the court. The continental grip creates a natural “V” shape between the forearm and the racket that absorbs pace and provides the leverage needed for a crisp, controlled volley.
The overhead smash follows the same mechanics as the serve. The continental grip allows the player to reach up, pronate the wrist, and strike the ball with authority. Attempting an overhead with a forehand grip usually sends the ball long or straight into the bottom of the net because the string face angle is wrong at the point of contact. We teach the continental grip for net play from the very first adult group lessons session, because volleying and overhead technique depend entirely on this hand position.
Does the Continental Grip Help With Drop Shots and Slices?
Yes, the continental grip helps with drop shots and slices because it opens the racket face naturally, allowing the player to carve underneath the ball and produce the backspin that makes these shots effective. The backhand slice is one of the most valuable defensive and offensive tools in tennis. By holding the continental grip and swinging from high to low, the player drags the strings down the back of the ball. The backspin causes the ball to skid low when it bounces, forcing the opponent to bend their knees and hit upward. A low, skidding slice often produces a weak return that the player can attack on the next shot.
The drop shot relies on even more touch. By softening grip pressure at contact and opening the racket face slightly, the continental grip lets the player absorb the energy of the incoming ball and place it just over the net with barely any forward momentum. Grip pressure matters here. Biomechanics coaches recommend holding the racket at roughly 3 to 4 out of 10 in terms of pressure for touch shots, compared to 5 to 6 out of 10 for volleys and 7 to 8 out of 10 at the moment of serve contact. The continental grip supports this full range of pressure because the wrist stays neutral regardless of how tightly or loosely the fingers squeeze the handle.
Can You Hit a Forehand With a Continental Grip?
Yes, you can hit a forehand with a continental grip, but it is not recommended for modern baseline play because the grip does not allow the wrist angle needed to generate heavy topspin on groundstrokes. Before the 1980s, the continental grip was the standard forehand grip in professional tennis. Legends like Rod Laver and John McEnroe used it because the low-bouncing grass courts and wooden rackets of that era rewarded flat, direct contact. The continental forehand produced a clean, skidding ball that stayed low and moved through the court quickly.
Modern tennis changed the equation. Polyester strings, larger racket heads, and slower court surfaces shifted the game toward heavy topspin. Players needed grips further around the handle (Eastern, semi-Western, Western) to generate the low-to-high swing path that creates topspin. The continental grip keeps the racket face too open for consistent topspin production on forehands. Today, the continental grip is used for forehand slices from the baseline and for feeding balls during coaching sessions, but virtually no professional player uses it for topspin forehands in match play.
Is Eastern or Continental Grip Better?
Neither the Eastern nor the continental grip is universally better because each grip serves a different set of shots, and competitive players need both in their game. The continental grip is the standard for serves, volleys, overheads, and slices. The Eastern forehand grip is a strong option for flat to moderate-topspin forehands. Comparing them directly is like asking whether a screwdriver or a wrench is better. The answer depends on what you are building.
The real question for most players is which grip to use for which shot, and how quickly they can switch between grips during a rally. A player who hits a topspin forehand approach shot with an Eastern or semi-Western grip needs to rotate the racket in their hand to find the continental grip before arriving at the net for the volley. That grip transition becomes automatic with practice, but it must be taught deliberately.
What Are the Different Types of Tennis Grips?
| Grip Type | Bevel Position | Primary Shots | Topspin Potential | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental | Bevel 2 | Serve, volley, overhead, slice, drop shot | Low (backspin and sidespin) | Net play, serving, defensive shots |
| Eastern Forehand | Bevel 3 | Flat to moderate-topspin forehands | Moderate | All-court attacking players |
| Semi-Western Forehand | Bevel 4 | Heavy topspin forehands | High | Baseline players, modern power game |
| Western Forehand | Bevel 5 | Extreme topspin forehands | Very high | Clay court specialists, extreme baseline play |
| Eastern Backhand | Bevel 1 | One-handed topspin backhands | Moderate to high | One-handed backhand players |
Sources: USTA grip instruction framework; ITF coaching manual; Tennis Nation bevel system guide; UTR Sports grip analysis.
The semi-Western forehand grip is the most popular choice among current professional players for forehand groundstrokes, according to analysis from My Tennis HQ and The Tennis Tribe. The continental grip remains the universal standard for every other shot category. A well-rounded player uses at least two grips during any given point, switching between them instinctively based on the shot they need to hit.
Do Any Pros Use the Continental Grip?
Yes, every professional tennis player on the ATP and WTA tours uses the continental grip for serving, volleying, hitting overheads, and executing slices. The continental grip is not a niche technique. It is a universal requirement at the professional level. No current top-100 player serves with anything other than a continental or a slight variation of it. The Mouratoglou Academy confirms that all professional players, including those coached at their facility, use the continental grip when serving because it places the racket in the optimal position to contact the ball at the highest point of the swing arc.
Where professionals differ is in their forehand and topspin backhand grips. Some use Eastern, some use semi-Western, and a smaller number use full Western for extreme topspin. But the moment a professional player steps to the service line or approaches the net, the continental grip is the only option. Our coaching team teaches this principle from day one because it reflects how the sport is actually played at every competitive level, from junior tournaments to Grand Slam finals.
Should Beginners Learn the Continental Grip?
Yes, beginners should learn the continental grip because it is required for the serve and the volley, and delaying that learning only creates bad habits that become harder to correct later. The most common beginner mistake is serving with a forehand grip. The forehand grip feels comfortable because the string face points toward the target, but it eliminates the wrist pronation that generates power and spin. A beginner who serves with a forehand grip for six months builds muscle memory that fights against the correct continental technique when they eventually try to switch.
The transition can feel awkward at first. Beginners often report that the continental grip makes the racket face feel “open” or “wrong” on contact. That sensation is normal and temporary. Most players need two to four weeks of consistent practice to feel comfortable with the continental grip on the serve, according to coaching consensus from the ITF and Tennis Canada. Starting young makes the process faster. Junior players who begin with the continental grip for serves during their first summer camp sessions develop correct pronation habits naturally because they have no prior muscle memory to override.
- Slipping back to an Eastern forehand grip on serves is the most common beginner mistake; check the index knuckle position on Bevel 2 before every toss
- Breaking the wrist on volleys produces weak, popped-up shots; keep the “V” angle between the forearm and the racket handle locked and punch from the shoulder
- Swinging too big on backhand slices sends the ball floating high; focus on a compact, high-to-low swing path with the follow-through moving forward, not just downward
- Gripping the racket too tightly kills touch on drop shots and volleys; relax the hand to about 3 or 4 out of 10 in grip pressure for finesse shots
- Avoiding the continental grip entirely because it feels uncomfortable guarantees a technical ceiling that limits progress beyond the intermediate level
We introduce the continental grip during private lessons by first showing the player the grip in the context of the shot it supports. A player who can see that holding the racket on Bevel 2 allows the wrist to snap naturally on a serve understands why the grip matters, not just how to hold it. Context-driven grip instruction, a method supported by biomechanics coaching research, produces faster adoption and fewer relapses into incorrect hand positions.
How Does Grip Choice Affect Injury Risk?
Grip choice affects injury risk because different hand positions change the angle of the wrist and the load distribution across the forearm muscles during ball contact, and research shows that some grips put significantly more stress on vulnerable tendons than others. A study of 370 nonprofessional tennis players published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that 13% reported wrist injuries. Ulnar-side wrist injuries were significantly more associated with Western and semi-Western forehand grips (P < .001), while radial-side injuries were more associated with the Eastern grip.
Separate research published in PMC’s Sensors journal found that the Western grip may carry more risk factors for tennis elbow than the Eastern grip, based on extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle activation patterns during forehand contact. The continental grip, when used for its intended shots (serve, volley, slice), positions the wrist in a neutral alignment that distributes force more evenly across the forearm. Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine confirmed that experienced players perform the backhand with the wrist extended to approximately 23 degrees from neutral, a position that the continental grip supports naturally for slice backhands. A study published by Springer (Sarvari et al., 2018) also found that the two-handed backhand grip style is statistically the safest for limiting elbow injuries by minimising wrist flexion and ulnar deviation. The dominant hand on a two-handed backhand uses a continental grip, reinforcing its importance across multiple strokes.
How to Practise the Continental Grip
You practise the continental grip through targeted drills that isolate the hand position and build muscle memory for specific shots, progressing from slow, controlled movements to full-speed match play over two to four weeks. The key is repetition in context. Practising the grip in isolation (just holding the racket) teaches the hand position but does not build the motor patterns that connect grip to shot execution. Each drill below ties the continental grip to a specific shot.
- The Hammer Drill: Hold the racket in a continental grip and tap the frame edge against a wall, as if hammering a nail. This reinforces the Bevel 2 hand position and the edge-first swing path that powers the serve. Do 3 sets of 20 taps before each practice session.
- The Edge Bounce Drill: Hold the racket in a continental grip and bounce a ball straight up using only the thin edge of the racket frame, not the strings. This forces the wrist into the correct locked position and develops the fine motor control needed for volleys and touch shots.
- Shadow Serving: Stand on the baseline without a ball. Practise the full serve motion slowly, focusing on the wrist pronation at the top of the swing. Freeze at the imaginary contact point and check that the strings face forward. Repeat 20 times per session.
- Wall Volleys: Stand 2 to 3 metres from a practice wall. Hit alternating forehand and backhand volleys against the wall continuously. The ball returns so fast that you cannot change your grip between shots, forcing you to rely on the continental hold. Aim for 30 consecutive volleys without a grip switch.
- Serve and Follow: Serve with a continental grip, then immediately run to the net and hit a volley with the same grip. This practises the grip transition that happens in real match play, building the instinct to maintain the continental grip from serve through the first volley.
Players who want accelerated progress on grip technique can book one-on-one coaching sessions where a certified coach watches the hand position on every repetition and corrects micro-adjustments in real time.
Our fall programme provides six weeks of structured sessions where juniors build these foundational skills in small groups with a 4:1 or 6:1 student-to-coach ratio.
A club membership also gives players access to court time outside of structured programmes, so they can run through these drills independently between coaching sessions. Consistent repetition is what converts a new grip from “uncomfortable” to “automatic.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take to Learn the Continental Grip?
Learning the continental grip takes most players two to four weeks of consistent practice to feel comfortable, according to coaching consensus from the ITF and Tennis Canada. The initial discomfort comes from the open racket face angle, which feels unfamiliar compared to the closed face of a forehand grip. Daily practice with targeted drills like the edge bounce and shadow serving accelerates the transition. Junior players who start with the continental grip from their first lessons often adopt it within one to two weeks because they have no prior muscle memory to override.
What Is the Hardest Skill in Tennis?
The hardest skill in tennis for most recreational players is the serve, and the primary reason is the continental grip. The serve requires the player to toss the ball with one hand, swing the racket edge-first with the other, pronate the wrist at the exact millisecond of contact, and place the ball into a target area roughly 6 metres away. Every other shot in tennis allows the player to react to an incoming ball. The serve demands that the player create the entire motion from scratch. Mastering the continental grip is the first step in unlocking an effective serve, which is why coaches prioritise it early in player development.
What Grip Should I Use for a Two-Handed Backhand?
For a two-handed backhand, the dominant hand (right hand for right-handed players) uses a continental grip on the bottom of the handle, and the non-dominant hand (left hand) uses an Eastern forehand or semi-Western grip higher on the handle. The continental grip on the dominant hand provides wrist stability and control, while the non-dominant hand generates the power and topspin. Research published by Springer confirmed that the two-handed backhand style is the safest for limiting elbow injuries because it minimises wrist flexion and ulnar deviation on contact.
Does Grip Size Affect the Continental Grip?
Yes, grip size affects the continental grip because a handle that is too large restricts wrist mobility and makes pronation on the serve harder, while a handle that is too small forces the forearm muscles to overwork to maintain control. Research reviewed in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that oversizing or undersizing the recommended grip by 6.35 mm does not significantly alter forearm muscle activity, but larger deviations can contribute to discomfort and fatigue. Players should choose a grip size that allows the fingertips of the non-hitting hand to just touch the base of the thumb when the private coaching team checks the fit.
Can Children Learn the Continental Grip?
Yes, children can learn the continental grip, and starting early is one of the most effective ways to build correct technique. Junior players as young as 5 or 6 can learn the hammer grip concept for basic serve and volley motions. Younger children in the Red Ball and Orange Ball development stages use modified rackets with smaller grips that make the continental position easier to find. Our spring programme introduces the continental grip through fun, context-driven drills that connect the hand position to the shot it produces, helping juniors understand why the grip matters instead of simply memorising where to place their hand.
Mastering the Continental Grip for Long-Term Success
The continental grip is the single most important technical foundation in tennis. It powers the serve through pronation, stabilises the wrist for volleys and overheads, and provides the touch needed for slices and drop shots. Every professional player uses it. Every competitive junior needs to learn it. The grip feels unfamiliar at first, but two to four weeks of focused practice converts that discomfort into an instinct that stays for a lifetime of play.
If you are ready to build your continental grip with guidance from internationally certified coaches, Hillcrest Tennis Camp is here to help.
Give us a call at 647-335-7473 or visit our contact page to book a session and start developing the grip that unlocks your full game.
