Next Gen Continental grip

[doctorhl]

Watch pro level badminton, table tennis and squash to see future tennis possibilities. I keep waiting for someone with a Michael Jordan leaping ability to make ball contact with their serve somewhere around the service line by using a badminton fast twitch smash( maybe choke up the racket) from the tennis serve hesitation point. A highly developed Novak slide on both wings using a squash shot would greatly add to width coverage( if one can control depth and keep ball from rising). I don’t know if underhand serves from table tennis can ever play a significant role in serving at the pro level, but certainly could at the amateur level and perhaps bring back a vertical game instead of just horizontal. I mentioned some of these cross sport possibilities to college coaches in the 70’s and was branded a “kook”. But I suppose I was awed by the Laver, Nastase, McEnroe racket masters of the day.

[stotty]

Despite thousands of coaches preaching that full western is a taboo, the grip can be seen increasingly here and there across the tour and seems to be on the rise. It seems plenty of players have been ignoring the advice.

Some players seem to have no trouble hitting through the ball while others end up skimming it. Perhaps many people are capable of hitting with full western than we thought.

Yes, I think it is very workable the way the modern game has gone. If the game gets much faster, then why not? It could happen.

[stroke]

Kohlschreiber uses this grip structure I think.

[doctorhl]

No grip change for service return and medium to high bounce groundstrokes——- a perfect grip. Low skid balls on grass, however, requires a long grip change. That grip requires good timing and a perfect set up position, but may be the grip of the future. If one becomes successful using backhand stroke volleys with that grip——-watch out!

[bottle]

Wow! So that's why the beginning of your students' one-handers looks so weird. Will try it. I've written more on this subject, Chris, over at "A New Year's Serve" if you'd care to take a look, but you certainly don't have to. Others in this forum don't have to, either, in fact I wish they wouldn't. Although I am grateful for the 63,176 hits.

[chrislewit]

Hello Friends and Tennis Minds,

Here is an example of what I call the Next Gen Continental grip.

It's a semi-western to western forehand and you can turn the racquet over to hit with the same side of the strings on the one-handed or two-handed backhand.

Here is an example from my own practice.

https://youtu.be/k3y4BgrA_z0

I have been using this style for the last few years, and I am really enjoying having no grip shift.

Here is Jack Sock demonstrating the same universal grip structure:

https://youtu.be/Moj_ZmSV2OU

I believe this œnew continental is becoming more popular on tour and will continue to grow in popularity for the same reason the traditional continental was so popular for many years: simplicity and efficiency.

No grip change is an advantage in the modern high speed game, especially off the return of serve.

Here's another more radical thought. Could this Next Gen Continental become the go-to universal grip for volleys and net play in the future? Could it be the next evolution in the volley technique, which has basically remained the same for a century or more?

It would offer the potential next evolution in net game technique and tactics and would allow both topspin and regular volleys to be mixed together in new patterns.

This net game style is currently used in Japanese Soft Tennis, so it's not unprecedented.

Share your thoughts!