The continental grip is one of the most versatile grips and one you should have in your arsenal. It's sometimes referred to as the "hammer grip" since it feels like grabbing a hammer. In this guide we cover how to position your hand, the best strokes to use with it, advantages, disadvantages, and go over some professional tennis players who use this grip.
Brief History
This grip used to be the de-facto standard for tennis players back in the days. This was due in great part to the old racket's designs which had a smaller head size and were made of wood. These rackets weren't as good at generating topspin as today's modern rackets so using a grip that produced flatter shots was effective. Even though today's modern game has moved towards a more topspin heavy game, the continental grip still serves as a powerful weapon for certain strokes which has survived the test of time.
How to Position your Hand
In order to achieve a continental grip for your forehand, if you're right handed place the base knuckle of your index finger on bevel 2 (b2). If you're left handed place it on bevel 8 (b8).
Recommended Strokes
1. Serve
Using the continental grip for serving allows you to hit flat serves, sliced serves and also kick serve. You can achieve all of this by adjusting the hit point right before the serve.
2. Volley
It is a useful grip to have while playing close to the net since it allows you to react quickly and hit either a backhand or forehand volley without having to re-position your hand to a different grip.
3. Backhand slice
When a high backhand ball has made it into your side of the court, you can use the continental grip to hit a backhand slice to your opponent.
4. Dropshot
Since this grip keeps the head in a neutral / semi-open position you can use it to generate some heavy underspin and surprise your opponent with some dropshots.
5. Last resort chip, lob, or flat running forehand
When in a pinch, the continental grip, can be used as last resort tool to chip the ball, hit a lob, smack the ball down the line or hit an extreme cross court angle shot by flicking your wrist while driving the ball.
Using the continental grip for serving allows you to hit flat serves, sliced serves and also kick serve. You can achieve all of this by adjusting the hit point right before the serve.
2. Volley
It is a useful grip to have while playing close to the net since it allows you to react quickly and hit either a backhand or forehand volley without having to re-position your hand to a different grip.
3. Backhand slice
When a high backhand ball has made it into your side of the court, you can use the continental grip to hit a backhand slice to your opponent.
4. Dropshot
Since this grip keeps the head in a neutral / semi-open position you can use it to generate some heavy underspin and surprise your opponent with some dropshots.
5. Last resort chip, lob, or flat running forehand
When in a pinch, the continental grip, can be used as last resort tool to chip the ball, hit a lob, smack the ball down the line or hit an extreme cross court angle shot by flicking your wrist while driving the ball.
Advantages
1. Versatile
It's versatility in being useful for a lot of different shots (as discussed above) is the grip's greatest strength.
2. Power
This grip tends to produce flatter shots which can generate tons of power when properly hit, specially when serving or hitting overhead shots. When hitting the ball with this grip it can feel as if your pushing or driving the ball.
3. Easy to transition to other grips
Since the base knuckle of your index finger is in bevel 2 of your grip, it's in a good position to easily transition to most grips quickly. For example in order to transition to an Eastern grip it requires only moving one position clockwise if you're right handed or one bevel position counter-clockwise if you are left handed. The hardest transition occurs when switching to an extreme western grip.
4. Disguise
You can use this grip to surprise your opponent with dropshots by disguising it as a forehand and switching it at the very last second to a dropshot with some under spin. The late forgiving hit point that's close to your body, allows you to achieve this. This is specially useful in slower playing surfaces such as clay.
It's versatility in being useful for a lot of different shots (as discussed above) is the grip's greatest strength.
2. Power
This grip tends to produce flatter shots which can generate tons of power when properly hit, specially when serving or hitting overhead shots. When hitting the ball with this grip it can feel as if your pushing or driving the ball.
3. Easy to transition to other grips
Since the base knuckle of your index finger is in bevel 2 of your grip, it's in a good position to easily transition to most grips quickly. For example in order to transition to an Eastern grip it requires only moving one position clockwise if you're right handed or one bevel position counter-clockwise if you are left handed. The hardest transition occurs when switching to an extreme western grip.
4. Disguise
You can use this grip to surprise your opponent with dropshots by disguising it as a forehand and switching it at the very last second to a dropshot with some under spin. The late forgiving hit point that's close to your body, allows you to achieve this. This is specially useful in slower playing surfaces such as clay.
Disadvantages
1. Tough to generate top spin
This grip tends to keep the racket head a bit open. This makes it difficult to use for generating top spin which is a key component of today's modern tennis game.
2. Hard to use as a reliable groundstroke
Since it's difficult to generate top spin with, the continental grip, it is also pretty hard to reliably use as the main weapon for your groundstrokes. Shots will tend to be flat and leave very little room for error when clearing the net in order to stay inside the court.
3. Difficult generating power on high balls
While you can hit high balls with a continental grip, you will most likely end up slicing the ball vs. driving trough the ball. This makes it a more defensive shot when hitting higher balls.
This grip tends to keep the racket head a bit open. This makes it difficult to use for generating top spin which is a key component of today's modern tennis game.
2. Hard to use as a reliable groundstroke
Since it's difficult to generate top spin with, the continental grip, it is also pretty hard to reliably use as the main weapon for your groundstrokes. Shots will tend to be flat and leave very little room for error when clearing the net in order to stay inside the court.
3. Difficult generating power on high balls
While you can hit high balls with a continental grip, you will most likely end up slicing the ball vs. driving trough the ball. This makes it a more defensive shot when hitting higher balls.
Professional Tennis Players who Use this Grip
The continental grip is used by most tennis pros in some form of another. However, it is rarely used as their main grip for hitting offensive groundstrokes in today's topspin heavy game. Here are some of our favorite professional tennis players using a continental grip in three completely different situations. Roger Federer is using it in the first image for hitting a volley, Serena Williams is using it for serving and Rafa Nadal is using it as a last resort running chip.