Holding a Semi-Western Grip
To form a semi-western forehand grip, we’ll first take a look at the racquet handle to guide the position of our hand. You may have noticed that the handle of a racquet isn’t a perfect cylinder or smooth around the edge of the handle.
Instead, the handle of a tennis racquet forms roughly the shape of an octagon, with eight sides. This design allows players to grip the racquet better and prevent it from slipping while hitting, but it also provides a great reference point when learning various grips.
In the diagram below, we’ve labeled each side, or bevel, of the racquet handle. To form the semi-western grip, we place the palm side of our index finger’s knuckle against the fourth bevel if you’re right-handed, or the sixth bevel if you are left-handed.

For many beginners, the semi-western tennis grip might feel awkward at first. That’s fairly natural, so don’t worry if that’s the case for you. However, it’s worth sharing how things feel with your instructor, as there are other grips, such as the less extreme eastern grip, that may feel more comfortable to start with depending on the player.
Generally, most players will be taught one grip – either the eastern or semi-western – and then slowly progress to a grip that suits them and feels comfortable.
I have used the continental grip for over 15 years. Now Iwant to add more power and spin to my strokes. Is it difficult to learn the semi Western? Any experiences from other players?
Hey Hein,
Great question! The quick answer is yes, it can be challenging for a player to move from one grip to another. In your case moving from a continental grip to a semi-western grip will feel like a pretty extreme shift, however if you’re committed to changing it’s worth the effort.
Here are a few suggestions to help in the change:
Hopefully that helps, but please feel free to follow up with any additional questions you might have. If you decide to move forward with the change, good luck!
All the best,
Jon
No it is easy to learn best grip for forehand power and consistency