Find Your Tennis Backhand Grip Before You Swing

Your tennis backhand grip depends on the shot: start with an Eastern backhand for a one-handed drive, Continental plus an Eastern forehand grip for a two-handed drive, and Continental for a slice.

A drive is your regular backhand groundstroke, hit flat or with topspin. A slice uses backspin. These shots can use different hand positions. Learn the setup for the shot you are practising, then check it with a slow swing and gentle feeds.

Find the handle bevels first

The eight flat surfaces around your racket handle are called bevels. To number them consistently:

1. Hold the racket with its string bed vertical, like a wheel rather than a tabletop.
2. Look from the butt cap toward the racket head.
3. Call the top flat surface bevel 1, then count clockwise to 8.

Keep this numbering for either hand; mirror the hand positions, not the numbers.

Use two landmarks on your palm: the base knuckle of your index finger, where it joins your hand, and the heel pad, the fleshy area near your wrist on the little-finger side. These make a grip easier to repeat than a vague instruction to “hold it comfortably.” Sikana’s grip lesson explains the bevel system and both landmarks.

Two-handed backhand: set the bottom hand, then the top

Your dominant hand goes nearest the butt cap. Your other hand sits immediately above it, toward the racket head. Begin with Continental on the bottom and Eastern forehand on top.

Player	Bottom hand: Continental	Top hand: Eastern forehand
Right-handed	Right hand on bevel 2	Left hand on bevel 7
Left-handed	Left hand on bevel 8	Right hand on bevel 3

Place the index-knuckle and heel-pad landmarks on the listed bevel for each hand. Let the hands meet without overlapping. Sikana demonstrates the right-handed setup; HEAD’s grip guide confirms that a left-handed Continental mirrors to bevel 8.

These are starting positions, not the only workable combination. Some players use a Semi-Western forehand grip for the top hand—HEAD’s guide shows that alternative. First test whether the setup above gives you comfortable, repeatable contact rather than changing grips after every miss.

For the rest of the stroke, follow the two-handed backhand grip, swing and footwork guide.

One-handed drive: Eastern backhand

Put your dominant hand’s index base knuckle and heel pad on bevel 1. This top-bevel position works for both right- and left-handed players.

Support the racket throat—the section between handle and head—with your other hand during preparation. Release that supporting hand before contact, leaving your dominant hand to hit the ball. Sikana’s one-handed grip lesson demonstrates this setup.

Do not confuse Eastern backhand with Eastern forehand: they have similar names but different bevel positions. For this drive setup, use bevel 1, not your usual forehand position.

Slice backhand: Continental

For a basic one-handed slice, start with bevel 2 right-handed or bevel 8 left-handed. The USTA identifies Continental as a grip for the slice backhand, volleys, serve and overhead.

If you already use Continental as the bottom hand of your two-handed backhand, that hand has the starting grip for a slice. If you hit an Eastern one-handed drive, practise changing to Continental for this slice setup; slice is not simply the same stroke with a shorter finish.

Need help finding that position? Use the Continental grip guide.

Check your grip with gentle feeds

Use this drill for your drive, not your slice.

Setup: Stand near the service line. Find your grip and make three slow practice swings without a ball. Ask a partner to feed softly to your backhand so you can meet the ball around waist height. Aim into the opposite service box.

Action:

1. Find your grip before the feed.
2. Turn your shoulders as the ball approaches.
3. Use small adjustment steps to leave room between the ball and your body.
4. Make a compact swing, meeting the ball on your backhand side and in front of you.
5. Finish balanced, then check that your hand landmarks have not drifted.

Keep your hold secure without squeezing as hard as possible. The USTA’s beginner backhand guidance prioritizes forward contact, racket-face control and a relaxed grip over swing speed.

Readiness checkpoint: Try two sets of 10 feeds. As a practice target, look for seven controlled balls into the service box in each set, with the same grip and a balanced finish. Then add one step of movement before adding pace.

If contact feels cramped or late, first check your spacing and preparation. If balls repeatedly fly high or dive into the net, slow down and inspect the string angle at contact. A miss alone is not a reason to choose a different grip.