Groundstroke Fundamentals: For Light Grip, Have a Bird in Hand

Many players are puzzled about just how firmly they should grasp the racquet. It may not seem to be all that critical of a matter, but it is.

If you squeeze too hard, you’ll tighten up your forearm and shoulder muscles, and that will prevent you from making a smooth, relaxed stroke. If you grip the handle too loosely you won’t be able to meet the ball firmly.

What’s the right amount of pressure? It’s to pretend that you have a bird in hand. In other words, to imagine that the racquet in your hand is a live bird. You want to hold it firmly enough so that it won’t escape. But you don’t want to grasp it so hard that you’ll crush it.

That’s the key to gripping a racquet. With that amount of pressure, you won’t be holding it so loosely that it will slip out of your hand. Yet your forearm and shoulder muscles will be relaxed enough so that you can make a flowing, forward swing.