Let’s Talk About the Continental Grip: Is It Still the Gold Standard at the Net?

The continental grip is one of the oldest and most versatile grips in tennis. Often called the hammer grip, it places the base knuckle of your index finger on bevel two of the racket. For decades, it has been the foundation of serve and volley tennis, crisp touch shots, and rock solid net play. But with the modern game evolving, an interesting question comes up more and more. Do professional players still volley with a continental grip, or are some using a semi eastern grip at the net?

Why the Continental Grip Became the Net Standard

The continental grip earned its reputation because of one simple truth. Volleying is about reaction, not swing mechanics.

At the net, you don’t have time for big grip changes or full swings. The continental grip allows you to
1. Keep the racket face neutral and stable
2. Volley both forehands and backhands without changing grip
3. Absorb pace and redirect the ball with minimal movement
4. Execute touch shots, drop volleys, half volleys, and overheads seamlessly

This grip naturally encourages a slightly open racket face, which is ideal for blocking the ball and keeping volleys low. That’s why classic net players like Stefan Edberg, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, and Martina Navratilova were absolute masters with the continental grip.

Do Modern Pros Still Use the Continental Grip to Volley?

Yes, overwhelmingly, professional players still volley with a continental grip.

Even in today’s baseline dominated era, when players rush the net behind approach shots or come forward in doubles, the continental grip remains the go to choice. Players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Świątek, and Coco Gauff all switch to a continental grip when volleying, even though they use strong semi western or western grips from the baseline.

The reason is simple. At professional speeds, anything other than continental reduces reaction time and racket face control.

What About Semi Eastern Volleys? Do Any Pros Do It?

This is where things get nuanced.

Some modern players do hit forehand volleys that look semi eastern, but in most cases this is not a true grip change. It’s more about hand positioning and wrist alignment rather than moving to a full semi eastern grip.

A few scenarios where this happens
-High forehand volleys where players slightly rotate the hand for extra stability
-Swinging volleys or approach shots taken in the air
-Emergency reaction volleys where there’s no time to consciously adjust

In doubles especially, you’ll occasionally see players firm up the forehand side with a grip that drifts marginally toward semi eastern. However, almost no pros commit to a full semi eastern grip for standard net volleys. The backhand volley, in particular, strongly favors the continental grip and would be compromised by any forehand oriented grip.

Why Semi Eastern Grips Struggle at the Net

-While semi eastern grips are brilliant for topspin groundstrokes, they create problems at the net
-The racket face naturally closes, increasing the risk of dumping volleys into the net
-Backhand volleys become awkward and slow
-Low volleys are much harder to control
-Touch and drop volleys lose finesse

At high levels, these drawbacks far outweigh any perceived stability on the forehand side.

What This Means for Club and Competitive Players

If you’re serious about improving your net game, the takeaway is clear
1. Learn and trust the continental grip for all volleys
2. Resist the urge to cheat toward a forehand grip
3. Focus on footwork, split step timing, and racket face control rather than grip changes

Many club players struggle at the net not because volleying is hard, but because they approach the net with baseline habits. The continental grip forces you to simplify, stay compact, and let the ball come to you, exactly what great volleyers do.

The continental grip is not outdated. It’s timeless.

While the modern game has changed how often players come to the net, it hasn’t changed the physics of volleying. At every level of professional tennis, the continental grip remains the most efficient, versatile, and reliable grip for net play. Small variations may appear in fast exchanges, but the foundation stays the same.

If you want cleaner volleys, better touch, and more confidence at the net, the advice hasn’t changed in decades. Master the continental grip, and let it do the work.