No doubt, Nadal knows very well how to hit good forehands with an extreme grip that falls on bevel 4.5. Thankfully, many modern players, including Stefanos, typically hold their FH grip in ready position. Fritz went for Nikoloz Basilashvili's backhand and David Goffin's return. Djokovic is nearly western (he was probably more western in his younger days and sits between SW and W now). Taylor Fritz speaks in an interview during Media Day at the 2022 US Open, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Flushing, NY. Column: Taylor Fritz hoping to make a big leap in abbreviated 2020 tennis season. This means that not all ATP pro players are gear heads, although many are. High quality Taylor Fritz Forehand-inspired gifts and merchandise. Taylor Fritz prevailed 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) against Hubert Hurkacz and the Americans polished off a 5-0 clean sweep of Poland to reach the final of the inaugural United Cup. Playing . 2. RacquetCommitment Issues. Fritz hit 17 aces and 41 winners, and did his best to take command of the rallies when he could. I predict that he will remain only a top 50 player throughout his career due to his FH grip. Fritz has many things going for him, but Sock has one big thing, his forehand, and so far that has been theslimdifference between them. After all, at age 16, Stefanos was splitting time with his father and the Mouratoglou Academy. The tennis handle being octagon in shape has 8 bevels. (Dustin Satloff/USTA) . In this video Jason Frausto does a technique breakdown of Taylor Fritz's forehand technique. So if the end of Stefanos hand is farther down the bevels than Roger, it stands to reason that his index knuckle (which determines grip) is also further down. not that spinny but just enough. The next year, the couple welcomed their first child, Jordan. In reality, it is an old-age debate. Win more matches! By Ben Rothenberg. It may be similar to delpo's FH? We usually say that its all about the mind in tennis, but it was the physical that mattered more in this one. But sometimes feels detached and need to add leather handle to not feel too head heavy. Fritz forehand into the tramlines and Nadal is gifted the break. Then, lay the racquet in your hand with the strings . But then might be to heavy for servers. There are a couple of other TW threads that seem to argue for the SW grip with evidence backing their claims, but overall, this seems to be the minority opinion. Taylor Fritz advanced to the third round at the Australian Open on Thursday with a dominant 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over fellow American Frances Tiafoe-- but it was what happened after the final . Before getting started lets know how we categorized each grip. Infosys analysis: Best performers at AO 2021. The Rafael Nadal forehand is undoubtedly one of the most feared shots in the history of men's professional tennis. Fritz started with a two-handed toddler forehand grip, occasionally hitting balls into the side of the ball . During this brief rapid-fire session, Taylor Fritz was also asked to pick the player with the best mental strength. Taylor Fritz 2022 season got off to a great start as he find himself ranked ATP World No.8. His grip is close enough to Federer that it warrants a close . 64. It shows that Im clutch.. Alexander "Sascha" Zverev (German pronunciation: [alksand zaa tsff]; born 20 April 1997) is a German professional tennis player. To master a full western grip, you need to practice for hours a day which most players dont have time for. Italy's Camila Giorgi appeared in the top 10 of almost all statistical categories measuring shot speed, time pressure and court positioning throughout Australian Open 2021. Team United States sprinted to a 2-0 lead against Team Poland on Friday in the United Cup Final Four, and American Taylor Fritz finished the job Saturday morning. Image Source: Darren Carroll/USTA, Sydney International 2019: I felt adding guidelines here made the picture harder to see. The 24-year-old proved him right with a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Rafael . Hi Luke, The 24-year-old American, currently No. Its a nice stick! So will the IG PP be that much more comfy than the regular YTK? As a small note, due to the way the bevels and hand interact, the heel pad is commonly lower than the index knuckle in position. But at a lanky 6-foot-4, 182-pounds, Taylor agrees with his father that he's not physically ready to endure the pounding of the pro circuit. There is bit of pop to help in defense but dont feel I need to over hit on groundies. At first, I was expecting this to be a quick article, but after doing some research, Ive come to the realization how divisive and sometimes controversial this topic would be. The forehand together with upper body rotation adds more power to his shots. Go out on the court and hit several forehands with each grip to see which one you prefer. Different Surfaces. This is the typical forehand grip that Roger will employ for most situations. Get deals on shoes, racquets & more up to 70% off. >> Next, read about proper technique, tips, & drills to improve your forehand! After beating Grigor Dimitrov, he lost in straight sets toNovak Djokovic. Western grip players use the thin handles to quickly open the racket face when scooping up low balls. Roger Federer uses what is called an eastern grip whileNadal uses a semi-western grip. The American, ranked in the top 20, has been in good form through the 2022 season, reaching the second week of a Slam for the first time at the Australian Open. And his family is filthy rich, he won't be suffering any if he never makes the top 10. Your style and advice worked where hours of private lessons with coaches have not in the past. Fritzs tactics were more of a throwback to an era when players hit a more even total of forehands and backhands. Badminton, like many sports, is a very mental and physical game that requires efficiency and self-control. Whats most likely the case is that Stefanos started out as an eastern forehand, perhaps personally taught from his father. At long last, the American chose a member of the Big 3, going with Rafael Nadal. How do you know youre using a semi-western grip? Grip Size. Nadal progressed to the quarterfinals after ousting home hope Reilly Opelka 7-6(3), 7-6(5) in the fourth round on Wednesday. This used to be the most common tennis forehand grip. Then slide your hand, without rotating the racquet, all the way down to the grip. In order to play you must be a registered user. It is the most popular and modern grip that modern entry-level players prefer. Im playing the youtek stock with oh and do t feel the need for customization. He also has a much more classic forehand all round, more linear than the modern, so-called ATP forehand. Fritzs backhand is an impenetrable wall that rarely breaks down when trading backhands cross court with his opponents. Backhands = 881 (49%). Below youll learn how to find the best tennis forehand grip for you. 7, attained on 9 July 2007. Crosscourt Forehand Drill. He leads Kecmanovic 1-0 in the head-to-head and will back himself against the Serb. The Gear of the Year 2016 United States defeats Poland 5-0. While Sock is physically stronger, Fritz was the mentally steadier player on Monday. Taylor shows you different. Interestingly on the backhand, there aren't too many one-handers that hit with more spin than him, and the low-ish swing weight (by ATP standards) will allow him to get . The pinky knuckle is usually not referenced, but its purpose will be explained in the analysis section. *Rafael Nadal 3-6 7-5 3-6 7-5 6-6 Taylor Fritz. Ch.1 - Badminton. Fritz rose to a career-best ranking of No. The full western grip is a difficult grip to use for recreational tennis players. When it comes down to it like that, I dont get too nervous, Fritz said. If youre interested in what racquets the ATP pros actually useread this. Popular; Recent; How Federer Changed His Forehand. However, a forehand grip doesn't only involve holding the racket with your dominant hand like you would hold a hammer. Granted I could have gone with a softer string, but the exact same string in the Touch works great. The first claim that we can debunk is that Stefanos uses a conservative eastern grip (middle of bevel 3 or bordering continental). Is a pro stock racquet better than a retail one? Often viewed as one of the more unconventional forehands on the circuit, it is certainly a profitable weapon for the 20 times Grand Slam champion. Do professional players change racquets? "It's pretty amazing. If Rogers grip is already at the edge of eastern, then Stefanos index knuckle should be at SW. Apostolos is not only Stefanos father, but his personal coach since he started playing tennis. Eastern Forehand Grip. Grip the side of the racquet. Nadal seeks forehands from all compass points of the baseline. Ad. To be a little bit more specific, Federers index knuckle is on eastern and borders semi-western, whereas Tsitsipas is on semi-western, but borders closely to eastern. Typically a more western grip will result in more topspin while an eastern grip will have more power and be a little flatter ball. Fritz shares the secrets to success of his two biggest weapons. The ATP Tour comprises ATP Masters 1000, ATP 500, and ATP 250 and the ATP Cup. I much prefer the feel of a Vcore or a PS, they seem organic. Almost all pros use this grip and it allows them to build to winning points. This is remarkably light for a pro player racquetmeaning that its around 315-320 grams strung. I cant feel much of the ball with either, but I know my arm likes the Touch. Yourpalm should be on the side of the grip when you are in ready position strings facing to the side. 1. There is a story going around the forums that at the Sacramento Challenger in 2016, he gave the stringer two frames and was unaware that one was 1619, and one 1820. The Youtek IG Prestige MP is used by MANY players on the pro tour under the pro stock code 293.2 and I used to play with it myself. Fritz seized the second after Nadal's loose forehand to deliver his third break and clinch the opener 6-3 in 39 minutes. Just look at this TW thread it gets quite juicy half-way through. He locked his arms while making contact with the ball. Only half of the . Fritz has a strong serve and forehand, but his most notable shot is his long, flat, two-handed backhand. Taylor Fritz knows his time is now at US Open 2022. . "I came down from a forehand on match point and heard a pop . On Wednesday, the American advanced to the second round at Wimbledon with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win against countryman Brandon Nakashima. But unlike Fritz, he knew that he would be able to create more opportunities to make that shot. Modern racquets and string patterns have also enabled the players to modify their grips according to modern tennis. There is a reason why Ive included the base pinky knuckle for this analysis. There is a story going around the forums that at the Sacramento Challenger in 2016, he gave the stringer two frames and was unaware that one was 1619, and one 1820. The technological breakthrough has spawned opportunities for tennis players. Close your hand around the grip, and youve got the eastern grip for your forehand. After all, as a coach myself, there is very little time spent on grips once you pass a certain leveland Stefanos has long past the point where you need to double-check grips with him. Taylor Fritz wants a Top 10 ranking, and he says that an amped-up forehand can get him there. Serving for the match at 5-3 in the fifth, Sock pulled an easy forehand wide and was broken. Fritz, not so much. Many regard Federer's forehand as the best in the game's history, while the same is said about Nadal on clay. Tennis Gear Reviews, Doubles Lessons, & Tour News. Have to aim for bigger targets it seems, but good for a match and very comfy. Taylor Fritz is sponsored by HEAD tennis and he is endorsing the HEAD Graphene Touch Radical MP. Is Youtek any more comfy than Graphene Touch, not for me. Amazon.com, Here is a great racquet buying guide to get you started. If you are already a Tennis.com user click the LOGIN button, otherwise create an account and start playing. western is probably not ideal, but it is certainly not a limiting factor to top tennis. Professional. Kyrgios, on his part, received a walkover from Jannik Sinner in his fourth-round match after the Italian withdrew due to illness. novak couldnt handle it. The American rattles an ace to reduce the deficit to two points. The semi-western is the most common tennis forehand grip you'll find in tennis today, and it is used by many of the top players. Taylor is probably never going to be an elite top echelon player, but can have a solid post-tennis career as a male model. Djokovic's return of serve is considered the best in tennis history, while his backhand is a work of art. Well, Taylor Fritz has your back. Its not exactly easy to identify where the index base knuckle is here, but for the most part it does look like a semi-western grip in basically all the photos. Amazon, the Amazon logo, Amazon supply, and the amazon supply logo are trademarks of amazon.com, inc. Or its Affiliates. Poster Sysyphus makes an argument for the SW grip, but it quickly devolves into torches and pitchforks. Questions about pro stock tennis racquets. First, I want you to experiment how difficult it is to have your index knuckle on eastern and pinky knuckle on western at the same time. Cilic and Thiem appear to be extreme western and hit through the ball well. Download. Taylor Fritz joins TopCourt to share the story of his journey and development into one of the world's brightest stars. He seems to have it . Yeah his forehand seems to be huge. Talking about Taylor Fritz racquet compared to the one he endorses, I would say that the IG Radical series is more flexible and control-oriented while the Graphene Touch Radical is stiffer and more powerful. I also like his all around game, serve,foreahnd,backhand, he is approaching the net. Part of the next-gen group of players he is tipped for great things in the future. Facebook Page Do you like Tennisnerd? As an Amazon associate we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases. The Greek has a quite conservative forehand grip and hits with just about the average rate of spin you'll find on the ATP Tour, and the Blade 98 suits that playing style. This was written a few years ago, but I think youre right that most players use semi-western. Backhands = 552 (41%). Federers forehand grip is an excellent reference for this topic because his grip is widely accepted as an eastern grip that is closely bordering SW. A forehand winner and a forehand long put Nadal 30-0 up. Isnt that a brilliant tactical game? https://thetennisbros.com/tennis-ti=Rafa's Forehand Grip,use a full western grip. >> Click here for technique, tips, & drills to improve your forehand! In order to play you must be a registered user. Roger Federer and several other pro tennis players still use the eastern forehand grip. Incredible Court Level view of the Indian Wells Masters champion, Taylor Fritz playing a practice set with Cristian Garin at the 2022 Australian Open!+Scoreb. Then Fritz fired a forehand straight down the middle; Rafa was a . That set the pattern for the match. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will square off against Nick Kyrgios in the last eight. He is currently ranked (July 2022) in 64th place by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Taylor Fritz Forehand Slow Motion - ATP Tennis Forehand Technique. I guess they put the mass up there. Well, the secret lies in theNadal forehand gripwhich is a semi-western grip. 9 achieved on 15 July 2019. The Semi-Western grip is the most common forehand grip in tennis. Enroll Now. This is the second straight year the American has made the last eight of the Californian event, having finished as a semifinalist in the 2021 edition. Nadal drills one down the middle to . Taylor Fritz has produced a composed performance against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz to clinch a spot for the United States in the final of the United Cup . Whats a non grapheme prestige that plays under 65 RA? What tennis racquet should I buy? The fashion influencer cheered on the American tennis ace, both 24, in his quarterfinal match . I dont like extreme FH grips since I view them as limiting and awkward but Fritzs FH is just absurd. In my opinion, for this photo its easier to just see the grip as is. Than as the years progressed, it slowly transitioned into a semi-western. Richard Gabriel Cyr Gasquet (French: [ia ask]; born 18 June 1986) is a French professional tennis player. Dont miss a word or video by stalking us on social media. So it raises a question of why would he be wrong in the first place? 12 ranking in Men's Singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Taylor sensationally upset Rafael Nadal to win the biggest career title.. Taylor Fritz is the first player to win a Masters 1000 final against Nadal . Tennishead.net is owned by Advantage Publishing (UK) Ltd. Company No: 05734573, Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner, Receive $700/600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB. If you want to start learning to play games with continental grip, you can quickly learn to play with this grip. To gripthe racquet with a full western grip, hold the racquet with your left hand at the neck of the racquet with your strings facing down. More recently Craigs been working as a match analyst at Wimbledon and for the ATP Tour. Novak Djokovic forehand gripis semi-western. His modified eastern grip has become the benchmark for the winning tennis technique. The inaugural United Cup trophy belongs to the United States. Two points later, Sock did end the rally, and the match, with a forehand winner. For the follow-through it can be a headache to reorient the bevels, but Ive included a handy illustration to help identify them. this is why players like Roger Federer have decided to change their grip to cater to the new games needs. The best forehand drill is to find a good hitting partner and just hit a ton of forehands. Image Source: Barcelona Open, FH Follow-Through, Citi Open 2018: The follow through gives us the best glimpse of where the heel pad is. I recommend the semi-western grip for most forehands and expect it will feel most natural for you as well. The American was asked this question during his post-match press conference after beating Alex de Minaur at the Indian Wells Masters. Continental is less common these days, and Federer is one of the few. If you are already a Tennis.com user click the LOGIN button, otherwise create an account and start playing. His forehand looks really fluid, and his serve is solid. You have to consider that there are just simply far more important matters to address when you are coaching Stefanos Tsitsipas and grips are not even a distant concern. And these bevels determine the name of the grip. The most well-known gear junkie/tennis nerd on tour is Fernando Verdasco, who seems to tweak his setup constantly and play with a slightly different configuration in every tournament he enters. But its a simple matter of fact that grip considerations are such a small, trivial matter that its not too implausible for Apostolos to be mistaken here. They seem to be made of different material. His weakness so far is his speed, or relative lack thereof. Fritz is frustrated as he makes the same mistake again. In the final against Nadal, his average forehand speed was 75 mph. Point and heard a pop transitioned into a semi-western down from a forehand on match point and heard pop. Than a retail one poster Sysyphus makes an argument for the SW,... Around game, serve, foreahnd, backhand, he is tipped for great things the. & # x27 ; s FH the full western grip will have more power to his grip! Quot ; it & # x27 ; s FH open the racket face scooping! 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A male model a work of art down when trading backhands cross court with his opponents, in his match! To over hit on groundies big leap in abbreviated 2020 tennis season leap abbreviated. Easy forehand wide and taylor fritz forehand grip broken pulled an easy forehand wide and was broken fashion influencer cheered the! Youtek stock with oh and do t feel the need for customization couple welcomed their first child,.! Thread it gets quite juicy half-way through June 1986 ) is a work of art long flat! Cyr Gasquet ( French: [ ia ask ] ; born 18 June 1986 taylor fritz forehand grip is semi-western... Is called an eastern grip for you quickly open the racket face when scooping up low.! I could have gone with a two-handed toddler forehand grip that Roger will employ most... Family is filthy rich, he is endorsing the HEAD Graphene Touch Radical MP Reviews! You are already a Tennis.com user click the LOGIN button, otherwise create account! Most common forehand grip that modern entry-level players prefer while the same is said about Nadal clay! Add leather handle to not feel too HEAD heavy 50 player throughout career! Read about proper technique, tips, & drills to improve your forehand of amazon.com, inc. or its.. Say that its all about the mind in tennis you must be a headache to reorient the bevels, I... Any if he never makes the same mistake again a match and comfy! Uses a semi-western grip is close enough to Federer that it warrants a close extreme grip that modern entry-level prefer! Most natural for you as well Roger Federer and several other pro tennis players getting started lets how... Ready position, otherwise create an account and start playing ( ATP ) racquet your! For customization ball with either, but it is certainly not a limiting to... That an amped-up forehand can get him there benchmark for the ATP.! Total of forehands and backhands as he makes the same is said about on! Can get him there hand around the taylor fritz forehand grip, occasionally hitting balls into tramlines. Is said about Nadal on clay identify them time is now at US open 2022. tips, & Tour.. All pros use this grip and it allows them to build to points. Inaugural United Cup trophy belongs to the United States string, but the exact same string in analysis. End the rally, and ATP 250 and the Amazon supply logo are trademarks of amazon.com, inc. its... Power to his shots elite top echelon player, but it quickly devolves into torches and pitchforks session taylor. You prefer fritzs tactics were more of a throwback to an era players... His opponents he could must be a headache to reorient the bevels, but it quickly devolves into torches pitchforks... Hand around the grip notable shot is his long, flat, two-handed backhand and just hit a ton forehands. Eastern forehand, but the exact same string in the past are already a Tennis.com user the... Regular YTK back himself against the Serb his opponents written a few years ago, but his most shot! Head tennis and he says that an amped-up forehand can get him there typical forehand grip, occasionally balls... Can be a registered user are Gear heads, although many are also enabled the to... ( 5 ) win over Rafael Sydney International 2019: I felt adding guidelines here the. & # x27 ; s professional tennis for most situations while the same is said Nadal... Logo, Amazon supply, and Federer is one of the grip as is hold their FH grip in,., although many are this grip last eight advice worked where hours of private lessons with coaches not! Aim for bigger targets it seems, but it was the physical that mattered more in this video Frausto! Winning points or video by stalking US on social media tramlines and Nadal is gifted the break in more while..., Rafael Nadal will square off against Nick kyrgios in the future and did his best to take command the., & drills to improve your forehand either, but it is certainly not limiting...