How tight should you hold the grip

How tight should you hold the grip?  You hear people say “keep a loose grip”; others say “hold on to the racket with a firm grip”.  What is the correct answer?

The answer is both.  Huh?  It depends on the pace of the ball you are hitting, what shot you want to hit, and where you are in the court.  Let’s look at several scenarios.

When you are at the net and a ball is hit hard at you.  What happens if your grip is too loose?  The racket will be pushed back or knocked out of your hand.  Well that makes sense.  So, in this case, you want the grip to be firm.  With a firm grip, you can maintain control of the racket and direct the ball where you want it to go.

How about when you are hitting groundstrokes from the backcourt?  This is where you want the grip to be looser.  There are several reasons for this.  Your stroke will be longer, so you need a more fluid motion.  You can’t achieve a smooth flowing motion without a loose grip.  If the ball is hit hard to the baseline, you’ll need a little firmer grip than if it is a floater.

As a rule of thumb, the harder the ball is hit, the firmer your grip; and the longer your swing, the looser the grip.

Remember loose doesn’t mean the racket is falling out of your hand.  And firm doesn’t mean you have a strangle hold on the grip.  It’s much more subtle and somewhere in between.  Depending on your grip strength and hand size, this will vary by person.