Tried a new grip. A double semi-western for both backhand and forehand. Like holding a basket while swinging. Felt a little awkward but I thought it would mean being more facing the court and would thus mean fewer unforced errors. And I was right, it did mean fewer unforced errors. But it also meant hardly any topspin or pace. A basic question you have to ask yourself is: do you want to be pretty good, or do you want to attempt to be extremely good. Pretty good means hitting the ball a bit softer and just not hitting unforced errors. The double semi-western is a quick way to be pretty good, as a pusher/dinker. But then I played the second best player I've ever played and he beat me 6-1, 6-0. In truth I had like 4 to 6 deuce games but... anyway.

So I've switched to a grip that gives me more topspin. Of course it's possible to hit flat and still play really well, but it requires an extreme level of precision that I just don't have when playing a few times a week and getting run all over the place, plus being 6'5" and 210 pounds. So losing against this good player has caused me to veer in the other direction. Now instead of the eastern forehand/continental grip for my two hand backhand, I've gone to semi-western/continental for the backhand. Actually was practicing semi-western/eastern backhand. I could really rip it that way but I hate it for when I switch to one handed. And maybe I don't have to veer quite that extreme anyway. And the top hand matters more anyway. The key when having the top hand in semi-western instead of eastern forehand is to think of it as a left handed forehand. And as such I've been really practicing hitting a left handed forehand.

And for the forehand switching to continental/semi-western. It doesn't give as much topspin but I'm just turned too far from the court if I try eastern backhand/semi-western. And going to experiment with more one hand forehands while keeping my arm very straight. And probably also some forehand slices using the backhand grip. Worked for Santoro.