Each stroke has distinct advantages and disadvantages. I'll just list the advantages, because you'll be able to infer the disadvantages:
Advantages of the Classic forehand:
- Easier timing. With the racquet head following a more linear path into the path of the ball, the area in which the two paths intersect is larger.
- With more of the swing force generated by forward weight transfer, the stroke exerts less stress on the arm and torso.
- Ability to hit slice as well as topspin.
- Easier on low balls. The racquet face can be made vertical or tilted upward without any upward swinging motion. To do this with a Western grip requires a difficult and awkward turning of the wrist and forearm.
- Having the palm aligned with the plane of the strings gives the player an easier feel for the racquet angle.
- Having the point of contact farther back allows a little more time to meet the ball.
- An Eastern grip can be used comfortably for forehand volleys, and it's only a 45 degree change to reach a Continental grip. A Western grip would be extremely awkward for forehand volleys, and the change from Western to Continental is 135 degrees.
- Easier to hit heavy topspin.
- More racquet head speed.
- Easier to hit topspin on high balls.
Simply put, even though the advantages of the Western style are fewer, they're huge, especially in contemporary pro tennis. Many of the advantages of the classic style have to do with making the stroke less difficult, but the pros have so much athletic talent, they can overcome many of the difficulties of the Western style, and the Semi-Western style reduces some of the least avoidable difficulties, such as the vulnerability to low balls. For the average player and almost any beginner, the classic style is easiest to learn, but for a top athlete with plenty of tennis experience, a more Western style can provide the power and topspin that have become the dominant ingredients in forehands at the pro level.
It's also no coincidence that the emergence of the more Western styles came about just as wood racquets were replaced by much lighter graphite racquets with larger string areas. The quick upward swing used in a Western stroke would be much more difficult with a heavy wood racquet, as would getting the ball to meet that relatively tiny string bed.
If you're interested in experimenting with a more Western style, try the Semi-Western. You'll probably find that it helps you generate as much topspin as you need without forcing too awkward a relationship between your arm and your racquet angle. You'll be able to use a mix of forward weight transfer and rotational force to generate your power. Most likely, you'll want to switch to an Eastern grip to hit slice forehands and possibly low balls. Many players switch from an Eastern to a Semi-Western grip as they prepare to hit a ball at or above shoulder height.
For further reading:
Evolution of Pro Forehand Grips
Contemporary forehand grips have changed tennis.
Forehand Repair
How to fix problems with your forehand.
Photo Tour of the Forehand Grips
Photos of and comments on five forehand grips.
Groundstroke Quiz
Test your knowledge of forehands and backhands.
