Since youre looking to hit the ball flat or without any spin, youll want to try to strike the ball directly from behind without brushing up on the ball or hitting the side of the ball. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. Make contact with the ball, with the racquet "slicing" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. In this article, well cover these topics for each type of serve: Well start by talking briefly about why you should learn the three types of tennis serves. The kick serve gets its name from how the ball jumps or kicks up off the ground as a result of heavy topspin applied to the ball. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. Thats where variety is king and why learning the three different types of serves is crucial. What Was The Battle of The Sexes In Tennis. Turn the racquet face as you bring it back so that the hitting surface ends up facing upward, as shown in Figure 1. This is most easily done if you are holding the racket in either a continental or Eastern grip (see How to hold a tennis racket on this site for details of these grips). For this reason, they are vulnerable to attack if not hit with enough spin or placement. Second, changing your grip can be a dead giveaway to your opponent as to what type of serve youre about to hit. Your opponent can do almost anything he wants with them, especially from a position up at the net. On Friday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the Grand Slam champions earned themselves a nomination for point of the year. The slice backhand suited their approach to the game, which was based on control rather than power.

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The slice backhand offers the following practical and tactical advantages:

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• The slice stroke is simple. You hit under the ball, instead of through and over it, as you do on the flat backhand. A player can add slice or topspin to shots by hitting the ball in different places. Helpful Tip: As the ball approaches and you rotate your shoulders to your left, bring your racquet back above your left shoulder. Hopefully, youve enjoyed this post on the three different types of serves. A "tennis topspin" is when the ball is hit with a lot of power, speed, and spin on it. 3. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. Low bounce: as the name suggests, flat serves have minimal spin. Advantages of Clay . Slice shots that are hit from lack of confidence or in a desperate attempt to just get the ball back tend to float, and they travel through the air slowly. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"

  Slice, or backspin, causes the tennis ball to spin back toward the source of impact (you). Backspin is most commonly achieved when using a slice shot technique. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. Rallying. During a slice shot, the racket travels in a downward motion, before slicing underneath the tennis ball. Noticed one disadvantage is playing on a slower court. Disguise is key, so you will prepare as though you intend to hit an aggressive topspin, and, at the last second, cut under the ball with a high-to-low action, perhaps adding some side-spin for good measure. High bouncing balls are ideal for hitting slice shots, but you can play balls at any height with a slice by bending more at the knees and/or adjusting the height of your back and forward swings. A flat groundstroke is usually more challenging to hit while keeping the shot within boundaries of the tennis court since there isn't much topspin. Without some of Hi there! When your backswing is complete, your right shoulder is close to your chin, and your right elbow points in the same direction as your right foot. Heres a photo that shows the contact point against the ball as well as the correct racquet face angle, which is flat to avoid putting spin on the ball. Disadvantages A low margin of error: Easily, the biggest downside of the hard flat serve is that it's challenging to keep it in, let alone place it well in the service box. In this article I will tell you what you need to know about how and when to play a tennis forehand slice by answering some of the commonly asked questions. Slicing does have disadvantages, so ideally it is used as a variation or in specific circumstances. The same can be set for other net approaches. Turn the racquet face as you bring it back so that the hitting surface ends up facing upward, as shown in Figure 1.

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  This position makes it easy and natural to brush your strings under the lower portion of the ball, producing backspin. In-depth Resources Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. Its consistent, provides players with a significant level of control, and can be used to attack a returners weaknesses with precision. Lets dive into the proper technique for hitting a kick serve. Here too, it is necessary to make a distinction. More consistent - means with which one you can hit more or less the same shot over and over again. Next, lets talk about how to make contact with the ball. My slice backhand is more dangerous than my topspin backhand to some of my opponents. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. If players like to attack the net and volley, they slice a lot.

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  The slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. A tennis slice is a means of hitting or returning the ball that puts a particular spin on the ball. If you look at the top players in the world they know exactly how to use topspin and slice shots to their advantages. Whether it's to pass that big test, qualify for that big promotion or even master that cooking technique; people who rely on dummies, rely on it to learn the critical skills and relevant information necessary for success. To slice in tennis, a player must angle their racquet and swing downward in a slicing motion.The manner in which the player angles their racquet while slicing downward can be anywhere between fully flat and entirely diagonal. This requires care, however, as the ball may be low, and will not rise off the racket as readily as a ball which comes to you with topspin. This leaves it tough for the opponent to hit it back with much pace. Many players will want to take the initiative from the slicer by hitting an aggressive topspin. It always adds to the entertainment value when it is played well. If you miss, then youll have to rely on your second serve to keep you in the game with your opponent, who is ready to take a chance themselves and close out the game. Swing forward with a high-to-low motion.

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  Release the racquet with your left hand as you do this. The amount of torsion the arm suffers increases as the court gets more worn, because bounces become more unpredictable, leading to more off-center hits. The good news is that youll use the continental grip for all three types of serves, so you only need to learn this one grip if youre not already familiar with it. easier to learn and to apply slice shots, and have better feel and control . An out-to-in movement can be incorporated to add side-spin.

  Michael Kernicki is currently the Head Professional at the Indian Creek Country Club in Miami Beach.

  ","authors":[{"authorId":10669,"name":"Michael Patrick Shiels","slug":"michael-patrick-shiels","description":" Michael Patrick Shiels writes frequently for golf magazines and is the official golf writer of the PGA of America's Michigan section. The best choice is, using a continental or Eastern grip, to cut sharply under the ball with a high-to-low action, following through either straight up the court or cutting across the line to impart additional side-spin. The sports divide into a few tiers of serving advantages. The slice can be used effectively in several matchplay situations. Heres a video that brings together all the different pieces of a slice serve and once again includes a pause so you can see the toss placement, contact point, and racquet angle as part of the entire service motion. When hitting a flat serve, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Many players enjoy hitting a big flat serve and rely almost exclusively on it as their first serve even if they only make 10% of them. Disadvantages: Less consistent Worse aim Two hands Advantages: More consistent Better aim Disadvantages: Less power More effort required Quora User PTR Teaching Pro, Racquet technician Author has 468 answers and 678.1K answer views 7 y The one handed backhand really only has two obvious weaknesses in the hands of a top player. The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player). Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. As a result, most players hit flat groundstrokes sparingly. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. Just before you start your forward swing, raise the racquet head to shoulder height, open the face so that the hitting surface faces up, and produce slice by cutting under the ball with a long, smooth stroke. If something isnt clear or you have questions, please feel free to submit a comment below wed love to hear from you! Think of your racquet face as an elevator that you need to move to the right "story" or height to pick up the passenger, a bright yellow tennis ball! Sliced returns need to be controlled with precision or else a volleyer can pick them off, especially in doubles. However, once you miss your first serve, the pressure equalizes to a degree. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. Learn with comprehensive resources to help you improve your game. Even if good spin and placement are used, if the ball lacks pace, it can easily be attacked. Another instance when you are using a slice is if you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. Some professionals hit virtually all of their forehands with slice. To help, give yourself a moment before you go to serve. Advantages of a Tennis Slice A "slow" surface such as clay will interact with more of the ball's surface area and there will be more friction placed on the ball. Now that you know what to look for when hitting a flat serve, heres a video that shows the entire flat service motion. Heres a photo to show you what your contact point should look like for a slice serve. Many of tennis greats, such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, have relied on their vicious topspin forehand to win world championships and countless titles. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. In this section, I will look at some of the circumstances in which a forehand slice shot can be played successfully, and the broad technique which should be used. Disadvantages Lack of topspin Lower power potential Difficulty handling high bouncing balls How to Form a Continental Grip To form the continental grip, place the palm side of your index finger's bottom knuckle against the second bevel if you're right-handed or the eighth bevel if you're left-handed. Tsvetana Pironkova and Monica Niculescu have both enjoyed success using this tactic, particularly on grass. When you're moving forward toward the net and you want to drive a low-bouncing ball into the corner of your opponent's court. Defensive Lob. Because of this added spin, the ball will bounce with significantly less height when reaching the opponent's side.The ball bouncing with less height then makes it more difficult for the opponent to return the slice, since they will have much less time to reach the ball from where they awaited the return. The truth is, a continental serve grip is highly effective for all types of tennis serves. Heres a photo that showcases the contact point and racquet angle when hitting a kick serve. Slice shots can be good for making an opponent really stretch for a ball, but it is difficult to hit them with much pace. A slice serve is a fantastic weapon on any court surface. Only a few top players will use a forehand slice routinely for a rally ball, but on a low-bouncing surface like grass the shot can be effective in preventing an opponent from attacking and keeping them on the move. Do you like to hit a forehand slice? This position makes it easy and natural to brush your strings under the lower portion of the ball, producing backspin. Underarm (Underhand in the US) Serve. The problem with this mentality and a low first serve percentage is that it takes a great deal of pressure off your opponent. This leads to a higher bounce and less spin on the ball after contact with the ground. Sometimes, especially on a low-bouncing court like grass, your opponent may hit a low, short ball. Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is one player particularly renowned for her sliced forehand drop shot, which she likes to play with a continental grip. Your stance resembles the stance you take when you step up to the plate and get ready to swing a baseball bat in both cases, your hands are up around your left shoulder. disadvantages of the two backhand strokes in relation to the style of play. But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. A slice is often used when you return a serve and then come straight to the net (known as Chip and Charge) because it gives you time to do so. As the ball approaches and you rotate your shoulders to your left, bring your racquet back above your left shoulder.
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  Your stance resembles the stance you take when you step up to the plate and get ready to swing a baseball bat in both cases, your hands are up around your left shoulder. The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. While weve tried to provide a thorough examination of the three kinds of serves, we realize it can be challenging to answer every question a reader might have. {"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T22:57:30+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-03-26T22:57:30+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:12:05+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33809"},"slug":"home-auto-hobbies","categoryId":33809},{"name":"Sports & Recreation","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34001"},"slug":"sports-recreation","categoryId":34001},{"name":"Tennis","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34033"},"slug":"tennis","categoryId":34033}],"title":"Slicing and Dicing, Tennis Style","strippedTitle":"slicing and dicing, tennis style","slug":"slicing-and-dicing-tennis-style","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Slice, or backspin, causes the tennis ball to spin back toward the source of impact (you). The ideal contact point and racquet angle. Slicing can also be used as a means to aid in the return of difficult or powerful shots.By slicing the ball, this will counter the effects of a powerful shot or one that has a lot of spin, thus making the return much more feasible than with a standard attempt to return. This is known as a squash shot and a good one will fly low and fast over the net. When executing a tennis slice, the player will swing downward in a "slicing" motion, angling the racket anywhere between fully flat and entirely diagonal. Even at pro level, doing damage is still all about the forehand. 3. Slow pace and the flat trajectory give your opponent two big advantages: more time and an ideal height, at about a foot above the net, to smash away a winner.

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  Basically, you hit the slice backhand just as you would hit your standard backhand (both one-handed and two-handed backhands), changing only the following things about your stroke:

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  1. Roger Federer was one of the tennis greats known for his undeniable skill of slicing.He was one of the best modern tennis players, and was renowned for his ability to control the ball with unmatched elegance and grace. Required fields are marked *. This brushing action means youre allowing the strings of your racquet to make contact with the outermost edge of the tennis ball, which causes the ball to spin and ultimately kick up off the ground when it hits the court. If youre playing on a clay court, you may love your kick serve, where you benefit from the higher bounces that make this serve even more challenging to return. Members of a larger team often take on different roles, and there will generally be a captain to lead. Tennis Interviews. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. Within tennis, the serve is a bigger weapon for men than for women, in part . Oh, and I had lunch with Brad Gilbert once. We both feel like tennis has given us opportunities that we would have never had otherwise, so we started myTennisHQ with the intent of helping more and more people become familiar with the sport. Helpful Tip Take a deep breath, bounce the ball, and consciously relax your muscles, including your grip and wrist. To achieve this, play the return rather like a volley, with a continental or Eastern grip, a short take-back and a punchy, high-to-low action. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. The slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. what is a backhand slice in tennis; how to return a slice in tennis; disadvantages of topspin in tennis; slice serve in tennis As a result, when the ball hits the court, it stays low, which forces a player to have to bend and get low or return out of their strike zone. As you work to practice your serve, do so with confidence, and allow yourself the freedom to mess up while you establish the basic feel and rhythm to develop your serve. Add to that the ability to hit your serve at different speeds to throw off your opponent, and you can begin to see why developing various types of serves can be such a huge advantage. However, assuming you have the correct serve stance, behind you is parallel with the baseline and an important distinction when it comes to the kick serve. At MyTennisHQ, we have all played junior, college, and professional tennis. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Tennis Warehouse, Amazon, and other companies linked to on this site. The ball often stays low to the ground after it bounces. A forehand push is a difficult defensive shot that requires the player to strike downwards on the back and underneath the ball to create backspin. The result will be a more fluid motion that helps you achieve a better serve. On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. Topspin and slice shots are a necessity in tennis. The latter has been a key element of Roger Federers defensive game for a number of years.