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. Many top players, including male and female Grand Slam champions use the sliced forehand. At the highest level, many matches go by without a single sliced forehand being played. Approach shots. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. Hopefully, youve enjoyed this post on the three different types of serves. For this reason, they are vulnerable to attack if not hit with enough spin or placement. Disguise is crucial, but if executed well against a player who is standing a long way back, it can be very effective. Backspin is most commonly achieved when using a slice shot technique. If well placed, the flat serve can be extremely challenging to . As a result, most players hit flat groundstrokes sparingly. A topspin shot, on the other hand, rotates forward toward the opponent as it travels through the air. Next, lets talk about how to make contact with the ball. 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. There are many different types of forehand slice shot, all of which have their uses. Slicing does have disadvantages, so ideally it is used as a variation or in specific circumstances. MyTennisHQ is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to websites like TennisWarehouse.com and Amazon.com. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. Do you like to hit a forehand slice? While you should strive to maintain an identical toss for your flat and slice serves, the kick serve falls into a category of its own, with a different toss that allows you to generate the necessary topspin. 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 topspin -easier to judge it's bounce pattern -requires more technique -if too much is applied it may go too low and hit net advantages of slice -low bounce -harder for opponent to read bounce pattern -doesn't require as much energy as topspin disadvantages of slice -it's a defensive shot -slower bounce -gives opponent time to think But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. How To Hit The Perfect Tennis Forehand Slice In 5 Simple Steps The racquet head instead should be pointing at the back fence, at about a 45-degree angle.

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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.

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2. In tennis, a slice is a type of swing that puts spin on the ball.Players will utilize a slice when serving or returning volleys to give the ball an irregular bounce, making it harder for their opponent to track and return. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. Most of the more adaptable players will also use the forehand slice for approach shots when necessary, although some are better at it than others. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. 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! Dominic Thiem: One-handed backhand has some disadvantages 5. For that reason, its vital to add different types of shots to your repertoire. Hitting a very high lob with some slice, by cutting under the ball with a flattish swing, can give you time to get back into a rally. 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. The same can be said about Federers use of the backhand slice. But what is the difference between these two groundstrokes? In a press conference at the French Open, Dominic Thiem commented on his switch from two-handed to one-handed backhand. This motion gives the ball the spin or slice that youre looking for while also making sure theres just enough topspin to bring the ball back down into the court. Here too, it is necessary to make a distinction. Tennis is at the top. However, you can use it to your advantage on certain court surfaces. If you are happy to slice the ball back, the standard slice technique can be used, making sure that you stay in a low stance, as the ball may stay quite low. It moves forward and down, coming around to your right side only at the tail end of your stroke, long after the ball is gone.

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Make contact with the ball, with the racquet \"slicing\" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. . Additionally, if the forehand slice has been hit with side-spin, you will need to recognise this and allow more space if you aim to reply with a forehand, as the ball will spin into your body if your opponent is right-handed. Many pros, including the legendary Australian champion Ken Rosewall, used the slice backhand stroke as their only backhand. For an in-depth review of the serve toss, be sure to check out our post on perfecting your serve toss technique. It is easier to control and creates a less predictable bounce with no pace for my opponents to work with. On the other hand, if you were to try that same serve against a 65 opponent, then you may find it lands much closer to their strike zone, allowing them to hit an easy return. Key points about the tennis forehand slice: The forehand slice is a little unfashionable, but it is certainly not obsolete. There are many variations of the topspin forehand where players will choose a desired Western or Eastern grip depending on their style of play. 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. Many leading players will use the block-slice return and forehand squash-shot described above. To be a complete tennis player and to be competitive you need to master every shot and you need to know when to use them. Over the years, many techniques have been developed in tennis to make shots more difficult to hit. 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. Rallying with a sliced forehand is mainly done by players who lack confidence in their topspin game, but it can nonetheless be very effective in the right conditions. It moves forward and down, coming around to your right side only at the tail end of your stroke, long after the ball is gone. Ultimately, the greater variety of serves you can hit, the more you can adjust your strategy to compete at a higher level against different players and on various court surfaces. Research Design and Testing Procedure . It always adds to the entertainment value when it is played well. However, your ability to control the point is tied heavily to executing an effective serve that keeps your opponent guessing and prevents them from establishing a rhythm. 7 Downsides of Playing Tennis - HowTheyPlay If you hit this shot from a comfortable, set position (at about the center of the baseline), your racquet should be pointing toward the right netpost. If the one-handed backhand is so bad at high balls, why - Talk Tennis When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. This leads to a higher bounce and less spin on the ball after contact with the ground. Release the racquet with your left hand as you do this. Table tennis forehand push. 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. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. Sliced returns need to be controlled with precision or else a volleyer can pick them off, especially in doubles. Unfortunately, this approach usually lends itself to tension, which is your serves worst enemy and, over time, can lead to injury. The Benefits Of Hitting A Tennis Ball With A Backspin Or Slice The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. 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!

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4. When a slice is done correctly, the racket adds a backspin to the ball when it is struck. 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. PDF A comparative study of backhand strokes in tennis among national tennis Babolat have been producing tennis equipment since 1875, and today they manufacture a range of rackets that offers something for everyone. Even at pro level, doing damage is still all about the forehand. It doesn't break your bank. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. The slice can be used effectively in several matchplay situations. 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. Of all the serves, the kick serve is arguably the most valuable and highly sought after for players to learn. Once again, when hitting a kick serve, you should rely on your continental service grip, which is ideally suited for this serve. Knees should be slightly bent and the body should be leaning forward. 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: 1. 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.

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

","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10669"}},{"authorId":10670,"name":"Michael Kernicki","slug":"michael-kernicki","description":" Michael Patrick Shiels writes frequently for golf magazines and is the official golf writer of the PGA of America's Michigan section. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when hitting a kick serve. Disadvantages Of Slice In Tennis Slashes are disliked by many lower-level recreational players. 5 Point Friday As your game improves, learning all three types of serves will allow you to compete at a higher level by bringing variety to your service game. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. And, an athlete like Mima Ito, proves beyond a doubt that the banana flip can be even more effective . You can find his 2020 book: ', Seniortennisclub.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to. Related Tags. 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. With the topspin, he forces Federer and other opponents to either be pushed too far backward or to take a risk and hit the ball extremely early. 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. Helpful Tip: Your ability to hit more than one type of serve will allow you to be more competitive against different players and on various court surfaces. Heres a photo that showcases the contact point and racquet angle when hitting a kick serve. But knowing how to use the topspin to your game (strategy) has its advantages: Your email address will not be published. When you are playing tennis its all about getting the ball over the net and trying to hit a shot your opponent cant return. With the slice serve, youll want to make contact with the outer edge of the ball to generate sidespin. 2. The drawback of a slice serve is that it is easy to read. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Home > Instruction > Serve > 3 Types of Tennis Serves, Improve your game alongside our community of tennis players. What Is A Slice In Tennis? - Rookieroad During a slice shot, the racket travels in a downward motion, before slicing underneath the tennis ball. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. Slice, or backspin, causes the tennis ball to spin back toward the source of impact (you). 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. 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. A "tennis slice" is when the ball hits the ground and bounces back into play. The flat serve uses a minimal amount of spin which allows the ball to travel faster and bounce lower. Advantages of Clay . Your opponent can do almost anything he wants with them, especially from a position up at the net.

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Mastering the forehand slice

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Slice always imparts control. The result will be a more fluid motion that helps you achieve a better serve. Noticed one disadvantage is playing on a slower court. Heres a video that showcases the kick serve, including the toss, contact point, and racquet angle necessary to generate topspin. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. Low bounce: as the name suggests, flat serves have minimal spin. Kick Serve vs Slice Serve: Which Is Better? - Dad Racket As a result, it can be beneficial to avoid overusing a big flat serve and to use other types of serves that have a higher margin of error while focusing on quality placement to put the pressure on your opponent. Underarm (Underhand in the US) Serve. Im extremely passionate about the mental and technical part of the game. You just need to learn to use it for a great slice serve, which takes time and patience. Third, it can be difficult to keep the ball in the court. This toss placement allows you to achieve the proper racquet angle for those serves. Serve and volley: Due to the shorter reaction time that you may have fielding your opponents return, it can be challenging to move forward and volley. Remember, when you serve, you have a considerable advantage because you begin the point on offense and can control and dictate the point from the start. When youre first getting started with tennis, your primary goal will likely be to develop a single reliable serve that allows you to begin a point and play the game. 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. All three have their benefits and all three result in a very different bounce of the tennis .

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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. {"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). What are the pros/cons of a one handed and a two handed backhand in tennis? Topspin and slice shots are a necessity in tennis.

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Figure 1: Hold your racquet at a 45-degree angle to the fence when you slice your backhand.\t

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3. Tennis Slice vs Topspin - What's The Difference? Slice Forehand & Backhand 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. The slice serve is a highly effective serve that can become a huge weapon when perfected. That's just plain easier.

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