The slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. On a surface like grass which creates less friction, the ball will tend to skid and stay low. The slice can be used effectively in several matchplay situations. It should go without saying that your legs are critical to your serve, but unfortunately, its not second nature to most players. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. The slice serve is perfect for opening up the tennis court. First, if youre using an eastern grip, youre most likely overcompensating for poor technique. One of the best ways to increase your racquet head speed is to incorporate a wrist snap as you extend your arm to make contact with the tennis ball. It is also the most commonly used shot when you are in a defensive position. About a 90-110 degree bend at the elbow. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Lets take a look at some of the details that will help ensure you can hit a great flat serve. It's a defensive shot that you should use on only three occasions:
\nIf you have trouble effectively hitting the flat backhand, you can use a slightly different stroke that carries many players far in the game the pure slice backhand. For a slice, you will need to grip the racket with an eastern or semi-western grip. A topspin shot, on the other hand, rotates forward toward the opponent as it travels through the air. 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. 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. Not a Team Sport. Tennis Tips for Seniors and Every Tennis Lovers. The slice backhand suited their approach to the game, which was based on control rather than power.
\nThe slice backhand offers the following practical and tactical advantages:
\nThe slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. 3. 6. 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. 3. The forehand slice is a shot which is rarely taught or discussed in modern tennis. Straight flips can be much easier and quicker as the pips are less sensitive to spin. On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. It's a defensive shot that you should use on only three occasions:
\nIf you have trouble effectively hitting the flat backhand, you can use a slightly different stroke that carries many players far in the game the pure slice backhand. More consistent - means with which one you can hit more or less the same shot over and over again. Table tennis forehand push. Learn with comprehensive resources to help you improve your game. I got a chance to play junior and professional tournaments across the world, and in 2015 I began playing as the #1 player for Pepperdine University, a great division 1 school. The middle of the net is its lowest point, so its easier to execute a flat serve at that point of the net on either side. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Tennis Warehouse, Amazon, and other companies linked to on this site. Here, well share as much knowledge and experience as we can, so we hope you enjoy it! As for the angle of your racquet head, youll want the edge to be roughly parallel with the baseline. 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. If youre a righty, hitting a slice serve out wide in the deuce court will draw your opponent off the court, leaving the rest of the court open for a follow-up shot that puts you in a position to move forward and attack. link to The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player), link to The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. An out-to-in movement can be incorporated to add side-spin. 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. Using this technique, you can make it very difficult for your opponent to return your shot with topspin, making the slice a great defensive shot. The slice forehand has many advantages, but using it for rally balls on slow surfaces like clay and some hard courts can result in the ball bouncing slowly and steeply, seemingly asking to be attacked. Without some of Hi there! On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. One of these techniques is the slice, which gives a confounding backspin to a serve or return.Find more information on slice strokes in tennis below. For example, if youre up 40-15 when serving, you might throw a big flat serve in to try and close out the game. 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.
\nHigh 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. Modern tennis is dominated by the use of topspin shots. . 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. 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. Initially, you may be inclined to toss the ball a little farther right than you do for your flat serve to make contacting the side of the ball a bit more pronounced and establish feel. 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. As a result, you should aim to toss the ball directly above your head and slightly behind you, so that when you can swing up to contact the ball, youre coming from under the ball. 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. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. 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!
\n4. It is possible to play every single forehand shot as a slice, but this is unlikely to be the most effective way to play. Only people who haven't really played tennis (or have played and don't use a one hander) believe this myth (aka 90% of this forum). . In-depth Resources As a result, the overuse of a hard flat serve can lead to giving away too many free points or forcing you to rely heavily on your second serve. When you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. But what is the difference between these two groundstrokes? The result can be a very low-bouncing serve that is hard to return.
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. Swing forward with a high-to-low motion. Retrieving a wide ball. There are a few disadvantages of using a slice in tennis. When executing a tennis slice, the player will swing downward in a "slicing" motion, angling the racket anywhere between fully flat and entirely diagonal. 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. Generally, when practicing a topspin forehand, players will implement a semi-Western grip, as you are able to apply a greater amount of spin to the tennis ball using far less effort. Topspin has changed how tennis is played due to the fact that you can generate much more power behind your shot with a proper topspin forehand. By entering your email address and clicking the Submit button, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Dummies.com, which may include marketing promotions, news and updates. Both arms should be out in front of you. Last but not least, another element that will help you produce a fantastic serve is going for it and hitting with confidence. Many players assume behind means you need to toss the ball toward the back fence, i.e., behind the baseline. Make contact with the ball, with the racquet "slicing" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. Once again, Ive provided a view of this serve in slow motion so you can easily see the nuances of the different pieces. 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.