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. The underarm serve is most widely employed by players with big serves and a good touch, such as Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Bublik. 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. The ball often stays low to the ground after it bounces. 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. 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. Nonetheless, the shot can be very useful in a variety of situations, and some professionals have enjoyed quite a bit of success using it as their main option on the forehand side. 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). Without some of Hi there! Make contact with the ball, with the racquet "slicing" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. 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. 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. The shot is executed with a flowing high-to-low action and a continental or Eastern grip, using a neutral or semi-open stance. Topspin shots are also used to come towards the net as previously mentioned it pushes the opponent back, which gives you time to advance to the net. Friction and surface area explain why slower surfaces are less effective. Over the years, many techniques have been developed in tennis to make shots more difficult to hit. Backhand gets the ball back neutral so that . On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. Do you like to hit a forehand slice? 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. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. Another essential element to the kick serve is racquet head speed. Helpful Tip Your email address will not be published. Up a set and a break, Medvedev served into the deuce court to . 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. disadvantages of the two backhand strokes in relation to the style of play. Nuanced shots can effectively deceive your opponent, causing them to approach the ball incorrectly while increasing the likelihood that they will not be able to return your shot. Your email address will not be published. It should go without saying that your legs are critical to your serve, but unfortunately, its not second nature to most players. They expect each ball to bounce to them after it lands, and they expect the ball to bounce low from a slice in order to avoid getting injured. Next, lets talk about how to make contact with the ball. 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. A low margin of error: Easily, the biggest downside of the hard flat serve is that its challenging to keep it in, let alone place it well in the service box. 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). The same goes for court surfaces. link to The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player), link to The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. Release the racquet with your left hand as you do this. 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. You just need to learn to use it for a great slice serve, which takes time and patience. The truth is, a continental serve grip is highly effective for all types of tennis serves. On a surface like grass which creates less friction, the ball will tend to skid and stay low. 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. 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. 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. The Austrian said: "Very difficult because, I mean, I . Second, it can be difficult to generate power with a slice. This is basically a drop shot played at the start of a rally, so the same arguments set out in the previous paragraph apply. Many players assume behind means you need to toss the ball toward the back fence, i.e., behind the baseline. This is known as a squash shot and a good one will fly low and fast over the net. When you are playing tennis its all about getting the ball over the net and trying to hit a shot your opponent cant return. How To Hit The Perfect Tennis Forehand Slice In 5 Simple StepsThe forehand slice in tennis can be a real weapon if you master the technique and use it at the. Slice will make the ball stop short after it hits the court, so it is the obvious choice if you want to hit a short ball to surprise your opponent. Swing forward with a high-to-low motion. 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. . 3. Some people love the camaraderie and sense of interdependence that goes with being part of a larger sporting group, like in a football, soccer, or basketball team. 6. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Implementing finesse into your shots when competing against other tennis players is a great way to throw off your opponent by forcing them to change their game plan on the fly. 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. For example, if youre 6 tall and playing a 54 opponent, then you might be able to take advantage of their height by hitting a kick serve thats way out of their strike zone or even over their head, making it challenging for them to return. 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. The forehand smash is a fast, hard and powerful stroke that aims to force the opponent away from the table or to win a point outright.

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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. 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. For this reason, they are vulnerable to attack if not hit with enough spin or placement.

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    \"figure\"

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

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    3. 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. 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. By using the proper topspin or backspin techniques during your next competitive match, you will be able to easily keep your opponent on their toes, making it much more difficult for them to adjust to your techniques throughout the entirety of your match. This toss placement allows you to achieve the proper racquet angle for those serves. 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. Some coaches will tell you that the short game can be more difficult in terms of short chops and banana flips. Disadvantages of Tennis Potential for serious injuries Tennis equipment can be costly Not a team sport Tennis cannot be played alone Lack of tennis courts Tennis takes some time to learn Motivation might be a problem Tennis may be time-consuming Need for a trainer to get to the next level Pressure can be high May conflict with your corporate career Typically, your opponent will be in defense mode when returning your first serve because they know that you can throw anything at them. First, if youre using an eastern grip, youre most likely overcompensating for poor technique. You will have more time to return the ball, have a better stance, stronger strokes, more spin, and more confidence. Both arms should be out in front of you. Table tennis forehand smash. The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. When comparing table tennis to tennis, golf, ice hockey, football, or nearly anything, you will find that it is rather cheap. This position makes it easy and natural to brush your strings under the lower portion of the ball, producing backspin. If you look at a tennis shot side-on from the players right, a ball hit with topspin will appear to be rotating clockwise. 5. Create a free account and explore my latest videos below. When youre scrambling to retrieve a good, angled shot by your opponent you can swipe the ball back with a slice and buy yourself a little time to get back into position. If you are defending desperately, you are unlikely to be able to execute a topspin lob. After that, I somehow ended up with a flat slice (something similar to Rosewall's backhand), probably in my attempt to firm up the face on contact. Ive included brief stops to help you get a sense for toss placement, contact, point, and racquet angle. However, youll also want to hit up slightly to give the ball a bit of topspin so that it drops back down into the court. The flat serve gets its name from the fact that minimal spin is applied to the ball when making contact. 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. 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. 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. What Was The Battle of The Sexes In Tennis. 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. 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. 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. There are many different types of forehand slice shot, all of which have their uses. Discussion Boards Many leading players will use the block-slice return and forehand squash-shot described above. The most common variations are the slice and the topspin. I went with that for a bit then went back to try and develop topspin, at which point it was infinitely easier because I could get clean contact and not have the racket face twist back on me during . 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. 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. There are several advantages and disadvantages of clay tennis court surfaces, including using red clay and green clay or Har-Tru. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. The racquet head instead should be pointing at the back fence, at about a 45-degree angle. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. 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. However, it makes it challenging to get under the ball and apply maximum topspin for the 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. Here, well share as much knowledge and experience as we can, so we hope you enjoy 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! 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. Heres a photo to show you what your contact point should look like for a slice serve. A "tennis slice" is when the ball hits the ground and bounces back into play. 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. 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 This leaves it tough for the opponent to hit it back with much pace. When the racket and the ball make contact, the racket should be continuously moving in a direction close to perpendicular to the ball. 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. It is said to be the fastest shot in tennis. There are many variations of the topspin forehand where players will choose a desired Western or Eastern grip depending on their style of play. Within tennis, the serve is a bigger weapon for men than for women, in part . 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. Since a big flat serve has a lower margin for error, its worth being thoughtful when you choose to use it. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. To help, give yourself a moment before you go to serve. On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. Many pros, including the legendary Australian champion Ken Rosewall, used the slice backhand stroke as their only backhand. Approach shots. He knows like no other how to disrupt the opponents rhythm by using the slice in almost every rally or how to completely catch them off guard with a drop shot. 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. If something isnt clear or you have questions, please feel free to submit a comment below wed love to hear from you! ), your position on the court and the direction you want to hit. Knees should be slightly bent and the body should be leaning forward. However, by hitting up on the ball, you generate topspin, which can bring the ball back down into the court even though youre hitting up. Im extremely passionate about the mental and technical part of the game. However, flat shots with little topspin won't bounce high - they'll almost skid across the court. The first thing you need to do is grip the racket properly. About a 90-110 degree bend at the elbow. The slice can be used effectively in several matchplay situations. If youre short, the flat serve is more challenging to execute because you have less clearance over the net, which reduces your margin of error. Tennis is at the top. However, the shot is not always . Of all the serves, the kick serve is arguably the most valuable and highly sought after for players to learn. The slice serves name comes from the brushing action, or slice, applied to the tennis ball to produce sidespin. 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. 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. Rallying. It tends to put you on the defensive quite often, so you must be physically and mentally prepared for that. Similar to the flat serve, youll want to place your toss about 12-18 inches in front of you and approximately 6 inches to the right of your tossing arms shoulder at the peak of the toss, allowing for natural contact with the ball. Defensive Lob. Home > Instruction > Serve > 3 Types of Tennis Serves, Improve your game alongside our community of tennis players. The sports divide into a few tiers of serving advantages. And, an athlete like Mima Ito, proves beyond a doubt that the banana flip can be even more effective . It doesn't break your bank. You can see it coming, as it is obvious where the server is hitting the ball to impart the sidespin. Wrist strains. 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. 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. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. Lets take a look at some of the details that will help ensure you can hit a great flat serve. For example, if youre up 40-15 when serving, you might throw a big flat serve in to try and close out the game. 5 Point Friday

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    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.

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    Slice, or backspin, causes the tennis ball to spin back toward the source of impact (you). Now that you know the three different types of tennis serves, it pays to keep in mind that each serve can be hit in countless places in the service box, providing you with even greater variety. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The last comment and 5 other comment(s) need to be approved. {"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). At the highest level, many matches go by without a single sliced forehand being played. Oh, and I had lunch with Brad Gilbert once. On your side, there is pressure to hit your second serve in, which forces you to take some pace off the serve and subsequently gives your opponent more confidence in their return. For that reason, its vital to add different types of shots to your repertoire. 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. Backspin is most commonly achieved when using a slice shot technique.

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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. 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. 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. 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. The same can be set for other net approaches. Tennis Interviews. 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. After watching some players in action, you could be forgiven for thinking that the answer to this question was no, but of course this is far from the truth. While some players and coaches might suggest that you can use an eastern grip for your slice serve, Id recommend against it for two main reasons. With the kick serve, youll want to contact the ball from bottom to the top of the ball so that youre hitting or brushing up on the ball. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. 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. Tennis Tips for Seniors and Every Tennis Lovers. Third, it can be difficult to keep the ball in the court. It gives the opponent more time to get to 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. Good topspin shots will land just in front of the line and bounce towards the opponent so he has a tough time generating power and needs to have good footwork to cope with it. Stand quite close to the table, an arms length away. When you reach it, the ball may only be a few inches off the ground, meaning that a topspin is not a realistic option. For most players, the kick serve has become the default second serve. Kevin Leck is a Sport Psychology Consultant and Writer from Loughborough in the UK. Here are a few tips to help execute an effective slice serve: When youre learning the slice serve, it can be relatively easy to overhit as you attempt to generate side spin. Ive had the chance to play against great names of the new generation, like Christian Garin, Cameron Norrie, and Kyle Edmund. It also has a slightly lower margin for error than the kick serve, because it doesn't have as much top spin to make the ball dip into the service box. To generate the necessary topspin for your kick serve, you need to brush the side of the tennis ball from low to high. The problem with this mentality and a low first serve percentage is that it takes a great deal of pressure off your opponent. 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. As a result, most players hit flat groundstrokes sparingly. 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. If you remember, the flat and slice serve toss is about 12-18 inches in front of you and approximately 6 inches to the right of your tossing arms shoulder at the peak of the toss. There are basically three major types of court surfaces: Hard Courts, Grass Courts, and Clay Courts. 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. 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. However, if you do adjust your toss, keep in mind that a good returner might pick up on the change in your toss and give them a hint of the type of serve and where you might be inclined to hit it. The answer to this question depends upon whether you are aiming to reply in kind with a slice, or to hit a topspin. The essence of a slice is that it is the opposite of a topspin. Straight flips can be much easier and quicker as the pips are less sensitive to spin. This will allow you to hit the ball with a slicing action. In a press conference at the French Open, Dominic Thiem commented on his switch from two-handed to one-handed backhand. 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. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Tennis Warehouse, Amazon, and other companies linked to on this site. Helpful Tip: Some professionals hit virtually all of their forehands with slice. 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. who did janet leigh leave her money to, how to remove a stuck kohler faucet cartridge,
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