Aerodynamically it will appear to rise and then dip, kicking forward and up off the court surface when it lands. Advantages of Clay . 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. 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. If you miss, the pressure is still on your opponent to hit a great return off your slower second serve. Get the Intuitive Tennis iPhone/iPad App https://apple.co/3c5IyJpGet the Intuitive Tennis Android App https://bit.ly/3QTK1S7In today's video, I explain. 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. 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. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. The three primary types of tennis serves include the flat, slice, and kick serve. This photo was snapped at the height of the toss so you can get a sense of accurate placement. On a surface like grass which creates less friction, the ball will tend to skid and stay low. 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. 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. But knowing how to use the topspin to your game (strategy) has its advantages: A "tennis slice" is when the ball hits the ground and bounces back into play. Your opponent can do almost anything he wants with them, especially from a position up at the net.
\nMastering the forehand slice
\nSlice always imparts control. 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. In a press conference at the French Open, Dominic Thiem commented on his switch from two-handed to one-handed backhand. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. When you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. The forehand slice is a shot which is rarely taught or discussed in modern tennis. Key points about the tennis forehand slice: The forehand slice is a little unfashionable, but it is certainly not obsolete. 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. To help, give yourself a moment before you go to serve. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. I had to work extra harder. Return of serve. 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:
\n- The slice stroke is simple. You hit under the ball, instead of through and over it, as you do on the flat backhand. 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. Like all slice shots, the forehand version is hit high-to-low, with the strings brushing under the ball. The same can be said about Federers use of the backhand slice. He used the slicing technique very often to outdo his opponents at the highest international stages of the sport. Here are some tips on how to slice a ball in tennis: 1. However, flat shots with little topspin won't bounce high - they'll almost skid across the court. Heres a photo to show you what your contact point should look like for a slice serve. This leads to a higher bounce and less spin on the ball after contact with the ground. First, if youre using an eastern grip, youre most likely overcompensating for poor technique. 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. Those two qualities can catch your opponent off guard and screw up her timing.
- Slice shots travel in a flat trajectory. You don't have to lift the ball over the net in an arc and then get it to drop back down inside the boundaries of the court like you do with your other shots.
A word of caution: Slice backhands make poor passing shots. If you are a beginner or recreational player, or a junior just considering your first full-sized racket, you will be pleased to know that Babolat offer a range aimed squarely at you. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n
The slice backhand offers the following practical and tactical advantages:
\n- The slice stroke is simple. You hit under the ball, instead of through and over it, as you do on the flat backhand. At the highest level, many matches go by without a single sliced forehand being played. Of all the serves, the kick serve is arguably the most valuable and highly sought after for players to learn. Backspin is most commonly achieved when using a slice shot technique. Rallying. The racquet head instead should be pointing at the back fence, at about a 45-degree angle.\n
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.
\n2. Slice always imparts control. The slice serve is perfect for opening up the tennis court. Required fields are marked *. Thats where variety is king and why learning the three different types of serves is crucial. 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. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. A slice serve is a fantastic weapon on any court surface. Second, it can be difficult to generate power with a slice. Straight flips can be much easier and quicker as the pips are less sensitive to spin. 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. Tennis is at the top. If you look at a tennis shot side-on from the players right, a ball hit with topspin will appear to be rotating clockwise. The racquet head instead should be pointing at the back fence, at about a 45-degree angle.
\nWhen 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.
\n2. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. It's a defensive shot that you should use on only three occasions: If 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.
\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. 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. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. By common sense, it is known that in tight situations players have to use larger body parts to lessen the impact of their muscles tightening. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Some professionals hit virtually all of their forehands with slice. To be successful with this tactic, you will need to stay low and develop plenty of racket-head speed, to allow you to control the trajectory of the ball. Modern tennis is dominated by the use of topspin shots. This toss placement allows you to achieve the proper racquet angle for those serves. Some coaches will tell you that the short game can be more difficult in terms of short chops and banana flips. When you reach it, the ball may only be a few inches off the ground, meaning that a topspin is not a realistic option. 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. A sliced lob can be useful as a defensive measure, but it is generally slower and easier to attack than the topspin version. 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. 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. The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player). During a slice shot, the racket travels in a downward motion, before slicing underneath the tennis ball. Sources: rio2016.com, itftennis.com. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. The latter has been a key element of Roger Federers defensive game for a number of years. Retrieving a wide ball. 5 Point Friday {"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). It is said to be the fastest shot in tennis. Reference: tennis slice vs topspin. The slice serves name comes from the brushing action, or slice, applied to the tennis ball to produce sidespin. 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. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. As the ball approaches and you rotate your shoulders to your left, bring your racquet back above your left shoulder.
\nYour 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. This is known as a squash shot and a good one will fly low and fast over the net. 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. 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. The same goes for court surfaces. Since many modern tennis players rely on their topspin forehand to dictate the pace of the match, the slice is most commonly seen as a defensive shot that can be used as a last-ditch effort. Here too, it is necessary to make a distinction. Knees should be slightly bent and the body should be leaning forward. The first thing you need to do is grip the racket properly.
\nIf 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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