Modern tennis is dominated by the use of topspin shots. Heres a photo to show you what your contact point should look like for a slice serve. After all, if you have a question, its likely another reader does too, which helps our entire community. Once again, when hitting a kick serve, you should rely on your continental service grip, which is ideally suited for this serve. 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. A "tennis topspin" is when the ball is hit with a lot of power, speed, and spin on it. 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. 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 truth is, a continental serve grip is highly effective for all types of tennis serves. Lets take a look at some of the details that will help ensure you can hit a great flat serve. A sliced lob can be useful as a defensive measure, but it is generally slower and easier to attack than the topspin version. 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. 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). When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. The ball will naturally bounce less on grass, which plays terrifically with the slice serve, which also doesnt bounce high. A player can add topspin to a shot by hitting the ball in a down-up movement, which causes the ball to rotate towards the opponent. The result will help you generate even more topspin. 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. 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. Once again, Ive provided a view of this serve in slow motion so you can easily see the nuances of the different pieces. The racquet head instead should be pointing at the back fence, at about a 45-degree angle. 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.
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. 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. 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. Table tennis forehand push. If players like to attack the net and volley, they slice a lot.\nThe slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. In fact, hitting a slice serve at 75% of your max swing speed can be a great tactic because the sidespin combined with the change in pace will often throw off your opponent. Slicing does have disadvantages, so ideally it is used as a variation or in specific circumstances. Instead, the best option is to stretch wide, perhaps in an open stance, and move the racket from high to low and through the line you want the ball to travel. Low bounce: as the name suggests, flat serves have minimal spin. 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. Friction and surface area explain why slower surfaces are less effective. Here, well share as much knowledge and experience as we can, so we hope you enjoy it! But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. Slice Forehand & Backhand Many players assume behind means you need to toss the ball toward the back fence, i.e., behind the baseline. It is easier to control and creates a less predictable bounce with no pace for my opponents to work with. 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. The answer to this question depends upon whether you are aiming to reply in kind with a slice, or to hit a topspin. Reference: tennis slice vs topspin. Tennis may not be right for you if you suffer from heart disease or have high or low blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis. 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. 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. On a surface like grass which creates less friction, the ball will tend to skid and stay low. Do you like to hit a forehand slice? 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. The forehand slice is a shot which is rarely taught or discussed in modern tennis. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. 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. With the slice serve, youll want to make contact with the outer edge of the ball to generate sidespin. In contrast, a sliced groundstroke will appear to be rotating anti-clockwise. Approach shots. For the taller opponent, who might not move as well as a shorter player, you might hit a slice serve at their body because theyll struggle to reposition themselves quickly when returning. Without some of Hi there! 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. The type of tennis court surface that you play on can have a major influence on how the game is played as well as on the effects of Tennis on your body. This leads to a higher bounce and less spin on the ball after contact with the ground. Many players will want to take the initiative from the slicer by hitting an aggressive topspin.
\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. They are something you should work on and get better at but in the end, are extremely fun to use. If your opponent has a very fast or heavily spun serve, and you are having difficulty controlling it with a flat or topspun return, a block return with a little slice can be effective. There are many different types of forehand slice shot, all of which have their uses. Let us know about your experiences via the comments. When you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. A slice serve is a fantastic weapon on any court surface. 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. Second, it can be difficult to generate power with a slice. 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. Generally speaking, coaches and players will talk about three main spots in the service box: Since you can hit your serve in any of these locations, youll have a minimum of 9 serves in your back pocket that you can hit at any given time pretty sweet, right? The slice backhand offers the following practical and tactical advantages: A word of caution: Slice backhands make poor passing shots. Upper Body Exercises Safe for Tennis Elbow, How to Choose a Grip Size for a Tennis Racquet, How To Handle The High Bounce To The Backhand Side In Tennis. It is also the most commonly used shot when you are in a defensive position. At the highest level, many matches go by without a single sliced forehand being played. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat.
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. More consistent - means with which one you can hit more or less the same shot over and over again. However, its often one of the most challenging serves to develop. Instead of hitting through the ball as you would with a flat serve, youll want to hit up. Both arms should be out in front of you. If you are defending desperately, you are unlikely to be able to execute a topspin lob. The result can be a very low-bouncing serve that is hard to return. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. Here are some tips on how to slice a ball in tennis: 1. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. 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. Table tennis forehand smash. 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. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. 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. 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. Those two qualities can catch your opponent off guard and screw up her timing.\n- 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.
\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. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. What is the difference between tennis slices and tennis tops? Swing forward with a high-to-low motion.
\nRelease the racquet with your left hand as you do this. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. Sometimes, especially on a low-bouncing court like grass, your opponent may hit a low, short ball. Reaction time: The same speed that makes it difficult for your opponent to return a hard flat serve can make it challenging for you to field a well-executed return off of a flat serve because youll have less time to react. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. When comparing table tennis to tennis, golf, ice hockey, football, or nearly anything, you will find that it is rather cheap. Ive had the chance to play against great names of the new generation, like Christian Garin, Cameron Norrie, and Kyle Edmund. Basically, a slice causes the ball to rotate backward (toward the person who hit the ball). easier to learn and to apply slice shots, and have better feel and control . 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. Believe it or not, when the pros hit a kick serve, their racquet is traveling at roughly the same rate or faster than their flat or slice serve. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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). Many pros, including the legendary Australian champion Ken Rosewall, used the slice backhand stroke as their only backhand. The ball will follow a low, flattish path through the air and then bounce up (but not far forward) on a grippy court surface like acrylic. There are basically three major types of court surfaces: Hard Courts, Grass Courts, and Clay Courts. When you reach it, the ball may only be a few inches off the ground, meaning that a topspin is not a realistic option. When you are playing tennis its all about getting the ball over the net and trying to hit a shot your opponent cant return. This leaves it tough for the opponent to hit it back with much pace. 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. A topspin shot, on the other hand, rotates forward toward the opponent as it travels through the air. 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. Babolat have been producing tennis equipment since 1875, and today they manufacture a range of rackets that offers something for everyone. For an in-depth review of the serve toss, be sure to check out our post on perfecting your serve toss technique. However, flat shots with little topspin won't bounce high - they'll almost skid across the court. Your email address will not be published. Modern-day tennis players utilize topspin frequently, as it can appear that the ball will sail over the net and out of bounds before dropping well within the lines of play. A tennis slice is a means of hitting or returning the ball that puts a particular spin on the ball. disadvantages of the two backhand strokes in relation to the style of play. Hopefully, youve enjoyed this post on the three different types of serves. The sports divide into a few tiers of serving advantages. The same goes for court surfaces. 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.
Michael Kernicki is currently the Head Professional at the Indian Creek Country Club in Miami Beach.
Michael Patrick Shiels writes frequently for golf magazines and is the official golf writer of the PGA of America's Michigan section. 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. 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. 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. link to The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player), link to The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. It is said to be the fastest shot in tennis. I had to work extra harder. 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. However, it makes it challenging to get under the ball and apply maximum topspin for the kick serve. First and foremost, its important to make sure youre using the correct grip for the flat serve. Its subtle, but hopefully, compared with the flat serve, you can tell the racquet is coming toward the ball at an angle with a bit of upward motion. 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. 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. 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. If you look at the top players in the world they know exactly how to use topspin and slice shots to their advantages. As the previous tip suggests, you must relax your grip and wrist to allow for the wrist to move freely. For example, if youre up 40-15 when serving, you might throw a big flat serve in to try and close out the game. The essence of a slice is that it is the opposite of a topspin. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. Last but not least, another element that will help you produce a fantastic serve is going for it and hitting with confidence. 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. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. Tennis toe. 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.
