Your email address will not be published. He used the slicing technique very often to outdo his opponents at the highest international stages of the sport. 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. The slice can be a useful weapon, but it does have some disadvantages. 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. Regardless of the type of serve you hit, relaxing through your service motion is essential. Figure 1: Hold your racquet at a 45-degree angle to the fence when you slice your backhand. It tends to put you on the defensive quite often, so you must be physically and mentally prepared for that.
\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. Discussion Boards Tsvetana Pironkova and Monica Niculescu have both enjoyed success using this tactic, particularly on grass. When comparing table tennis to tennis, golf, ice hockey, football, or nearly anything, you will find that it is rather cheap. 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. 6. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. Within tennis, the serve is a bigger weapon for men than for women, in part . 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. 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. Create a free account and explore my latest videos below. 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. When you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. Here are some tips on how to slice a ball in tennis: 1. There are many different types of forehand slice shot, all of which have their uses. 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. Members of a larger team often take on different roles, and there will generally be a captain to lead. This is basically a drop shot played at the start of a rally, so the same arguments set out in the previous paragraph apply. The same goes for court surfaces. 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. 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. 5. Last but not least, another element that will help you produce a fantastic serve is going for it and hitting with confidence. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. If you havent had the chance, Id highly recommend you check out our post on the serve trophy pose, which will show you how to get the most out of your serve while incorporating your legs to help you generate power. Without some of Hi there! The ball often stays low to the ground after it bounces. The most common variations are the slice and the topspin. 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. 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.
\nMake contact with the ball, with the racquet \"slicing\" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. Second, it can be difficult to generate power with a slice. The truth is, a continental serve grip is highly effective for all types of tennis serves. We're Gui and Karue. 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. In general, slicing can be very effective, but considerable precision is needed to use it frequently against a strong hitter. 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. link to The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player), link to The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. {"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). 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. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to the ball. 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. During a slice shot, the racket travels in a downward motion, before slicing underneath the tennis ball. You may want to be slightly lower for a push as usually we play this shot against lower, backspin balls. 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. 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. 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.
\nBasically, 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:
\n1. If you look at the top players in the world they know exactly how to use topspin and slice shots to their advantages. 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. What Was The Battle of The Sexes In Tennis. The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. For most players, the kick serve has become the default second serve. 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.
\nMake contact with the ball, with the racquet \"slicing\" under it, when it's at a point about even with your right shoulder. Lets dive into the proper technique for hitting a kick serve. 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. Now that you know what to look for when hitting a flat serve, heres a video that shows the entire flat service motion. I had to work extra harder. Slice shots don't bounce as high, either. This brushing action means youre allowing the strings of your racquet to make contact with the outermost edge of the tennis ball, which causes the ball to spin and ultimately kick up off the ground when it hits the court. 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 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. Join the conversation with other members of the community. easier to learn and to apply slice shots, and have better feel and control . The three primary types of tennis serves include the flat, slice, and kick serve. The shot is executed with a flowing high-to-low action and a continental or Eastern grip, using a neutral or semi-open stance. After all, if you have a question, its likely another reader does too, which helps our entire community. 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! Tennis toe. First, it can be difficult to control the ball.
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. 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. Disadvantages Of Slice In Tennis Slashes are disliked by many lower-level recreational players. This can put the person slicing very much on the defensive and makes the game extremely hard work. ), your position on the court and the direction you want to hit. Reference: tennis slice vs topspin. 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. The flat serve uses a minimal amount of spin which allows the ball to travel faster and bounce lower. The loose surface dissipates sidespin so that heavy slice serves and sidespin-slice backhands, for example, turn less dramatically than they do on other surfaces. The result will help you generate even more topspin. 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. If you look at a tennis shot side-on from the players right, a ball hit with topspin will appear to be rotating clockwise. Ive included brief stops to help you get a sense for toss placement, contact, point, and racquet angle. If something isnt clear or you have questions, please feel free to submit a comment below wed love to hear from you! 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. There are several advantages and disadvantages of clay tennis court surfaces, including using red clay and green clay or Har-Tru. Advantages of Clay . 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. But knowing how to use the topspin to your game (strategy) has its advantages: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. This toss placement allows you to achieve the proper racquet angle for those serves. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. 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. 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. . For an in-depth review of the serve toss, be sure to check out our post on perfecting your serve toss technique. 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. 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.\nThe slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. The latter has been a key element of Roger Federers defensive game for a number of years. If you are defending desperately, you are unlikely to be able to execute a topspin lob. If youre looking to develop an effective serve thats a weapon, then its crucial to understand and learn how to execute the three different types of tennis serves. Helpful Tip: 5 Point Friday Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. 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 What makes the slice serve unique is the sidespin applied, which causes the ball to move from right to left (if youre a righty) and continue to move in that direction off the bounce. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. 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. 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. The drawback of a slice serve is that it is easy to read. 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. An out-to-in movement can be incorporated to add side-spin. The best choice is, using a continental or Eastern grip, to cut sharply under the ball with a high-to-low action, following through either straight up the court or cutting across the line to impart additional side-spin. Next, lets talk about how to make contact with the ball. 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. This leads to a higher bounce and less spin on the ball after contact with the ground. Lets take a look at how to hit a slice serve with proper technique. Do you like to hit a forehand slice? 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. The slice serve is a highly effective serve that can become a huge weapon when perfected. About a 90-110 degree bend at the elbow. 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. 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. 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. 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. Learn with comprehensive resources to help you improve your game. On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. When you reach it, the ball may only be a few inches off the ground, meaning that a topspin is not a realistic option. Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. 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. When executing a tennis slice, the player will swing downward in a "slicing" motion, angling the racket anywhere between fully flat and entirely diagonal. Swing forward with a high-to-low motion. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace.