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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\n3. Even if good spin and placement are used, if the ball lacks pace, it can easily be attacked. The underarm serve is most widely employed by players with big serves and a good touch, such as Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Bublik. 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. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. 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. Heres a video that brings together all the different pieces of a slice serve and once again includes a pause so you can see the toss placement, contact point, and racquet angle as part of the entire service motion. 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. Within tennis, the serve is a bigger weapon for men than for women, in part . Modern tennis is dominated by the use of topspin shots. 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. Underarm (Underhand in the US) Serve. The three primary types of tennis serves include the flat, slice, and kick serve. 6. 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. The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. But don't use it as a substitute for your flat or topspin forehand. 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. 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. The flat serve uses a minimal amount of spin which allows the ball to travel faster and bounce lower. 2. 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. On Friday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the Grand Slam champions earned themselves a nomination for point of the year. 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. 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. 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. 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, by hitting up on the ball, you generate topspin, which can bring the ball back down into the court even though youre hitting up. Hitting up is counterintuitive to many players at first because theyre afraid the ball will sail long. The slice serves name comes from the brushing action, or slice, applied to the tennis ball to produce sidespin. However, you can use it to your advantage on certain court surfaces. 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. 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. 5. Kevin Leck is a Sport Psychology Consultant and Writer from Loughborough in the UK. 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. 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. If you look at the top players in the world they know exactly how to use topspin and slice shots to their advantages. As a result, most players hit flat groundstrokes sparingly. Friction and surface area explain why slower surfaces are less effective. Table tennis forehand smash - Table tennis - BBC Bitesize Over the years, many techniques have been developed in tennis to make shots more difficult to hit. If something isnt clear or you have questions, please feel free to submit a comment below wed love to hear from you! 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. He used the slicing technique very often to outdo his opponents at the highest international stages of the sport. Sources: rio2016.com, itftennis.com. 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. How To Bounce A Slice Ball And Drive Your Opponents Crazy 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. On slice shots, the racquet doesn't come around and up, making an arc. First, it can be difficult to control 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. Both arms should be out in front of you. 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. 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. 4. 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. Related Tags. Many pros, including the legendary Australian champion Ken Rosewall, used the slice backhand stroke as their only backhand. Helpful Tip Tennis Tips for Seniors and Every Tennis Lovers. How To Feel Topspin In Tennis The Way A Pro Hits It 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. Drop Shots. 5 Point Friday The major difference is that the racquet shouldn't be pointing straight up, at a 90-degree angle, like a bat. When a slice shot bounces, the ball stays low, forcing your opponent to really stretch to get to 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.When the racket and the ball make contact, the racket should be continuously moving in a direction close to perpendicular to the ball. 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. If you are defending desperately, you are unlikely to be able to execute a topspin lob. Disadvantages to a topspin game? | Talk Tennis Discussion Boards 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Table Tennis Once again, Ive provided a view of this serve in slow motion so you can easily see the nuances of the different pieces. After all, if you have a question, its likely another reader does too, which helps our entire community. 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. For most players, the kick serve has become the default second serve. Noticed one disadvantage is playing on a slower court. Not a Team Sport. 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. One of the biggest challenges of the game of tennis is adjusting your stroke according to the incoming ball (high, low, topspin, slice, fast, slow, etc. Tennis is not recommended for individuals who. The shot is executed with a flowing high-to-low action and a continental or Eastern grip, using a neutral or semi-open stance. This is known as a squash shot and a good one will fly low and fast over the net. But knowing how to use the topspin to your game (strategy) has its advantages: This requires care, however, as the ball may be low, and will not rise off the racket as readily as a ball which comes to you with topspin. PDF A comparative study of backhand strokes in tennis among national tennis When you are playing tennis its all about getting the ball over the net and trying to hit a shot your opponent cant return. Topspin and slice shots are a necessity in tennis. Tennis Slice vs Topspin - What's The Difference? what is a backhand slice in tennis; how to return a slice in tennis; disadvantages of topspin in tennis; slice serve in tennis 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. You may want to be slightly lower for a push as usually we play this shot against lower, backspin balls. Slice shots never travel with a lot of pace. In a press conference at the French Open, Dominic Thiem commented on his switch from two-handed to one-handed backhand. The slice forehand is easy to master, and a fair number of hackers resort to it. 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. 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. Slice is also an underrated shot, again thanks to that Bollettieri talent-destroying-nonsense. Your opponent can do almost anything he wants with them, especially from a position up at the net.
\nSlice always imparts control. Since a big flat serve has a lower margin for error, its worth being thoughtful when you choose to use it. It is also the most commonly used shot when you are in a defensive position. 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.
\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. The slice serve is perfect for opening up the tennis court. 3. There are a few disadvantages of using a slice in tennis. Tennis Interviews. If youre playing on a clay court, you may love your kick serve, where you benefit from the higher bounces that make this serve even more challenging to return. In-depth Resources 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. However, it makes it challenging to get under the ball and apply maximum topspin for the kick serve. 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. The sports divide into a few tiers of serving advantages. Speed: The faster a serve is hit, the less time your opponent will have to react, which can cause players to make contact with the ball late or mistime their shot. . Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. Basically, a slice causes the ball to rotate backward (toward the person who hit the ball). Oh, and I had lunch with Brad Gilbert once. Dummies has always stood for taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand. Another instance when you are using a slice is if you want to surprise your opponent with a drop shot. It always adds to the entertainment value when it is played well. Create a free account and explore my latest videos below. Tennis Forehand Slice - Senior Tennis Club 3. link to The Best Babolat Tennis Rackets (for Every Type of Player), link to The Top 3 Best Babolat Tennis Rackets Under $100. 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. 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. The result will help you generate even more topspin. Here are some tips on how to slice a ball in tennis: 1. 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. Table tennis forehand push. 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. When the racket and the ball make contact, the racket should be continuously moving in a direction close to perpendicular to the ball. And, an athlete like Mima Ito, proves beyond a doubt that the banana flip can be even more effective . For example, if youre up 40-15 when serving, you might throw a big flat serve in to try and close out the game. Thats because racquet head speed is required to create topspin. However, once you miss your first serve, the pressure equalizes to a degree. The ball often stays low to the ground after it bounces. Tennis Quiz Flashcards | Quizlet If you are under pressure in a rally and are forced to stretch very wide to retrieve a ball on your forehand side, it is unlikely that you will be able to play a topspin shot. Your opponent can do almost anything he wants with them, especially from a position up at the net.
\nSlice always imparts control. 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. Its strength lies in its speed and difficulty to return. Slice, or backspin, causes the tennis ball to spin back toward the source of impact (you). Lets take a look at some of the details that will help ensure you can hit a great flat serve. 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. Follow through until your racquet arm is fully extended, with the head pointing toward the ground at a moderate angle. Those two qualities can catch your opponent off guard and screw up her timing.
\nA word of caution: Slice backhands make poor passing shots. 3. 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. 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. 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. Sliced returns need to be controlled with precision or else a volleyer can pick them off, especially in doubles. 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. Some coaches will tell you that the short game can be more difficult in terms of short chops and banana flips. This is basically a drop shot played at the start of a rally, so the same arguments set out in the previous paragraph apply. 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. Many top players, including male and female Grand Slam champions use the sliced forehand.