return fast slice baseline ball

[tennis_hand]

Hi,

Sometimes I receive from my opponent's backhand those slice shots, deep and fast, but it does not bounce up from the ground contact point. Usually a sliced ball does not go forward but bounce straight up or even a little backward, but his balls continue with pace and stays low.

I usually will stand close to the sliced shots, but since his does not stop there, I mistime and frame the ball.

any suggestion?

[Slazenger]

Sounds like your opponent is hitting an offensive slice.
You could slice it back or hit a flat/topspin shot back.
Really bend your knees and get down to the ball and you should be fine.

[tennis_hand]

But how do I recognize whether it is an offensive slice or defensive one?

[dewey2110]

it'll take forever to explain all the varieties of slices, you'll have to read his movements (arm) to predict the ball's motion by yourself on this one. Try to predict the ball's motion and get there quick and do what slazenger already said :D

[emo5]

It all boils down to experience. I can't tell you the answer becuase its his style. I can give you a rough outline from my experience. When I started playing playing people used to do this alot, then I would have trouble returning the heavier slice. I figured high ball = bounce back. Wrong. They cna still bounce towards you. Eventually I looked really closely to see how the ball was spinning and now I can roughly judge how it will bounce. Play more with tihs opponent, its good experience

[Zverev]

But how do I recognize whether it is an offensive slice or defensive one?
offensively sliced ball is approaching you with greater speed...
normally it doesn't have that much backspin on it either.

It behaves almost like flat shot, if the surface is fast and low bounce, it's a horrible shot to handle, but....bend your knees more and drive it it straight back...I don't think it's an easy one to change direction from...

[newnuse]

It's easy to tell the difference between the different kind of slice shots. The tough one you can't handle travel fast, low and straight. It's hit hard with a very penetrating flight and bounce. See a Graf match.

The other kind of slice is the floater. Hit softer, ball floats, higher flight and you also see it curve sometimes. See a Roddick match.

It's easy to see the difference when they are flying towards you. I'm assuming you are not a very experience player yet.

With the floater slice, it will pop up more after contact with the court. Easy to handle... just have to read it right. Need to get close to the ball and hit a medium lenght TS or Slice back. Don't take your normal big stroke like it's a topsin shot because it's harder to predict how it will bounce.

The hard slice is very hard to handle. Low and hard, so get low to it. Shorten your stroke. The ball will skid low and hard so you don't have time to take a big cut. Hit a flat or slight topsin ball back. Do not use massive topsin since the slice will make the ball go into the net. Or you can slice the ball back as well. It's a safer shot.

[Geezer Guy]

Excellent post newnuse.

[kevhen]

He is hitting it low enough and hard enough that it skids insteads of popping up. Low fast skidding balls are tough so you may want to back up just a little to give yourself more time to read the bounce and hit cleanly. They take a lot of practice to return effectively. Don't try to hit them hard but just try to hit them solidly in the middle of your strings and hit up with some topspin or slice them back. A flat hard aggressive drive would be the hardest shot for you to try against a hard low incoming slice.

[tennis_hand]

OK. I played against him last evening. He hit a lot of this sort of slices both from the backhand and forehand, esp when he receives high balls from me, because his topspin is not good as I could observe. What I did was to either block it back using eastern grip with some a little motion, or slice it if it is close to the net or in the mid court. It was better than last time.

The harder part is not about how to return it, ( i think a shortened block or slice will do by using its own pace), but to anticipate its speed and its bounce. It stays low and fast and with spin, leaving no time to prepare. so sometimes I just framed it.

I had no problems of handling his floating slices though.

[Triple S]

Wish I could help.. I have a fast offensive slice, but unfortunately haven't played anyone else who has one. I have yet to experience what it's like...

[looseswing]

With those slices I think you have to pay attention to the ball even more than normal because they are deceptively fast, and you will often hit late unless if you are mentally prepared to swing a little earlier than usual.

[tennis_hand]

With those slices I think you have to pay attention to the ball even more than normal because they are deceptively fast, and you will often hit late unless if you are mentally prepared to swing a little earlier than usual.


Yes. It's true. When he slices, I tend to think it will be a slow backspin slice, but it caught me because it is so fast and low. it is really more like a flat shot.