Hitting the overhead with a little bit of slice
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S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
The further away from the net I am, the more likely I will use slice and the more slice I will use. I typically will attempt an OH even from behind the BL if I can set up in time. I rarely go 100% flat and neither do I try to hit a winner. I'm trying to hit a good shot that pressures my opponent and will allow me to get back up to the net.
Benefits are higher accuracy and lower risk. Drawback is that it's not as offensive but like I wrote above, my goal of that shot is not to win the point outright.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
If I hit an overhead behind the baseline, I either hit it flat DTL or slice cross-court. I think the reasons for the slice are fairly obvious.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
When you go DTL, what % of max power do you use?
Slowtwitcher
Legend
I'm just trying to get it flat and on the right corner. Let's just say that the days of the overhead smash are gone
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm just trying to get it flat and on the right corner. Let's just say that the days of the overhead smash are gone
If I'm feeling good, I'll go maybe 90%.
Most of the time, it'll probably be around 60-70%.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Yeah exactly
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
It is like any other shot - you add spin to increase your margin for error and then it allows you to aim closer to the lines and more precisely to open gaps. You can also use slice to hit better angles wide to take opponents off the court.
Dragy
Legend
Slice OH is a big rescue whenever you are in some discomfort position - allows to execute the shot, place it with angle, make it tough to deal with (rare shot to face).
Even more, when dealing with a tough lob, backpedaling and still hitting the ball almost behind the head, a top-slice OH is a very reliable option to keep things neutral/favorable. Just need to remember to swing across imparting spin.
Even more, when dealing with a tough lob, backpedaling and still hitting the ball almost behind the head, a top-slice OH is a very reliable option to keep things neutral/favorable. Just need to remember to swing across imparting spin.
ballmachineguy
Hall of Fame
It is bad enough having to face an overhead about to be pounded at you, but then you have to deal with it tailing away or in to handcuff you. Usually used when further back and not sure you will pass the guy/gal.
Morch Us
Hall of Fame
slice=added control & flat=more power
When you feel like more power is not going to give you enough benefit, take less risk by adding control.
An example is, like others explained above, when you are hitting the overhead further away from net. And this is how folks most commonly use it.
I will add on top of that, that slice usually has a place, even when you are closer to net, but when the distance from you and your opponent is more. When you are closer to the net, flat is less risky so most folks go for flat. But even when you are closer to net, but if your opponent is going really far from baseline to run and cover the flat overhead (especially the ones hit down hard, providing good bounce), a slice will keep the overhead softer, and provide you with more angles.
When you feel like more power is not going to give you enough benefit, take less risk by adding control.
An example is, like others explained above, when you are hitting the overhead further away from net. And this is how folks most commonly use it.
I will add on top of that, that slice usually has a place, even when you are closer to net, but when the distance from you and your opponent is more. When you are closer to the net, flat is less risky so most folks go for flat. But even when you are closer to net, but if your opponent is going really far from baseline to run and cover the flat overhead (especially the ones hit down hard, providing good bounce), a slice will keep the overhead softer, and provide you with more angles.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Make it topspin-slice, and I'm there with you. The deeper I take the OH, the more it becomes like a spin serve.
Its one of the ways fed shows his skill over the others.Its hard enough to center the ball let alone give it some slice .
Its a very high end shot and would not recomend to anyone coz plenty can go wrong and even most pros dont do it.
Other then that its normal if you let it drop on the flor first then its not hard at all and migh be good idea.
Its a very high end shot and would not recomend to anyone coz plenty can go wrong and even most pros dont do it.
Other then that its normal if you let it drop on the flor first then its not hard at all and migh be good idea.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm not sure slicing an OH is any more difficult than hitting it flat. I'm assuming the striker has experience with both while serving so that translates to the OH.
And, as @SystemicAnomaly points out, adding TS increases the margin [I think people are capable of doing this; they just don't think of doing it because in their mind, an OH is a completely different shot than a serve].
The ball is 10x higher or more then serve toss.
So framing is very common on OH flat shot let alone on slice were you need to brush the ball and center with a tougher frame angle from 10 metars in the air .
Also there is no real need since OH targets are huge and position is much better to smash it shorter then longer in which slice makes sence.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
OK, I see where you're coming from. I was actually thinking more of the BL OH that @SystemicAnomaly and I were discussing. Obviously on those, I let them bounce.
Yes, I guess adding slice does complicate things so it's just a matter of how much you're willing to work on that shot. I use slice in my OHs that I take on-the-fly but I'm confident in my OH [I also have a volleyball background, which makes that shot a lot easier].
austintennis2005
Professional
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
That's my practice as well. Sometimes I hit what I call a "defensive OH", which is not an oxymoron. It's an OH that travels upward initially, designed only to give me time to recover my net position and hopefully I hit it deep.
If you hit slow then its easy but not more effective.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
I'll add slice on the OH not to be more effective but to raise the margin of error [which, indirectly, is making the OH more effective in a big picture sense].
Only in case of defensive oh which is impossible to hit flat anyway.
Same for tactical oh from base line which is hit just to stay in point and as such needs slice.
But there is a margin on normal oh and its very bad on slice one.
Its a far stretch to call it effective its use last option that you have.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Maybe it's more accurate to call it "TS slice", since I use both.
Slowtwitcher
Legend
Today playing doubles I had an easy overhead that bounced in no-mans-land.
While I was waiting for the ball to bounce, I thought of this thread and wondered if that was a good situation for a slice OH... which is the problem with these shots, too much time to think...
I ended up going for the flat DTL option that won the point.
While I was waiting for the ball to bounce, I thought of this thread and wondered if that was a good situation for a slice OH... which is the problem with these shots, too much time to think...
I ended up going for the flat DTL option that won the point.
If you are right handed and the ball is over head and to your right, and you do not have time to step further to the right, then a slice overhead allows you to hit an overhead from that awkward position. For me this happens most often in doubles serving and volleying from the deuce court. The opponent's serve return at stretch is not a lob but is high and to the right. I hit a slice overhead landing in the tram lines at the service line (usually a winner). Another time I hit slice overheads is when the ball bounces further back in the court. Even when the bounce is not that high, I prefer a slice overhead (sometimes with bent knees) to a very high forehand.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I think a slice overhead is an useful shot to have particularly in doubles. It is easier to hit angles into the doubles alleys if you add some slice and take advantage of the wider court. Also, with two opponents covering the court, there are less open spaces on the court and against 4.5+ players, you have to be precise with location to put mid-court smashes away.
In singles, there is a lot more open space to smash flat winners into open space without going for extreme angles.
In singles, there is a lot more open space to smash flat winners into open space without going for extreme angles.
Exactly!
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
The fringe benefit is that it alters the defenders' positioning. I remember a particular drill with the OHer receiving the lob and 2 were defending on the BL. After I sliced 2 into the side fence, the CC opponent moved way out towards the fence. I saw this out of my peripheral and got any easy flat smash through the middle.
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