Slice Return

[BCTennis]

Originally Posted by Bowtiesarecool

For me, I had to focus on leading with the hand and letting the racquet come around on it's own. Otherwise, I found myself taking too much of a backswing on the return.

Ya I have heard that shrotening the backswing reduces errors

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

Ok so bascially practice makes perfect. But I still would like to know if I should drive through the ball more or return with spin. Or does that depend on the speed of the serve?

Practice is one thing, and of course it's important. But I think it's also as important if you have the mentality of "I'm not going to get pushed back."

Sometimes it's rewarding to be aggressive on returns.

[BruceD]

start with a continental grip and find a wall or backboard to start hitting at, close, about 5' away and hit a soft shot, leading with your elbow, keeping your wrist pretty firm.
Lean on to the shot a little, but let the strings do the work at this point.
start backing up a foot or two at a time, hitting with a little more pace, each time. If you can LEAN on the slice, your weight will help make it a more penetrating, skidding shot that your opponents will have a hard time with.
You can also use it to set up a late surprise appearance at the net. Just float it down the line and as your op is concentrating on watching it bounce, follow it to the net for an easy volley.
The slice backhand volley can have as much or MORE pace on it, safely, than a topspin volley. Use your racquet head like a shield at the net, to pick off shots with angles and touch, leaving shots out of reach of your opponent.
Ken Rosewall was the last men's player that had a hard, penetrating slice. Federer rarely puts much on it, these days, since he's fallen in love with his topspin backhand. I watched Johnny Mac play in a Champions Series match and he's hitting a better slice than ever, with a new-tech racquet, strung pretty low in tension.
Also, use it for high kick serve returns. I'm 5'6", when on my feet and used it a lot, years ago, as much as I do now. now.
Yeah, I like the slice backhand..a lot!
Now, ask me about a slice/chip FOREHAND, that's NOT just a "sqwash shot"!

[luvforty]

FH slice return - it's the same as a FH volley. OP I suspect your FH volley maybe flawed... try this visual.

imagine there is a big piece of cardboard on your right side facing the target. you are gonna put your upper arm, elbow, forearm, racket shaft, racket face... everything on that cardboard..... now this is a very heavy unit. and you are gonna chip/block that serve back with this entire unit.

I believe this will fix your FH return and FH volley

[BCTennis]

Oh on the contrary I am one of the most deft volleyers at my age (u16). My forehand volley is pretty versatile, but i admit that I occasionally miss those slow floaters from overhitting. But thanks anyways ill definitely try out that tip.

[BCTennis]

Originally Posted by BruceD

start with a continental grip and find a wall or backboard to start hitting at, close, about 5' away and hit a soft shot, leading with your elbow, keeping your wrist pretty firm.
Lean on to the shot a little, but let the strings do the work at this point.
start backing up a foot or two at a time, hitting with a little more pace, each time. If you can LEAN on the slice, your weight will help make it a more penetrating, skidding shot that your opponents will have a hard time with.
You can also use it to set up a late surprise appearance at the net. Just float it down the line and as your op is concentrating on watching it bounce, follow it to the net for an easy volley.
The slice backhand volley can have as much or MORE pace on it, safely, than a topspin volley. Use your racquet head like a shield at the net, to pick off shots with angles and touch, leaving shots out of reach of your opponent.
Ken Rosewall was the last men's player that had a hard, penetrating slice. Federer rarely puts much on it, these days, since he's fallen in love with his topspin backhand. I watched Johnny Mac play in a Champions Series match and he's hitting a better slice than ever, with a new-tech racquet, strung pretty low in tension.
Also, use it for high kick serve returns. I'm 5'6", when on my feet and used it a lot, years ago, as much as I do now. now.
Yeah, I like the slice backhand..a lot!
Now, ask me about a slice/chip FOREHAND, that's NOT just a "sqwash shot"!

Ya I love backhand slices- against juniors its especially effective.Its both a great defensive shot and a good offensive shot if played well. I often charge the net after a skidding dtl slice.

[TomT]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

I am a level 4.0-4.5 junior player. Starting now there are many big and powerful guys with monster serves that has good placement( I'm only 5'6 and 160 pounds, and I maxed out my serve at 114 mph) However, I consider myself as a horrible returner. I slice everything, backhand and forehand, on even the slowest serves. My backhand slice return is in fact incredibly good against junior players, as many of them have a hard time ripping the low skidding slice. But my forehand return looks like a JOKE. It either just drops over the net, or its a float slice easy to be pounded. Any tips on forehand returns? What should I practice?

I'm not qualified to offer any advice, but here's a vid of a couple of my forehand returns ... not sliced but more or less flat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PERTN3ranI

And here's a vid of a well-placed backhand slice return:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnwanVPJzYI

[TomT]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

Ya I love backhand slices- against juniors its especially effective.Its both a great defensive shot and a good offensive shot if played well. I often charge the net after a skidding dtl slice.

I love backhand slices too. Here's a few examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7Yuq4spD8

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

Oh on the contrary I am one of the most deft volleyers at my age (u16). My forehand volley is pretty versatile, but i admit that I occasionally miss those slow floaters from overhitting. But thanks anyways ill definitely try out that tip.

ok that's good

let me correct myself by saying that the FH slice return is the same as the 1st volley, where you have to hit it solid and deep... (not the 2nd volley which is angled off drop shot

[BCTennis]

Ya you mean those volleys around the service line and half volleys right? Yes I do miss those sometimes but its not a big problem like my forehand return

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

Ya you mean those volleys around the service line and half volleys right? Yes I do miss those sometimes but its not a big problem like my forehand return

yes, the service line volley....

so for the return, once you have the solid unit on the 'cardboard', just move your weight forward (by stepping forward with the left foot), and allow this heavy cardboard to collide with the ball, you should produce solid penetrating chip returns every time

in my own experience, I'd say 50% of the power comes from the left foot stepping forward, and the other 50% comes from the right chest muscle contracting.

the arm is passive... it's main job is to maintain the unit as 1 solid piece, and make sure that the cardboard always faces 1 direction (instead of flopping up towards the sky or down towards the ground).

[BruceD]

Originally Posted by BCTennis

Thank you for clarifying things.
I think these are very good points. I noticed that my serve falls apart when I feel pressured that the opponent could threaten me with a driving shot off my second serve. So it should be the same for other servers as well. Sorry to ask one more question(you seem to know a lot about returns) What is considered good placement on a block return off a strong first serve?

If he's stalking the baseline, mix up wide shots with shots hit at his feet!
IF he can adjust quickly by backing up/sideways, he may have time to crack off a inside-out forehand. You probably will NOT get a return aimed right back at you, or pulled down the line, if he is rushed by a powerful and/or well placed shot at their toes.

[Larrysümmers]

watch a lot of murray. notice that almost exaggerated looking deep split step and smooth low to high motion on his returns. he just uses their pace and redirects it back to the middle of the court.
its hard to get out of the habit of slicing returns back, and that habit will get you killed.