Do you wanna play like Feliciano Lopez or like Stan "the man" Wawrinka STANIMAL? And have basically two forehands?!?!Like Karlovic and F.Lopez. They almost never hit topspin backhand. Lopez started hitting some only in the last year or so.
I don't mind playing like any of those actually.Do you wanna play like Feliciano Lopez or like Stan "the man" Wawrinka STANIMAL? And have basically two forehands?!?!
Like Karlovic and F.Lopez. They almost never hit topspin backhand. Lopez started hitting some only in the last year or so.
Yes, I guess if it works at the top level why shouldn't it work for rec tennis? But there still remains one issue. Both Karlovic and Lopez seem to prefer slice because their topspin backhand sucks! So it's more like necessity than preference.Aren't you from Australia, and you ask this question?
Yes, I guess if it works at the top level why shouldn't it work for rec tennis? But there still remains one issue. Both Karlovic and Lopez seem to prefer slice because their topspin backhand sucks! So it's more like necessity than preference.
Like Karlovic and F.Lopez. They almost never hit topspin backhand. Lopez started hitting some only in the last year or so.
Can you get away with using slice only on backhand?
Yes but it has limitations. As Agassi's wife has shown, you can't expect to win more than 22 Grand Slam titles.
I thought about doubles being a different thing. Lopez plays a lot of doubles. I need to check and see if he uses more topspin in doubles. What about Karlovic? Does he play doubles and what does he do then?OP...You're a 50 something person at a 4.0 level, if I'm not mistaken. You can get away with only a bh slice just fine in singles. Doubles might be another story with the net guy right there. Even at the 4.0 level, it's an easy kill shot for the net man, unless you can consistently skim the net on those shots.
Apparently these guys who use slice only have developed it into a weapon. They are not just slicing it back. They vary it a lot with angles, speed, depth etc. I opened this thread after watching Karlovic Kyrgios match the other day. He gave Kyrgios so much trouble and annoyance with his slice.So we have Graff, Johnson, and pretty much DelPo the last few years, all with good results. So...sure, you can. But you have to understand how to apply that shot properly in a game plan to either a) extract errors, or more so, b) setup for a forehand winner. Most people using slice do it to merely change pace without much through beyond that.
I think that’s you! You were a man in the volley videos. Now you’re a woman slicing all your backhands.I didn't realize you are schizophrenic!
You keep providing more evidence for your diagnosis with your abstract reasoning skills!I think that’s you! You were a man in the volley videos. Now you’re a woman slicing all your backhands.
Karlovic Kyrgios match the other day. He gave Kyrgios so much trouble and annoyance with his slice.
Harder to get away with slicing the bh in dubs cuz you’ll put the ball high giving the netman easier putaways.I had a look. Lopez indeed uses mostly topspin drive backhand in doubles. Karlovic must really be hopeless, slices everything even in doubles!
Yeah. Firm and precise are generally not strengths for 3.5-4.0s.In doubles, if your return is "slice only" but your slice return is firm and precise, you can play at a high level as long as you return from the side of the court that places your slicing wing on the inside.
One of my former hitting partners was state doubles champion in high school with a slice-only backhand, but he was an excellent deuce court returner.
I'm basically a slice-only returner on the forehand wing (with a very strong 2hb). This makes me an excellent ad-court returner, but a terrible deuce court returner.
As long as your slicing wing is on the inside, you can easily get it past the netperson if you return from on top of the baseline. But if your slicing wing is on the outside (as a righty playing ad court with slice-only bh), you will have a tough time getting your cross-court slice return safely past the netman because it has to cross the net closer to the middle than a cross-court topspin drive.
That's kind of me, even when I was a strong player I usually played deuce court and sliced. Good net players poaching made me hit a lot of lobs however.In doubles, if your return is "slice only" but your slice return is firm and precise, you can play at a high level as long as you return from the side of the court that places your slicing wing on the inside.
One of my former hitting partners was state doubles champion in high school with a slice-only backhand, but he was an excellent deuce court returner.
I'm basically a slice-only returner on the forehand wing (with a very strong 2hb). This makes me an excellent ad-court returner, but a terrible deuce court returner.
As long as your slicing wing is on the inside, you can easily get it past the netperson if you return from on top of the baseline. But if your slicing wing is on the outside (as a righty playing ad court with slice-only bh), you will have a tough time getting your cross-court slice return safely past the netman because it has to cross the net closer to the middle than a cross-court topspin drive.
So we have Graff, Johnson, and pretty much DelPo the last few years, all with good results. So...sure, you can. But you have to understand how to apply that shot properly in a game plan to either a) extract errors, or more so, b) setup for a forehand winner.
Will see. If i play tommorrow will only hit sliceLike Karlovic and F.Lopez. They almost never hit topspin backhand. Lopez started hitting some only in the last year or so.
Will see. If i play tommorrow will only hit slice
Harder to get away with slicing the bh in dubs cuz you’ll put the ball high giving the netman easier putaways.
when i hear rec folks asking this quesition, it's usually because they are having a tough time hitting a topspin (1 or 2 hands) backhand consistently.. (ie. this was asked in "tips" not "pro player discuss")
and often the issue is footwork and prep on that wing...
the same person, usually has dinky/bunty defensive slice, that kinda works against other 3.5's and low 4.0's (especially bashers who provide all the pace), who also have terrible footwork (and the inconsistent depth depth of the dinky slicer, wreaks havoc).
so while the answer is, 'yes', you can get away with slice at the rec levels... i'm not talking about a dinky, bunty slice... that won't fly against mid-high 4.0+.
a good (semi-offensive) slice bh with good prep, requires very good footwork... probably as good as a topspin bh (1 or 2 hand).... along with that., be prepared to defend alot more, since the slice is slow moving, expect your opponents to get more balls back, even if they can't attack it outright.
and if/when they cough up a short ball, better have some weapon (fh, volley, oh,...) to force your opp into an err, or to feed a sitter.
oh yeah, once you develop the footwork to hit an offensive bh, you'll realize your topspin bh has probably improved alot too...
Will see. If i play tommorrow will only hit slice
along with that., be prepared to defend alot more, since the slice is slow moving, expect your opponents to get more balls back, even if they can't attack it outright.
Slice is solid i just dont hit it so its out of shape. There is one vid where i mostly hit slice and yeah that was aweful. Never never drop 60 swingweight points and go hit shots you normally never hit...I've seen your slice. It may be a fun experiment, but, it's not ready for prime time.
the generalization is, "when rec players ask, 'can i get away with slice...?'".I've a very good slice. I play regularly with a guy who used to be a 5.0 and my slice is a weapon. I can hit it short, drive it deep or lob off it. If any of my other shots were as good as my slice I would be extremely content with my game. I can't hit a topspin bh even if you pay me to. So I'm not sure about the generalization that players who slice are predominantly hitting dink serves or that the same footwork applies What I've noticed with my slice is that I drive with my hip. For the BH top spin shot weight transfer to the front foot is more important, and too often that's the part that gets me.
some people have a issue developing an offensive topspin shot (steve johnson, post-surgery-delpotro)... yeah, they can hit it, but in terms of depth, placement, etc... their slice is better.Yes you can but you're not really going to be able to hit passing shots off the backhand side and you'll have trouble hitting winners with it too.
So it will be limiting but you can certainly develop a game around a slice only backhand.
I don't see why you'd limit yourself to ONLY hitting slice though. Seems silly...noone I know does it.
I've a very good slice. I play regularly with a guy who used to be a 5.0 and my slice is a weapon. I can hit it short, drive it deep or lob off it. If any of my other shots were as good as my slice I would be extremely content with my game. I can't hit a topspin bh even if you pay me to. So I'm not sure about the generalization that players who slice are predominantly hitting dink serves or that the same footwork applies What I've noticed with my slice is that I drive with my hip. For the BH top spin shot weight transfer to the front foot is more important, and too often that's the part that gets me.
the generalization is, "when rec players ask, 'can i get away with slice...?'".
you clearly have a good slice, that worked for you at the 4.5-5.0 level, so you wouldn't have asked that question...
i'll bet a penny that that OP does not have offensive slice like yours.
Sorry..I'm definitely not claiming to be a 4.5 level player. It's just that my slice is an outlier type of shot that I have. As for the OP, I wasn't even sure if he was asking if he could get away with a slice or if he was asking how far a pro could get away with a slice.
Having seen his prior videos, I agree. No way his slice is an offensive one.i'll bet a penny that that OP does not have offensive slice like yours.