How to handle slice serves that go way out wide?

[mnttlrg]

I have been playing against a low college-level baseliner who loves to slice his deuce court serves way out wide, completely pulling me off the court. I am not sure what to do in this situation.

If I try to go up the line for a winner, he will slice his backhand sharply crosscourt at a very high percentage, and I end up running very far to try to chase down his shot from a bad angle.

On the other hand, if I hit it deep crosscourt, he can hit a big forehand winner down the line that I just can't get to.

I am not sure what other options I have. I can try to hit a drop shot return. I can lob my return way up in the air and try to reset the point. I think in similar situations, I see Federer / Nadal hitting crazy sharp angle sideways shots that push them equally off the court. Do I need to learn how to do that?

What do you do in this spot? Thanks.

 

[GuyClinch]

If its not super fast you can stand in closer and take it before it goes out wide. Almost no one does this though - I love hitting that serve.

 

[Jamesm182]

adjust your body position and the angle they can go for stand slightly further over , and come further forward to cut the ball off, by opening more the other side and reducing their target more people may be tempted to serve more centrally

 

[Deleted member 23235]

Things I try:
* stand closer in
* stand in the alley
* return deep directly at them (depth is the key).
I tend not to try returning any sharp angles cc or dtl, because he's already pulled you off the court, even if you get a solid racquet on it...
i just want to neutralize his attack, and give my chance to get in the point.
Just like a baseline shot into the corner, need to respect that he hit a good job, therefore your response is to neutralize (vs. go on offense).

Maybe, if he's pulled you sooo far off the court, that even neutralizing is low percentage (ie. he's coming ot net anticipating the in-the-middle-return, or he's still able to hit winners consistently off your deep return), maybe then I'd go for a dtl winner or sharp and short (side T) cc winner.

 

[Dartagnan64]

Hit a lob return deep to the middle to allow yourself time to recover. Deep middle solves most of your problems and limits his angles of attack.

 

[movdqa]

Go hard down the line with topspin if you can execute the shot. If he gets to it, then he can just block it back into the open court and that happens if you don't have enough pace on the ball.

If you hit it back to him, he can just block it into the open court, especially if you're hitting it with pace.

Hit a sharp, cross-court forehand - if you can do it with a lot of pace, it will likely be a winner. Aim for the intersection of the service line and the sideline.

If you have to hit a defensive shot, I think that high, slow and crosscourt is the way to go. Moderate slice if you need more time. This will set him up for a forehand but at least you have enough time to get into a decent position.

 

[Topspin Shot]

As other posters have said, just return the ball deep and back to the server. If you hit a quality return, he won't hit a winner off it.

 

[steve s]

Take that serve away from him. Stand in the doubles alley. Return deep up the center if you are forced wide off the court.

 

[BMC9670]

As other posters have said, just return the ball deep and back to the server. If you hit a quality return, he won't hit a winner off it.

Agree, and also try putting a little more height and spin on it if you can. This will give you more time to recover and if it's heavy enough, push him back a bit.

 

[movdqa]

The major problem with hitting it back to him is that he just needs to get the ball back into the open court - he doesn't have to hit with a lot of pace or spin because you're out of position. So he just has to get his racquet on the ball. If you hit the ball with a lot of pace, then the ball will just come back that much faster. If you're consistent in hitting it back to him, then he can just come in and volley the ball. He doesn't have to hit a great shot, just get it back into the open court.

Which is why I prefer to hit it away from the person.

I've been caught in this before hitting hard balls back to the server and watching him half-volley them into the open court. I've hit the high, slow balls back to the server, run back towards the middle and watch him hit a forehand topspin shot behind me as he has plenty of time to set up. These days I like to at least make him move to get to the ball and do something that gives me more time.

 

[robok9]

I feel your pain. I play against a club pro with a good serve and do a pretty good job returning his serves, but the other day I was playing doubles with some 3.5s that only have slice serves with zero pace, and I couldn't return them to save my life. Very embarrassing tbh

 

[LeeD]

Dude, if a guy can crush your CC forehand DTL for a winner every time, just tip your hat and shake his hand.
Nobody can do that consistently against a decent CC ROS. Not Fed, not DJ.
Just vary it with shorter, sharper angles, default deep CC near the alley, and you cover the least amount of court.
Most DTL returns against wide serves are losers.