BUMP!!
I am utterly delighted with this newfangled service return.
Last night, I played doubles and returned from the deuce court. One opponent was a strong 4.0. She hit a hard flat serve and liked to follow it into the net. If she got a mid-court return, she smoked it hard and flat up the middle or for a sharp angle.
After having seen her hard serve in warm-up, I decided to try my newfangled slice service return. I stood just in front of the baseline. When she tossed, I ran forward to just behind the service line. I then sliced crosscourt and stood there at the service line.
OMG, it was awesome! The ball was back on her before she could move in. She started trying to ace me out wide but kept missing. If she S&V, she had to generate her own pace for a low approach volley. Because her groundstrokes were flat, she missed into the net or long. I varied the depth -- not because I know how to vary the depth but because I don't have much control -- so one return was a perfect drop shot.
I had two BH shanks -- that went down the deuce alley with so much junk spin that the net player missed the volley.
I missed *one* return of her serve all night -- one that floated long. Normally, I would have missed a bunch of returns trying to hit deep returns or would have had to stand so far back that she would have beaten me to net.
Ladies, ya gotta learn how to hit this return. It's total gold!