Need a shrink

[Shroud]

Awesome! I needed some positive news after the double tragedy of Monday morning (my time). I might have missed it, so my apologies in advance if this is a repeat, but dare I ask what your new blade is? So far we have the weight only; what about grip size, string type and tension, and balance?

Yeah man I was bummed too.

Its the blade 99 team. Strung it up with kev/ max power rough at 86/66 and its great! Like the control of the smaller head.

I think you will appreciate post #6:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/bought-a-new-stick.646942/

 

[Digital Atheist]

Yeah man I was bummed too.

Its the blade 99 team. Strung it up with kev/ max power rough at 86/66 and its great! Like the control of the smaller head.

I think you will appreciate post #6:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/bought-a-new-stick.646942/

Thanks. Well I suffered a double blow almost at the same time, losing the cricket world cup on a boundary count-back.

 

[heninfan99]

This was more that I was just missing all the topspin shots on the fh.

Agree about getting better. See this practice session:

Nice disguise!

 

[sureshs]

Shroud is too big to be shrunk

 

[ChaelAZ]

Shroud is too big to be shrunk

Did you just reference shrinkage?

 

[Shroud]

Shroud is too big to be shrunk

Yo thats some big league projecting! Maybe the White house is calling? You got my vote bro.

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

But there was a guy who played at my club who was a 'slicing specialist'. The only guy I've even seen who could do it, but he learned how to completely take advantage of club players with loopy top spin shots. He would step into the ball and basically hit down with a lot of pace so the ball would just skid about 2 feet from the baseline. He destroyed everyone because no one had ever seen anything like it.

The only way to beat him was to hit hard and deep, or fight fire with fire and slice everything back. This was at the 4.0 level btw. Prob wouldn't work so well at 4.5. But slicing can be an effective technique if you just want to win and don't care about hitting the ball correctly.

?????????

Slice is incorrect?

Sounds like it was the right strategy for Shroud today!!

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

When you find a good shrink ... ask for a ttw group discount.

I am here for you guys.

 

[Bobs tennis]

Won 6-2 today by basically slicing everything even forehands and coming in when I had the chance.

I should be happy but it feels bad. Like if I keep doing that I wont improve.

Sure I wont be getting to 4.5 probably ever but do you guys know what I mean?

Can't speak to your shot choice but I do know if I don't feel that I played within my ability the winning doesn't mean anything to me. I'm told my slice is very good but if ,after playing ,I feel I didn't come over the ball enough then i'm not happy because I feel I need that to improve

 

[travlerajm]

Once you embrace the dark side and realize that slicing is your destiny, your head will become clearer.

 

[Shroud]

I realized that slicing returns for doubles all the time is not exactly the best....and that there are lobs.

 

[TennisCJC]

Annacone and McEnroe both hit a lot of slice off both sides. I had a teammate years ago that played very solid 4.0 and he sliced 99%. If you go in a lot it helps

 

[BounceHitBounceHit]

Once you embrace the dark side and realize that slicing is your destiny, your head will become clearer.

And change to a Pure Aero. This thing feels like straight up cheating

 

[TennisCJC]

I realized that slicing returns for doubles all the time is not exactly the best....and that there are lobs.

I think your statement is generally accepted here on TT but not sure if it is true. Again, I sat courtside and watched McEnroe completely frustrate the Argentine team in Davis Cup doubles with his return and he hit a touch of underspin on almost every return. But, you could have taken a tennis handle towel and put it above the net to form a rectangle above the wide cross court area and almost every one of McEnroe's returns would go through that rectangle target. The accuracy was uncanny and he hit them just crisp enough that they couldn't be poached but soft enough that they dropped low forcing the returner to volley up.

To me, a very good slice or a very good topspin return are both effective in singles or doubles. It is more about the quality of the shot vs the type of spin. If you have a firm slice, I don't see any problem hitting that shot through the 4.5 level and into the 5.0 level as a return in doubles.

 

[ByeByePoly]

I think your statement is generally accepted here on TT but not sure if it is true. Again, I sat courtside and watched McEnroe completely frustrate the Argentine team in Davis Cup doubles with his return and he hit a touch of underspin on almost every return. But, you could have taken a tennis handle towel and put it above the net to form a rectangle above the wide cross court area and almost every one of McEnroe's returns would go through that rectangle target. The accuracy was uncanny and he hit them just crisp enough that they couldn't be poached but soft enough that they dropped low forcing the returner to volley up.

To me, a very good slice or a very good topspin return are both effective in singles or doubles. It is more about the quality of the shot vs the type of spin. If you have a firm slice, I don't see any problem hitting that shot through the 4.5 level and into the 5.0 level as a return in doubles.

Our best #1 4.5 USTA doubles player that ever played on our team played ad court and hit almost exclusively 1hbh slice cc. When we would go to sectionals... he hardly ever lost and beat some very good doubles teams. By sectional ... #1 doubles were really playing at 5.0 level. I keep hearing about this “can’t slice in rec doubles” myth ... I would investigate the inaccurate slice rather than the tactic. If your slice is getting poached ... that is on you.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Slice in rec doubles is the best return, I'm not joking, unless your topspin is 90% accurate and reliable. Those with good slices like me, I can return any serve low and crosscourt at 4.5. 5.0 I have no idea.

I think one of the best drills for doubles is this...Points are only rewarded if your return and subsequent taking of the net result in a winner OR if your serve and volley result in a winner, no points are given for winner returns or winner serves. Yeah, I know, some outliers that have bomb serves should use that weapon. Anyway, it's a good way to teach you to use the serve and use the return as a tool to create a situation where your team has the opportunity to hit a shot at an advantage. A serve or return winner is probably a 20-30% chance of happening. But, a good setup serve or setup return can happen 80% of the time and then the next time your team hits the ball you are in a position to win 70% or so of the points. So, do that over and over, and you win your matches.

In singles, I warmup with some deep slices to the opponent, if they seem surprised or uncomfortable with my lefty slice spin crowding their open stance forehand by driving into the throat of the racket, I'll use it a ton in singles and it works. Especially against the teenagers these days, I'm not sure they've ever seen a slice, literally.

 

[Shroud]

I think your statement is generally accepted here on TT but not sure if it is true. Again, I sat courtside and watched McEnroe completely frustrate the Argentine team in Davis Cup doubles with his return and he hit a touch of underspin on almost every return. But, you could have taken a tennis handle towel and put it above the net to form a rectangle above the wide cross court area and almost every one of McEnroe's returns would go through that rectangle target. The accuracy was uncanny and he hit them just crisp enough that they couldn't be poached but soft enough that they dropped low forcing the returner to volley up.

To me, a very good slice or a very good topspin return are both effective in singles or doubles. It is more about the quality of the shot vs the type of spin. If you have a firm slice, I don't see any problem hitting that shot through the 4.5 level and into the 5.0 level as a return in doubles.

FWIW its more a comment on slice vs my normal return. Sure I had a usta match years ago where I played add and only hit slices. After the match the other team commented on how great my slice was. I replied that was great but we lost...

The net man is hard to keep honest when only slicing and while the guys we play rarely poach, they are more likely to do so when I slice. Sure angled slices in the service box are tough, I aint no mac. And well they are easier to lob back than my drives. FWIW my bh drive return is a weapon and well my slice not so much...

 

[ByeByePoly]

FWIW its more a comment on slice vs my normal return. Sure I had a usta match years ago where I played add and only hit slices. After the match the other team commented on how great my slice was. I replied that was great but we lost...

The net man is hard to keep honest when only slicing and while the guys we play rarely poach, they are more likely to do so when I slice. Sure angled slices in the service box are tough, I aint no mac. And well they are easier to lob back than my drives. FWIW my bh drive return is a weapon and well my slice not so much...

Slice requires fine motor skills that is not possible with a 5 1/4" grip.

 

[TnsGuru]

Sliced returns can be useful in doubles as long as the placement is good. I play with a guy who hits a monster kick serve and everyone who plays against him tries to hit offensively from such a high position. For some reason he hates to kick high and away to my backhand because I will take that high kick and chip it firmly down into the opposing service box and he pops it up almost everytime when he S/V's and then I can drive volley or lob volley if he creeps in too close. Even if he doesn't S/V the short low return is still awkward for any player for that matter.

I guess the other players he hits with have two handers and they don't have the feel for chipping from a high contact point down into the court. He often gives me a look of disgust when I hit this because it is never meant to be hit as a winner, only to set up a popped up return that I can handle with ease rather than get a firm powerful volley from above the net which he excels at. I just don't give him what he wants and that is very satisfying.

 

[Shroud]

Slice requires fine motor skills that is not possible with a 5 1/4" grip.

sure man whatever

 

[Shroud]

Slice requires fine motor skills that is not possible with a 5 1/4" grip.

totally agree. Just think of how much better things would be with a pencil grip:

 

[ByeByePoly]

totally agree. Just think of how much better things would be with a pencil grip:

Cool ... Beauty and the Beast.

You need to WD40 that ball spitter thingy.

 

[Shroud]

Cool ... Beauty and the Beast.

You need to WD40 that ball spitter thingy.

If I can't here that creaky thing, how the heck can I lazily get in position to phone things in?

 

[StringSnapper]

Won 6-2 today by basically slicing everything even forehands and coming in when I had the chance.

I should be happy but it feels bad. Like if I keep doing that I wont improve.

Sure I wont be getting to 4.5 probably ever but do you guys know what I mean?

Imo...

if your goal is to win, do what works

Otherwise do whatever you want