one hander backhand slice help

[chrisab508]

How do you hit the backhand slice that federer hits a lot and that Roddick has begun to incorporate into his game? Every time i try one of 2 things happens: 1. i hit a low flat one hander, 2. i hit a high backspin shot that generally lands near the end of the service box. Maybe im doin it right in number 2 because i can't see the height on the pros slices from TV, but i dno.

Thanks

Chris.

 

[sanitarium]

My backhand slice works really well so I figure I can help you out a bit.

First of all make sure you're using a eastern - continental grip for your slice, eastern is almost too far (I use continental)

What you do is angle your string bed so it's almost pointing up to the sky, use a full unit turn and bring your racquet behind your shoulder.

Now as it comes in front of you, you slice into the ball with the angled racquet and drag the ball across the strings, you'll feel the difference and the longer its on the stringbed/faster you swing the more spin you'll get (due to the more cut.)

My slices clear the net in window 1 always, thats roughly below 2 feet, thats a good target. If you're inside the baseline you can let it clear much lower i.e a few inches above the cord. These are great shots because the slice makes it kick in strange directions sometimes, depending how you hit the ball and it stays very low.

If you're behind the baseline and stretching for a shot where you can't use a twohand backhand and use a slice to defend, this is where you want the height. A high slice, i.e window 2 will allow you the time to get back into position and recover, it will also be a good change because is a slower ball, meaning you're varying the pace, along with buying some time to get back into the point.

Just watch out for people who are approaching when you hit it, really try to keep the slice down then, there's not much easier to volley then a high slice coming at you shoulder level when you're at the net

 

[Rickson]

This is the first time I've seen someone asking how to slice a backhand. Almost everyone's 1hbh is a natural slice anyway, just tilt the racquet to a continental grip because if you leave the racquet in eastern, you'll get too much slice and pop the ball up.

 

[chrisab508]

well, im not exactly asking how to slice because i can already do it, just how to make it better, or if im doin somethin wrong because it doens't seem to be working the way it should. Thanks for the help anyways.

 

[JohnThomas1]

First of all do you percieve the Federer roddick slice as different to other players? If so how, or is it just a really good slice backhand you are asking about?

 

[Rickson]

well, im not exactly asking how to slice because i can already do it, just how to make it better, or if im doin somethin wrong because it doens't seem to be working the way it should. Thanks for the help anyways.

In that case, use the continental or even a backhand grip. You'll most likely get a slice out of these grips, but an extreme backhand grip leads to topspin or a flat backhand, which most of us long to hit anyway. If you're accidentally hitting a flat backhand, why don't you keep hitting that way and just tilt the racquet slightly less for the slice you desire. I'd rather have a hard flat backhand than my usual slice any day.

 

[JohnThomas1]

Sorry Chris i didn't read properly. One of the big things on the slice backhand is using the shoulders correctly. Are you letting your shoulders open too much thru the shot? Thru impact they should pretty much be closed and roughly pointing to where you want the ball to go.