Slice grip

[misterg]

What grip are you using on your backhand slice? The continental grip is supposed to be the correct grip but I hit my best slice's with the eastern forehand grip ! (sic). What's your experience?

 

[aptennis91]

I hit mine with the continental.
I tried to hit with eastern because some pros especially federer hits with it and i have an eastern grip on my fh so it would be pretty beneficial..
My experience is that it floats too much because it is too open.

 

[Solat]

different strokes for different folks, the conti slice will be more penetrating with less effort but it wont skid through as much, EF slice BH you can really take a good cut at and they have more bite.

I use the latter as a method to keep myself in the point and to approach with, i have a topspin backhand for court penetration.

 

[darthpwner]

Continental puts the racket face at a relatively square position at contact

 

[wyutani]

of course continental....boris becket though is known for using the SW. weird. i know.

 

[PimpMyGame]

I feel my most effective b/h slices are with my f/h grip, semi western. Just seems I can get right under the ball, cut at it, and drive forward through the stroke better. I do use continental at times, which is what I use for a normal topspin b/h but it's not as consistent.

 

[Nellie]

eastern forehand (?!) grip for slice? Your contact point must be way back for the ball not to pop up in the air.

I use an eastern backhand grip with a more level swing path to get more pace on the slice, unless I am trying to hit more touch.

 

[LeeD]

Yeah, EFH for a backhand defensive slice with lots of spin, slow pace, low margin over the net, wierd skidded bounce. You've seen vids of Haas, and Fed's return on high wide backhands...those more conti side of EFH. You've seen Roddick and even Nadal using it for variety and keeping the ball low so the opponent doesn't groove into the higher bouncing normal topspin backhands.
Just gotta stay IN the shot, don't lean back, don't be tentative, full stroke and confident it will clear the net by 2' and go well deep, slow down drastically on the bounce, go sideways a little, and the deadball effect can cause many mishits from your opponent.
Conti grip slices are pretty normal, so most players can counter it easily.
EBH slices have more pace, but still sorta normal.
I haven't seen too many SWBH gripped slices lately, but some good ones were TomBrown and sometimes Roswall would go there on higher backhands. Those moved pretty fast and really skidded hard and offset.

 

[tennisdad65]

Australian grip for my slices and everything else, besides serve.