Slice only backhand

[jz000]

I'm trying to stick with 3 shots: topspin serve, forehand, and backhand slice (volley and overheads when finishing the point).

During games, people always go for my backhand. I have a decent slice, except when the ball has heavy topspin and bounces high to my backhand. I try to use a more eastern backhand to chop it flat in a downward angle. It's hard to place it to their backhand from that height with good pace on it...

Even if I perfected this stroke, would I ever be able to beat a person with a powerful forehand that always attacks my backhand that I always slice, or would I have to develop a topspin backhand to mix it up? This is considering that my forehand remains an average stroke.

I've watches Steffi Graff videos, but women players don't hit with as much topspin as the guys, so I guess her slices are more effective.

 

[RetroSpin]

Feliciano Lopez seems to do ok using mainly slice.

 

[dimkin]

i hate slicers

 

[user92626]

What level are you? Under 4.0, BH slice is perfectly OK, even great if you're 3.0.

4.0+ are able to tee off slice shot.

 

[dgold44]

IT can work well as long as you hit it low, with pace and some depth.
Slice backhand is much harder to time than a 2 hander when the opponent is hitting hard.

 

[dgold44]

Slice backhand requires more coordination, I mean.

 

[jz000]

Yeah, it's easy to slice a penetrating shot off of a low ball. It's the high one's that are more difficult. Even if the ball lands deep, it just becomes a sitter for them to tee off of.

I played against a 4.0 last night (he's actually in the 3.5 USTA same as me), and he would just tee off my slices all day 80% success rate.
Only my low penetrating slices gave him trouble. He has a semi western grip.

I would get him to deuce a lot, but his go-to shot would be a high bouncing forehand to my backhand to wiggle out of trouble.

Maybe I just need to step in more, instead of moving horizontally?

 

[dgold44]

You need to set the racket high and extend your elbow and arm fully out!!!!
Set high means to set the start high. Racket starts almost fully vertical.
Djoker sets racket head tip to his head level but Murray actually brings the racket head tip above his head !!
Federer does an old school way of bringing the racket head behind his head. This gives you the most power but requires the most coordination. Fed is one of more attacking slice.
Just make sure you start vertically with racket and around head level or slightly below.
Extend the arm and elbow fully out.
The finish varies a huge deal depending on the person and shot.

 

[jz000]

Yeah, when I'm relaxed, I do it Fed's way, and let the racquet head accelerate towards the ball, almost no arm. The face is almost vertical at contact.
But in a match I feel like I'm using my shoulders too much and not enough acceleration.

The hard part is when the ball is still rising past my shoulder level (I'm 6'0). If I step forward, it's harder to time. If I back up a bit, I have to cover more distance

Thanks, I'll keep practicing it. Not enough attention given to my slice. I think I frustrate people during rallies, because they hate the change in pace lol. I'll focus on hitting deep AND penetrating to their backhand. So the ball doesn't just sit after it bounces, but keeps moving forwards.

 

[oble]

I've watches Steffi Graff videos, but women players don't hit with as much topspin as the guys, so I guess her slices are more effective.

I doubt your peers would hit with as much top spin as the pro guys either, nor as much pace as the flatter hitting pro women.
Less chopping and more forward swing for less sitter and more penetrating slice.

 

[jz000]

I doubt your peers would hit with as much top spin as the pro guys either, nor as much pace as the flatter hitting pro women.
Less chopping and more forward swing for less sitter and more penetrating slice.

Yeah thanks, I'll focus on it now. I've gotta be lacking something that could be fixed

 

[oble]

Yeah thanks, I'll focus on it now. I've gotta be lacking something that could be fixed

I also have the habit of chopping down too much some times and have to remind myself all the time to slice through more than slicing down.
I think slice only backhand should work for most intermediate levels, because there are many variations one can do with the slice backhand.

 

[dgold44]

Yes the face is close to vertical at contact.

You can start it like Djoker/Murray or the old way like Federer. Fed has more bite and power. Some pros also finish to their far right for added side spin. This is more advanced.
Do not start the slice with the racket lying flat and strings pointing to the sky- that is the wrong way!!!
Also do not start the racket vertical around shoulder level as you get very little downward motion. Racket must be raised.

 

[dgold44]

I saw this guy play last week and he started every slice with the racket fully flat and horizontal, yet he was still hitting it ok, imagine if he started it vertically.

 

[Knife]

Seems like you have a similar game to mine. I also slice my bh most of the time, but i have developed a topspin ohbh that I mix in when I get the ball comfortably in my striking zone, around waist high. Just to keep opponents uncertain and surprise them now and then.

 

[GuyClinch]

I think the answer is yes - but... it's harder.

A penetrating slice shot has a higher degree of difficulty then a topspin shot. Ian from essential tennis was talking about the three backhand shots - the defensive shot - the offensive shot - and the 'rally' ball. What was surprising to me anyway is that the offensive slice is in fact chopped down fairly hard - that's how it gets power and spin. You want to hit those blistering slice shots - you got to swing fast and put a ton of spin on the ball and still get decent pace..

Watch the blistering slice hit near the end of this video.. significant chop..with somewhat open face.. My bet is you could pick up a decent topspin backhand/forehand in less time then it would take to master just slice..

 

[Surion]

What level are you? Under 4.0, BH slice is perfectly OK, even great if you're 3.0.

4.0+ are able to tee off slice shot.

A good friend of me plays 95 % slice on his backhand and plays on the 5.5 level.
If your slice is really consistent, low, lots of bite...you cannot really do much with it as an opponent.

 

[Lance L]

Yeah thanks, I'll focus on it now. I've gotta be lacking something that could be fixed

One of the required skills to improve is the ability to take the ball on the rise, on both sides. That is why the deep shot to the backhand is so hard for us one handers. You have to practice and develop the ability to step into the deep ball and hit it off the bounce with confidence. Doesn't have to be hard, doesn't have to have topspin, but it needs to be solid.
And you can do this, but it is probably not going to be slice. At least flat. I'm getting better at it, and I will tell you it is work the effort, it is a great feeling to get rid of that weakness. Most opponents see my 1hbh and expect a weakness and are surprised when it isn't the weak shot they were expecting.

 

[Ciaron]

The more shots in your bag the better obviously. Look at how Lendl improved when he finally took the plunge and developed a top spin back hand.

 

[moonballs]

All slice gives you is that you don't need to prepare as early as the top spin shot. I am slicing more in defensive positions after my left knee had an injury. But you lose the pace and consistency of the top spin shot. I don't know if it happens to you, one of the guy's slice sometimes goes long when he is trying to be aggressive with the shot.

 

[donquijote]

If or when you can't (against incoming heavy balls) slice deep with pace, just slice it shorter to either side. It doesn't really matter much which way as long as you don't slice a soft ball into the middle of the court. Better choose the open side if you can. It should go like a drop shot but not exactly. Because the ball is short and low, it is not easy to attack it (provided it's not going right into middle). There is a guy who plays this style in my club and he beats big FH players and he won a tournament.

 

[user92626]

A good friend of me plays 95 % slice on his backhand and plays on the 5.5 level.
If your slice is really consistent, low, lots of bite...you cannot really do much with it as an opponent.

Wow he must be really good and an exception since low, biting, (deep) shot is much harder to produce than high percent topspin BH.

 

[jz000]

Wow he must be really good and an exception since low, biting, (deep) shot is much harder to produce than high percent topspin BH.

I played a slicer yesterday and went 6-3, 2-6. The ball lost bounce after the 1st set, and frustrated the hell out of me.
I realize now that I should always try to set up my shots for my forehand. Slice to slice is a 50% win rate. Or volley more.
He'd just either backhand slice or lob, but with little pace. His slice preparation is also very easy to read, but I didn't know what to do with it.
Next time I'll either stay back, or rush forward to volley.

All in all, playing against him brings out all the inconsistencies of trying to play all court, and shows me what I gotta work on.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

I'm trying to stick with 3 shots: topspin serve, forehand, and backhand slice (volley and overheads when finishing the point).

During games, people always go for my backhand. I have a decent slice, except when the ball has heavy topspin and bounces high to my backhand. I try to use a more eastern backhand to chop it flat in a downward angle. It's hard to place it to their backhand from that height with good pace on it...

Even if I perfected this stroke, would I ever be able to beat a person with a powerful forehand that always attacks my backhand that I always slice, or would I have to develop a topspin backhand to mix it up? This is considering that my forehand remains an average stroke.

I've watches Steffi Graff videos, but women players don't hit with as much topspin as the guys, so I guess her slices are more effective.

Love Steffi's bh-slice.
Unless you're 5.5+ (and if so why are you asking this question!), no way are your opponents hitting with the same pace/topspin that wta girls are hitting.
Just have to be as aggressive about attacking the contact point when hitting slice as you would hitting topspin... great thing about slice is that it works best using the incoming pace, with a short backswing.
I'd use it more, but I'm impatient and prefer making something happen vs. waiting (which happens more when I slice).

 

[jz000]

I think the answer is yes - but... it's harder.

A penetrating slice shot has a higher degree of difficulty then a topspin shot. Ian from essential tennis was talking about the three backhand shots - the defensive shot - the offensive shot - and the 'rally' ball. What was surprising to me anyway is that the offensive slice is in fact chopped down fairly hard - that's how it gets power and spin. You want to hit those blistering slice shots - you got to swing fast and put a ton of spin on the ball and still get decent pace..

Watch the blistering slice hit near the end of this video.. significant chop..with somewhat open face.. My bet is you could pick up a decent topspin backhand/forehand in less time then it would take to master just slice..

See this slice is easy to do, because there is pace coming at him. All you gotta do is slice down hard with a little forward motion.
The balls with no pace on it is difficult to slice as hard... So I guess I'll have to learn the topspin backhand for those shots, or run around to my forehand.

 

[Devil_dog]

I love hitting a sharp, low slice shot off the BH side. When done well, it's a thing of beauty. Problem is if done wrong, the ball floats a little too much and gives my opponents a real easy ball to smack back. There's no way for me just to rely on a slice shot. I mostly hit a 2HBH and it's my 'ole reliable shot which I can place with pace and depth. But throwing in a good low slicer is a great way to throw off your opponent's rhythm.

 

[dgold44]

Utterly amazing how hard the Pro women hit their groundies.
Utterly amazing!!!!

There serves very through with some being fast and others pretty soft