Steve Johnson slice backhand

[Tennis_monster21]

I'm watching the Murray/Johnson match in rio right now and Steve Johnson has not come over a single backhand all match. He has been slicing every single one. It's a good slice, but why doesn't he come over backhands? Or is it just this match? I haven't watched a whole lot of Stevie J... But I didn't expect him to chip every backhand...

 

[TheMaestro1990]

Maybe he believes he is the second incarnation of Fernando Gonzalez.

 

[Ace of Aces]

He has one of the best slice backhands on tour and probably the 2nd worst topspin backhand next to Karlovic.

 

[MegacedU]

It seems to be pretty effective. Pretty sure there's no booming two-hander requirement to be on tour.

On an unrelated note, Stevie is sexy as all get out.

 

[Shaolin]

I'm watching the Murray/Johnson match in rio right now and Steve Johnson has not come over a single backhand all match. He has been slicing every single one. It's a good slice, but why doesn't he come over backhands? Or is it just this match? I haven't watched a whole lot of Stevie J... But I didn't expect him to chip every backhand...

Better question is why the hell don't players come to net against it. Yes I know he had that one handed miracle pass against Murray but lets see him make that every time. Players now are so afraid to come to net it's pathetic.

 

[TupeloDanger]

I don't know why the slice gets such a bad rap, here. A good slice is virtually unattackable. You're not going to blast a lot of winners with it, but nobody's going to blast a lot of winners off of it, either. And there aren't more than a handful of guys capable of really attacking off the BH wing, anyway.

More pros, and virtually every amateur, ought to slice a lot more. Dang near exclusively wouldn't be inappropriate.

 

[Tennis_monster21]

I didn't know his 2 hander was that bad. Has he ever tried a one hander? It does surprise me that players don't come to the net more on it...

 

[mightyrick]

I'm watching the Murray/Johnson match in rio right now and Steve Johnson has not come over a single backhand all match. He has been slicing every single one. It's a good slice, but why doesn't he come over backhands? Or is it just this match? I haven't watched a whole lot of Stevie J... But I didn't expect him to chip every backhand...

Johnson's slice backhand is far better (and more effective) than his driving backhand. And honestly, if a player can consistently keep the slice-backhand deep and low, it simply cannot be attacked. Plus, it buys a player all sorts of additional time to recover and get back into position. Murray has been employing this tactic for years now.

The big problem is that Johnson won't be able to hit passing shots off the backhand side if opponents come to net against him. And that is a HUGE disadvantage. He will (and has already) lose a lot of points if he faces opponents who are willing to hit approach shots to his backhand. Luckily for him, most of the tour is pretty bad at hitting approach shots (including most of the top-10), so he has gotten way with running around his backhand.

But he is no Jim Courier. He will plateau soon enough until he fixes that backhand.

 

[a10best]

You'd think he would have gotten better with it. He even slices back second serves defensively.

 

[EdMcMush]

I don't know why the slice gets such a bad rap, here. A good slice is virtually unattackable. You're not going to blast a lot of winners with it, but nobody's going to blast a lot of winners off of it, either. And there aren't more than a handful of guys capable of really attacking off the BH wing, anyway.

More pros, and virtually every amateur, ought to slice a lot more. Dang near exclusively wouldn't be inappropriate.

oh trust me, my worst shot by far is when someone slices to my forehand.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Maybe he believes he is the second incarnation of Fernando Gonzalez.

Are you sure you watched Gonzalez? he started slicing a lot with Stefanki as his coach but would still smash winners down the line. Watch the Australian Open 2010 for instance.
OP is right, Johnson yesterday was slicing 99% of his bakchands, by the way he hit a great flip passing shot in the final tie break (at 4-1 Murray). Estrella-Burgos is the only other player I know on the tour right now with such a strategy.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

oh trust me, my worst shot by far is when someone slices to my forehand.

Usually a sliced backhand works very well if hit on the opponent's backhand. On the forehand? Most pro players have no problem with it.

 

[EdMcMush]

Usually a sliced backhand works very well if hit on the opponent's backhand. On the forehand? Most pro players have no problem with it.

just speaking about my community college playing self, i am a weird case were my backhand is an over powering consitant shot but the forehand can get erratic

 

[Nostradamus]

I'm watching the Murray/Johnson match in rio right now and Steve Johnson has not come over a single backhand all match. He has been slicing every single one. It's a good slice, but why doesn't he come over backhands? Or is it just this match? I haven't watched a whole lot of Stevie J... But I didn't expect him to chip every backhand...

is it as good as Federer slice backhand ???????

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

just speaking about my community college playing self, i am a weird case were my backhand is an over powering consitant shot but the forehand can get erratic

Yeah indeed. I was quoting you but I guess my post is a reply to @mightyrick
can't be attacked? Most players with big forehands won't be bothered, maybe the tallest guys will be. Now I am actually curious to see how Muller or Lopez' cross court slices work against right-handed players. Will pay more attention next time I watch them.


edit: I could be wrong on the topic and @mightyrick right! Watching this now and Kyrgios doesnt really attack Lopez when this situation happens

I guess my standards of good forehands are too high (Nadal, Federer)

 

[mightyrick]

Yeah indeed. I was quoting you but I guess my post is a reply to @mightyrick
can't be attacked? Most players with big forehands won't be bothered, maybe the tallest guys will be. Now I am actually curious to see how Muller or Lopez' cross court slices work against right-handed players. Will pay more attention next time I watch them.


edit: I could be wrong on the topic and @mightyrick right! Watching this now and Kyrgios doesnt really attack Lopez when this situation happens

I guess my standards of good forehands are too high (Nadal, Federer)

We can agree to disagree, that's cool. But from what I have seen for years is that a good slice backhand can't be attacked. At best, it can be sliced back. They are very easy to overhit and a player almost always has to put the ball up in the air with loop and spin in order to get the ball back. It puts a player in a tough spot. Lopez' and Nadal's slice are particularly nasty. Because the right-handed player not only has to bend the knees deep, get low, and lift the ball up with spin... they have to deal with a ball that moves in the opposite direction they are accustomed to.

Attacking a low, deep slice is a low percentage shot. A player should look to simply get an equally neutral ball back to the opponent so they don't lose the momentum of the rally. That's why you see so many slice-fests sometimes. It's a game of cat and mouse to see who blinks first and tries to overcook the ball.

 

[Santiagomac]

Ramesh krishnan