
The technique for the forehand and backhand slice shots is similar. It’s best to turn quickly and position the racket back so that you have more time to execute the shot properly. If you tend to wait until the ball gets closer to bring your racket back, it can throw your timing off. The racket head should also be higher than the oncoming ball. Be sure to position the head of the racket so that it is higher than the handle as you bring your racket back. Doing so will allow you to adjust to the ball by stepping forward rather than having to sidestep.Īs you do this, bring the racket back behind you. It’s important to turn as soon as possible. Turn Sideways Rotating Your Hips and ShouldersĪs you turn to the side, rotate your hips and shoulders so that they are pointing towards the net. This can work as long as you rotate your shoulders and hips to the side. However, on very wide shots where you don’t have enough time to set up, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to hit the ball with an open stance. This is usually faster than having to side-step to get to the ball. The advantage of the closed or neutral stance is that you will be able to run in a forward motion towards the ball to adjust if the shot is wide. If you use an open stance, pivot around your torso. If you use a traditional closed or neutral stance, pivot your upper body around your back foot. Once you know which side the ball is coming to, start to turn your body towards that side. Hold the throat of the racket with your non-hitting hand. In order to be in a position to react quickly, start in a ready position with your racket held in front of you, weight forward on the balls of your feet, knees slightly bent.
Slice it forward how to#
For more information on the continental grip as well as other grips, see the article on how to grip a tennis racket. As much as a 10 to 15-degree tilt can be enough to execute the shot as long as you swing high to low.Īdjust your grip with your non-hitting hand just before you initiate the shot. You don’t need a large amount of tilt of the racket to execute the shot, however, you do need to keep the racket face open a bit. This will open up the racket head to create that spin effect. The grip helps to naturally position the head of the racket at a slight upward angle as you perform the slice. The continental grip is ideal for slice shots on either the forehand or backhand side. Here are the 10 steps you need to follow to properly execute a slice shot, starting with the correct grip. Slice shots are generally easier to learn and execute than topspin shots, however, you want to make sure you learn the proper technique. In addition, the backspin on the ball will keep it from bouncing too much, making it more challenging for your opponent to hit a passing shot. By slicing the ball before approaching the net, you buy yourself more time. Slice shots are also ideal when used as an approach shot, particularly if it’s to the backhand side. It works well as a counter to heavy topspin baseliners. Slice shots can be performed either as a forehand slice shot or a backhand slice. While not used as often as a topspin shot, the slice shot can be a very effective tool in throwing off your opponent’s timing. The motion of swing on a slice shot is high-to-low with a follow-through back up. If hit with a lot of backspin, the ball will reverse towards the net or away from your opponent.

The ball spins backward as it travels through the air so that after bouncing, it stays low on the ground. In tennis, a slice shot is the opposite of a topspin shot. By slicing the ball from time to time you can throw off your opponent’s timing and make returning the ball more difficult. Slice shots can make life difficult on your opponent, in particular, if used intermittently with topspin. The slice shot is a technique used in tennis to create backspin on a ball.
