| The slice backhand has gotten a bad rap over the | | | | 'strike zone' for this shot. |
| years. | | | | How: 'Shake Hands' with the racket. The 'V' formed by |
| While some past pro players have used it as the | | | | your thumb and index finger should be bisected by an |
| foundation when hitting a shot from their backhand | | | | imaginary line that runs up the edge of your tennis |
| wing (Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova; the two greatest | | | | racket. |
| females to ever touch a racket), a lot of tennis players | | | | Consequences if you don't do this: If you choose to |
| today think of it as a shot they only hit when they | | | | use, say, an Eastern Backhand grip, what will happen is |
| have to - and even then, they don't like doing it much. | | | | that you will be forced to hit the ball further out in front |
| Others see it as a shot for beginners who don't 'know' | | | | of your body than necessary, causing a loss of power |
| how to hit topspin yet. | | | | and accuracy. |
| Still others (like myself) relate it's value in direct | | | | Key #2 |
| correlation to what it can help a player accomplish on | | | | What you need to do: Get turned just before you take |
| the tennis court - in other words, results | | | | your last step into the ball to hit it. |
| First off, we need to understand why we hit the slice | | | | When: As you take you last step toward the tennis |
| back hand in the first place. This may get 'tedious', but | | | | ball to hit your shot. |
| stick with me here because the payoff will be worth it. | | | | Why: Getting your body turned allows you to use your |
| As a side note, whenever learning something new in | | | | torso and legs to 'power through' the shot as you |
| this game, always ask yourself two things: | | | | swing. Your arm and racket are merely extensions of |
| 1. Why am I learning to do this? | | | | your body and the swing itself. |
| 2. What's the benefit of doing so? | | | | How: As you are preparing to hit the shot, 'show your |
| 3. How do I do it? | | | | back' to your opponent on that last step before you hit |
| Answering these questions will get your tennis game | | | | the ball. Your opponent should be able to see the back |
| where you want it to be. | | | | of your shirt. |
| Onward. | | | | Consequences if you don't do this: You will not be able |
| Here is an incomplete but logical list of reasons we use | | | | to use the torque from your legs and torso to power |
| the slice backhand, and some of the benefits in having | | | | the ball; instead, you will have to use your arm, again |
| this weapon in your bag: | | | | resulting in a weak shot with poor accuracy. |
| Reason #1: Often times you hit the slice backhand | | | | Key #3 |
| when an opponent has hit a low, short ball to your | | | | What you need to do: Lock your wrist. |
| backhand, which prevents you from hitting a topspin | | | | When: As soon as you take the racket back. |
| shot. | | | | Why: This allows you to have a uniform motion |
| Benefit: Hitting the slice backhand allows you to hit a | | | | throughout your swing. |
| controlled shot back to our opponent if they have | | | | How: Simple; just lock your wrist so that your racket |
| pulled you wide with their low, short ball. | | | | and forearm form a 90 degree angle when you take |
| Benefit: A slice allows you the opportunity to hit an | | | | the racket back. |
| approach shot deep, controlled, and off-pace, which | | | | Consequences if you don't do this: You will have a |
| gives you time to get to the net and be prepared for | | | | strong tendency to 'flick' at the ball with your wrist, |
| your opponent's lob or passing shot attempts. | | | | which usually results in one of two things; either a slice |
| Reason #2: The slice backhand is hit when an | | | | shot with a ton of spin but no power, or a ball that flies |
| opponent pulls you wide to your backhand side during | | | | long with no spin. |
| a baseline rally. | | | | Key#4 |
| Benefit: Hitting a deep, cross-court slice in this situation | | | | What you need to do: Keep your elbow 'tucked' and |
| allows you to remain in the point and keep your | | | | SLIGHTLY bent. |
| opponent away from the net. | | | | When: During and at the peak of your backswing, and |
| Reason #3: A slice backhand is often used to keep a | | | | as you hit the shot. |
| point going while waiting for your opponent to make a | | | | Why: Keeping your elbow 'tucked' allows you to 'load' |
| mistake. | | | | for the shot. This puts the racket in the proper position |
| Benefit: In this situation, your opponent may grow | | | | during your back swing and allows the racket head to |
| impatient and/or lazy. Rallying from the baseline and | | | | speed up during the 'unloading' process, giving you the |
| hitting slice backhands deep into your opponent's court | | | | power and accuracy you desire. |
| can cause your opponent to get lazy and hit you a | | | | How: Use your left hand to cradle the throat of the |
| short ball, which you can then attack. It may also | | | | racket and pull the racket face behind your head |
| cause your opponent to get impatient, leading to your | | | | during your back swing. This will automatically 'tuck' |
| opponent attempting a risky shot to 'get the point over | | | | your elbow for you. AFTER you strike the ball, the |
| with', which statistically leads to a higher percentage of | | | | elbow will release naturally. Don't force it, just let it |
| unforced errors (doom on them!). | | | | happen. |
| Reason #4: A slice backhand is used when returning | | | | Consequences of not doing this: Again, loss of power |
| serves that are hit wide to your backhand, for the | | | | and accuracy due to leading with the elbow. (Starting |
| same reason and with the same benefit listed above | | | | to see how this all works together?) |
| in reason #2. | | | | Key #5 |
| Reason #5: A slice backhand is used to 'chip and | | | | What you need to do: Make contact with the tennis |
| charge' at your opponent's well-placed, but slow serve. | | | | ball as it approaches a spot just in front of your |
| Benefit: The benefit here is tow-fold. First, you are | | | | forward foot, with your weight on your forward foot |
| hitting an offensive shot in the situation, which allows | | | | and your right shoulder above and in line with your right |
| you to get to the net and win the point with a well | | | | hip |
| placed slice 'chip' shot. Second, this tactic wears on | | | | When: As your strike the ball. |
| your opponent mentally. Your opponent is supposed to | | | | Why: This keeps you balanced as your step forward |
| be using their serve as a weapon against you, but you | | | | to hit the ball, and allows the potential (stored) energy in |
| are basically saying "I don't respect your serve, so I'm | | | | your body to be release as kinetic (released) energy |
| going to attack it." This put tremendous pressure on | | | | to the ball in as efficient a manner as possible. |
| your opponent, because holding serve is the name of | | | | How: Time your shot so that your forward swing |
| the game in tennis, period. | | | | starts once your forward foot is planted after stepping |
| Okay, so now that we've looked at SOME of the | | | | into the shot. This brings your right shoulder in line with |
| reasons we use the slice, and SOME of the (really | | | | your right hip, keeps your momentum moving forward |
| cool) benefits of doing so, let's turn the spotlight on | | | | and allows you to hit 'through' the ball. |
| how to best hit the slice. | | | | Consequences of not doing this: You will not have the |
| In order to hit the slice effectively, we must understand | | | | forward momentum you need to hit through the ball, |
| exactly what a slice backhand does. Basically, it is a | | | | and will lose power and accuracy (there's a theme |
| one handed backhand that approaches the ball from a | | | | here...) |
| high-to-low bias, putting backspin on the tennis ball. This | | | | Key#6 |
| creates a 'lift force' that is generated by the backspin | | | | What you need to do: Visualize trying to stroke |
| on the tennis ball as it is traveling through the air. This | | | | through the far outside (left edge) of the tennis ball. |
| lift force is caused by a difference in pressure | | | | When: As your prepare your forward swing, and |
| between the top and bottom of the ball. | | | | during your stroke. |
| The difference in pressure on the tennis ball is relative | | | | Why: This is the secret little nugget that allows you to |
| to the ratio of spin (RPM's, or how many turns the ball | | | | hit deep, powerful and accurate backhand slice shots, |
| makes per minute) and forward velocity of the tennis | | | | because you are approaching the ball from a |
| ball. (Bernoulli - dead physics guy - figured this one out.) | | | | shallower angle (from the outside). Doing this 'stabilizes' |
| This is called the Magnus Effect, and the force that | | | | the relationship between the backspin you are putting |
| keeps the slice in the air longer than a flat shot (which | | | | on the ball and the forward motion of the ball itself. In |
| is why a slice backhand seems to 'float' on the air) is | | | | other words, it gives you a more reliable shot. (If you |
| called the Magnus Force. | | | | ever wondered how Steffi Graf was able to hit such |
| Okay, enough with the physics. Just understand that a | | | | ferocious, yet controlled slice backhands - this is how |
| slice: | | | | she did it). This little nugget will take you far. |
| 1. Is hit with a swing that moves high-to-low, which | | | | How: Make an effort to hit the far outside edge of the |
| creates backspin. | | | | ball as you stroke. |
| 2. This causes the ball to 'stay up' in the air longer than | | | | Consequences of not doing this: You will struggle far |
| a flat or topspin shot, because the air underneath the | | | | longer than you need to in order to get the 'feel' of a |
| ball is pushing up on it. | | | | powerful, consistent slice backhand. |
| Now that we know exactly what a slice backhand is, | | | | Key #7 (We're almost done!) |
| we can come up with a plan to hit one effectively. | | | | What you need to do: Keep your head still during the |
| What do I mean by effectively? Hitting an effective | | | | shot and focus on the ball. |
| slice backhand involves hitting the tennis ball in such a | | | | When: Once your forward swing starts. |
| way that it moves forward with backspin to your | | | | Why: Consistency. |
| desired target at the desired speed. | | | | How: Keep your eye on the ball, and on the 'contact |
| Here's where things really start to get...simple? Yup. | | | | point' in space where the strings made contact with |
| Simple. I didn't say easy. For example, if you want to | | | | the ball. |
| lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you | | | | Consequences of not doing this: Your shots will not be |
| consume. Simple (but not always easy!) So it is with | | | | consistent, because you are looking away or following |
| your tennis game. A great secret to success on the | | | | the ball with your eyes immediately after the shot. |
| tennis court is making it a habit to do what you don't | | | | Your brain needs a consistent 'reference point' to |
| want to do in order to get what it is that you want - | | | | focus on so that it can train your body to allow the |
| and I know you wouldn't have it any other way. | | | | movement (your slice backhand stroke) to become |
| Here are the keys you need to focus on to start | | | | 'conditioned', i.e. to allow your body to be trained to hit |
| getting the slice backhand of your dreams. | | | | the shot the same way every time. Quit 'chasing' the |
| Key #1 | | | | ball with your eyes right after you hit it!!! Just keep your |
| What you need to do: You need to use a Continental | | | | head still until your follow-through is complete. |
| grip. End of story. Period. | | | | Trust me, your eyes will find the ball soon enough for |
| When: As soon as it becomes apparent to you that | | | | you to prepare for you opponent's incoming shot. |
| you are going to hit a slice backhand, | | | | Shoot me your comments below and get out on the |
| Why: Using a Continental grip will force you to get into | | | | courts!!! |
| position to hit the tennis ball in your 'wheelhouse' or | | | | |