The game of Tennis is really turning into a paced up and powerful game, yet the slice shot has secured its position as the smartest choice to change the pace of the game. Monica Niculesca stood out In US Open 2014 because she used slice forehand every now and then instead of the more common topspin forehand. Also Federer’s one of the favourite shots is the ‘approach slice shot’, when he is really getting hard on the ball, he sets-up and performs the slice forehand. This article is going to unveil the easiest way to execute a slice forehand.
When to use the Slice Forehand?
1. Quite often players don’t get enough time to set-up and prepare for a great topspin shot, in such situations the best option is to execute an accurate approach shot. For this purpose slice forehand is the shot that must be played.
2. Also when the ball is either too high or too low it is difficult to take a topspin shot, the better choice in such cases is again to go for a Slice forehand.
3. A slice forehand shot is called an approach shot because you lay a strategy in such type of shot. The low bounce of the slice shot does not allow your opponent to take a topspin shot.
4. Due to techniques, this shot slows down the ball which disturbs the opponent and his timing, hence gives you an advantage. So when you intend to put your opponent off-balance use this shot.
How to hit a good slice forehand?
1. At the onset just forget about slicing and swinging the ball, just get the feel by trying a few volleys.
2. You have to use the continental grip and just block the ball by using volley shots. Continental grip gives you a good racquet support. Eastern or semi-western grip can also be used only if you find it easier and lighter than the continental grip while executing the shot.
3. Once you get comfortable with the volley shots, go back a little and volley the ball off the bounce.
4. It is a placement shot, you never have to make a rigorous movement with you racquet head. It is nothing more than a volley off the bounce, you can easily learn it.
5. A largely extended back swing is never supposed to be made in a slice shot. Go easy on the ball, slice it up really nice to change the pace of the ball and your opponent.
This shot can be used to deceive your opponent. How? Set-up for topspin power shot and then simply push the racquet a little deeper and transform it into a drop shot. Your opponent will believe that you are going to hit a powerful shot but in reality he will receive a slower drop ball, this will put him off-balance and will affect his timing. What more advantage can you ask for to win some cool points? Not all techniques in Tennis are difficult to learn but definitely all techniques are important to learn. This ‘not so much in fashion’ slice forehand is still the best approach shot.
You certainly want to save yourself from hitting the ball at random positions on difficult balls in a crucial game. Slice forehand is a saviour shot that can make you sail through calmly in a stormy game or can help you in laying a trap for your opponent, either way it’s a must learn shot.