Totally true. I've played against high level club players that hit with a predominantly slice backhand. After hitting a hard crosscourt forehand, that takes me past the sideline, then a low bouncing slice to the other corner, is deadly. You find yourself hitting on the run, and hitting upwards, just to get it past the net, and then you see the other player putting it away at the net, or maneuvering to put it away with their forehand. Just one more shot I would add that must be learned with the slice backhand technique. Of course, the dropshot. Mixing those deep, low bouncing slices, with deadly short dropshots, there is a whole lot of hurt that you can inflict on your opponent. Great video.
Love to hear that. I have a pretty natural slice backhand and have indeed used it to beat people. My previous coach told me to forget about topspin and focus on my slice. But then my last coach put a lot of emphasis on topspin, and I’ve been really struggling with it. I can hit some good ones, but I don’t feel so confident with it. Trying to mix them up sounds like a great idea, but making that decision and changing grip in the middle of a rally is quite a distraction for a player at my age and level.
Even as someone with a double hander, I find myself hitting mostly slice on the backhand side during a match. I notice the same thing with my opponents. I think instinctively we realise it's a higher percentage shot.
Dan Evans did win ATP500 DC Open title by slicing. He hit less than 30 backhands in that tournament mostly for passing shots lol. It can work in singles but in doubles not so much
Yes. totally agree with that. Everybody needs a slice for low balls. They should learn a slice first, before they start with a topsin backhand. What tension and string do you use for that Dunlop CX 200?
At 65 I tore my rotator cuff possible due to my efforts to learn a top spin backhand.after surgery Im learning the two handed backhand. Much more comfortable.
Are there rackets that favor slice vs topspin? With a Babolat Pure Drive I felt like I had a fair balance of ability with slice and topspin. But with a Head Extreme Graphene I feel like my slice goes harder and I have trouble controlling my topspin.
I have a 2HBH but I slice a lot. I even block/slice many returns back with a 1H. The slice is just a relatively easy shot compared to trying to setup a BH drive. A good slice is effective for rallying, passing shots, approaching the net, and annoying your opponent. Yet it's a safer play in many situations, and the most important part of tennis is not making unforced errors.
The only negative is the predictability. I am currently playing someone with only a slice. Every time the ball went to his BH, I knew it's going to be a slice and prepared for it even before he hit. People would even go mostly to your BH because they know the worst is they get a low ball, and they're prepared for that. Even Steffi Graf developed a top spin BH when she needed to pass an opponent at the net.
@VintageSecure You actually can, but your slice has to be at 5.0 level. Not too many below 5.0 level can consistently hit a slice that cuts through like a knife. I've been at the receiving end of a few, but if my opponents could only hit 3 great slices out of 10, he's not dominating or even winning.
I always felt that if Graf had developed a good double-handed topspin backhand, like Serena Williams, she'd have won at least 6-7 more majors and easily be the GOAT. She was as at least as strong as Williams but much quicker and a better athlete.
And what will you do, if you receive a high floating shot falling vertically out of the skies onto your service line and it is impossible to run around to do a forehand drive? Good luck if you want to speed up that ball incoming high with no pace at all with a slice. You may look for a reasonable placement but there is no way to juice this ball doing a slice.
@@PeterFreemantennis I was on the court for a training hour with my coach even 6 hours before (Germany) and we both discussed the topic, since I developed a quite good slice the last half year. Former time I simply played topspin backhands exclusively, but as I passed my 60 th birthday already some years ago, I am no longer quick enough to get back fast enough to outrun an agressive shot (deep or high or both) to do a topspin backhand skillfully. So it was a must to went back to the 1970ies and remind myself in performing a solid slice. I play Tennis since I was 12 years old. And my coach is one of the highest ranked in Germany, who himself was a professional in the 1980ies and played Petr Korda (the father of Sebastian Korda) then and today is hired by the DTB (German Tennis Association) to coach young German talents mostly overseas in their entrance to Future or Challenger tournaments. He said like you in the video, that a great slice is a sharp weapon. And therefore praised my progress in executing a solid backhand slice nowadays. But we both agreed that the slice has limitation espiacially in 3 situations: A paceless floater well inside the court (bounce around the service line) which is impossible to run around - maybe after you played a forehand longline to the opponents backhand which he even saved but send to your backhand. Second: Your opponent just lays the ball more or less paceless midrange in depth to your backhand, closes in to the net and is able to cut off longline and cross gaps. So you must accelerate hard "through" the man, since there is no free space to place the ball. Don't try to slice that ball. And third: If you play doubles and have to return from the adside. If the server does make a slow and short serve wide to your backhand (maybe even underhand serve) and the netplayer is large and quick you cannot pass him left or right with a slice, because you can't accelerate enough to break his reaction time. Situation is more at the amateur level - I know. All these three situations are very uncomfortable for a "slice only" player. A slice is great for rallying, for drop shots, maybe lobs, for control, for placement, for pace change and so on. Even to perform a very hard shot it can be used from the baseline if you hit the the ball upcoming from the ground. On carpet you create a bombshell this way. But to do a fast shot as an answer to a very slow incoming shot especially fom the midfield - it is a nightmare! I am a NTRP 3.5 or 4.0 due to US regulations and play team tournaments reguarly in the highes league of my State (like highest league of Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Wisconsin or whatever in the US) and I play usually 3- 5 hours a week plus tournaments in the weekend. My experience is for playing on either carpet (indoors) or clay (outdoors). On grass or hardcourt there maybe other conditions where my advice doesn't suite well. Don't call me silly please. Or argue why. Greetings from Germany.
oh no Steffi had a good (hard to say great when she hit so few) topspin bh but she and her coach chose to haver her hit lots of slice because it is effective and because she could do it. Tbh, her slice had very low clearance over the net so it was actually a high risk shot - high risk and effective. People always talked about her bh being attacked. The truth is if a great shot was hit to her fh, she would miss that fh too. That said, at the 4.5 and below level, those who try to hit their bh like graf bomb but those who try to hit a simple, safe bh as a percentage shot do well.
Sorry i disagree you need to have every backhand shot to compete at a high level. Topspin is very important to get the short angles. You have lots of weaknesses in your game with that strategy.😂
Sorry disagree i think if someone developed a great slice backhand they would dominate all the way up to a 4.5 level and that is who these videos are for... I wish Djokovic was tuning in to my channel for tennis advice but he is not
@VintageSecure, I agree in modern tennis and on rec level slices aren't near good enough to rely on. First on rec level most slices are defensive slices they slow the ball down. Since Steffi the woman's games has changed so much the power level way higher all over. The one hander in woman's tennis nearly extinct, or on its way there. Also how are the labs on the backhand side working out, I wonder....😂
@@christianthompson1473well first of all remember before Barty left she was dominating the women with her slice Backhand... So the slice absolutely can still work on the pro tour. But as I keep on stating this video is not for professional tennis players. It isn't even for players like Winston who has his own Tennis channel and plays recreational tennis. This video is for players between a 3.0 and low 4.5 level who feel insecure about not coming over the ball in matches. And I'm merely trying to point out that they can still win a ton of matches without a topspin backhand. I am not discouraging people from hitting a topspin backhand. I'm letting the players know that can't hit a topspin backhand right now that they can still win a lot of tennis matches. All these comments are cracking me up. Are you watching the full video or are you just reacting to the thumbnail
Old discussion standing from the steffi graff times. No you dont need a topspin back.... if and that is a very big if you have mastered the offensive slice as well as the defensive slice. If you are just wacking a at your backhand side this isn't meant as an excuse to not learn a proper backhand. I see myself as a coach who wants to give his students a full bag of tools to choose from, to their personal preferences to choose to use what they feel good with in a match. This approach is steering a student in your personal direction in a way i wouldn't.
That's my point if you watch and listen to the entire video. I say a one-handed awesome back and it's great. But I'm also letting recreational players know that get out there and matches and are upset that they don't hit topspin that they don't have to feel insecure about hitting slice back hands. If they're slice back in is there natural strength just like Stephanie's slice back and was her natural strength. Then play your strength you can still do great. I never said not to develop a one hand topsin Backhand
Depends what level you are competing at.....No way a legit 5.0 player can win with just a slice......good luck hitting passing shots...unless you are Ken Rosewall
Click-bait title! A topspin ground-stroke is absolutely essential in tennis - it is required alongside other options such as a lob, drop-shot or under-spin ground-stroke - however, bearing in mind that 95% of shots played in professional matches are topspin ground-strokes, don't be taken in by misleading titles as the one presenting the above video. Steffi Graff played her forehand relatively late compared to many other professional players - her technique is not a good one to copy. Her father let her keep that style and didn't correct it as she was winning matches as a junior and it is unlikely that she would have overcome her habit of hitting late. She was not confident playing a topspin backhand and felt more comfortable playing with under-spin. She had other strengths that enabled her to defeat her opponents during the 1980s - she had a strong serve and was very athletic.
Look, Steffi was an amazing player, but her game would not hold up against today's players, so yes, go ahead and model your backhand after hers if you want to play like it's 25-30 years ago, lol
I am not sure I agree with you…but let’s say you are right…I am sure her slice would hold up fine against anyone u play against..and that is the point of the video…the good news is we don’t have to play against Sabalenka or Alcaraz
Totally true. I've played against high level club players that hit with a predominantly slice backhand. After hitting a hard crosscourt forehand, that takes me past the sideline, then a low bouncing slice to the other corner, is deadly. You find yourself hitting on the run, and hitting upwards, just to get it past the net, and then you see the other player putting it away at the net, or maneuvering to put it away with their forehand.
Just one more shot I would add that must be learned with the slice backhand technique. Of course, the dropshot. Mixing those deep, low bouncing slices, with deadly short dropshots, there is a whole lot of hurt that you can inflict on your opponent.
Great video.
Thank you for the great post
Good lesson Pete
Yup, totally agree with this, sensible tennis wins.
Encouraging instruction. B2 is a Star! I like how you involve B2 in some of your videos!
B2 loves being in the videos
Love to hear that. I have a pretty natural slice backhand and have indeed used it to beat people. My previous coach told me to forget about topspin and focus on my slice.
But then my last coach put a lot of emphasis on topspin, and I’ve been really struggling with it. I can hit some good ones, but I don’t feel so confident with it.
Trying to mix them up sounds like a great idea, but making that decision and changing grip in the middle of a rally is quite a distraction for a player at my age and level.
yes hope that makes you feel more confident
Thanks
coach , can you make a video showing us the slice patterns scenarios that would force my opponent to hit back in my forehand ...I am right handed ..
Even as someone with a double hander, I find myself hitting mostly slice on the backhand side during a match. I notice the same thing with my opponents. I think instinctively we realise it's a higher percentage shot.
Dan Evans did win ATP500 DC Open title by slicing. He hit less than 30 backhands in that tournament mostly for passing shots lol. It can work in singles but in doubles not so much
Yes. totally agree with that. Everybody needs a slice for low balls. They should learn a slice first, before they start with a topsin backhand. What tension and string do you use for that Dunlop CX 200?
thanks I use a poly string
At 65 I tore my rotator cuff possible due to my efforts to learn a top spin backhand.after surgery Im learning the two handed backhand. Much more comfortable.
Are there rackets that favor slice vs topspin? With a Babolat Pure Drive I felt like I had a fair balance of ability with slice and topspin. But with a Head Extreme Graphene I feel like my slice goes harder and I have trouble controlling my topspin.
good question...I know strings probably make the bigger difference over rackets...
I have a 2HBH but I slice a lot. I even block/slice many returns back with a 1H. The slice is just a relatively easy shot compared to trying to setup a BH drive. A good slice is effective for rallying, passing shots, approaching the net, and annoying your opponent. Yet it's a safer play in many situations, and the most important part of tennis is not making unforced errors.
great stuff thanks for your comment
The only negative is the predictability. I am currently playing someone with only a slice. Every time the ball went to his BH, I knew it's going to be a slice and prepared for it even before he hit. People would even go mostly to your BH because they know the worst is they get a low ball, and they're prepared for that. Even Steffi Graf developed a top spin BH when she needed to pass an opponent at the net.
He really said you would dominate 4.5s with slice only. No idea what he is talking about lol.
@VintageSecure You actually can, but your slice has to be at 5.0 level. Not too many below 5.0 level can consistently hit a slice that cuts through like a knife. I've been at the receiving end of a few, but if my opponents could only hit 3 great slices out of 10, he's not dominating or even winning.
B2 - Great commercial break!
Staff Graf, the Queen of slice backhand.
yes people don't talk about her enough I think
I always felt that if Graf had developed a good double-handed topspin backhand, like Serena Williams, she'd have won at least 6-7 more majors and easily be the GOAT. She was as at least as strong as Williams but much quicker and a better athlete.
maybe but look at how Barty was dominating because of her slice...the woman were not used to it
And what will you do, if you receive a high floating shot falling vertically out of the skies onto your service line and it is impossible to run around to do a forehand drive? Good luck if you want to speed up that ball incoming high with no pace at all with a slice. You may look for a reasonable placement but there is no way to juice this ball doing a slice.
What are you even talking about this is a silly comment
@@PeterFreemantennis I was on the court for a training hour with my coach even 6 hours before (Germany) and we both discussed the topic, since I developed a quite good slice the last half year. Former time I simply played topspin backhands exclusively, but as I passed my 60 th birthday already some years ago, I am no longer quick enough to get back fast enough to outrun an agressive shot (deep or high or both) to do a topspin backhand skillfully. So it was a must to went back to the 1970ies and remind myself in performing a solid slice. I play Tennis since I was 12 years old. And my coach is one of the highest ranked in Germany, who himself was a professional in the 1980ies and played Petr Korda (the father of Sebastian Korda) then and today is hired by the DTB (German Tennis Association) to coach young German talents mostly overseas in their entrance to Future or Challenger tournaments.
He said like you in the video, that a great slice is a sharp weapon. And therefore praised my progress in executing a solid backhand slice nowadays.
But we both agreed that the slice has limitation espiacially in 3 situations:
A paceless floater well inside the court (bounce around the service line) which is impossible to run around - maybe after you played a forehand longline to the opponents backhand which he even saved but send to your backhand.
Second: Your opponent just lays the ball more or less paceless midrange in depth to your backhand, closes in to the net and is able to cut off longline and cross gaps. So you must accelerate hard "through" the man, since there is no free space to place the ball. Don't try to slice that ball.
And third: If you play doubles and have to return from the adside. If the server does make a slow and short serve wide to your backhand (maybe even underhand serve) and the netplayer is large and quick you cannot pass him left or right with a slice, because you can't accelerate enough to break his reaction time. Situation is more at the amateur level - I know.
All these three situations are very uncomfortable for a "slice only" player.
A slice is great for rallying, for drop shots, maybe lobs, for control, for placement, for pace change and so on. Even to perform a very hard shot it can be used from the baseline if you hit the the ball upcoming from the ground. On carpet you create a bombshell this way.
But to do a fast shot as an answer to a very slow incoming shot especially fom the midfield - it is a nightmare!
I am a NTRP 3.5 or 4.0 due to US regulations and play team tournaments reguarly in the highes league of my State (like highest league of Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Wisconsin or whatever in the US) and I play usually 3- 5 hours a week plus tournaments in the weekend. My experience is for playing on either carpet (indoors) or clay (outdoors). On grass or hardcourt there maybe other conditions where my advice doesn't suite well.
Don't call me silly please. Or argue why. Greetings from Germany.
Great comment
"a high floating shot falling vertically that is impossible to run around" How the fuck?? 😂😂😂
He's right. You can't slice everything
oh no Steffi had a good (hard to say great when she hit so few) topspin bh but she and her coach chose to haver her hit lots of slice because it is effective and because she could do it. Tbh, her slice had very low clearance over the net so it was actually a high risk shot - high risk and effective. People always talked about her bh being attacked. The truth is if a great shot was hit to her fh, she would miss that fh too. That said, at the 4.5 and below level, those who try to hit their bh like graf bomb but those who try to hit a simple, safe bh as a percentage shot do well.
few weeks ago on youtube I saw a 5.0 player who just slices everything on BH. Don't even know if he has a one-hander or 2 hander haha.
Yes I love the people who say you can't play 50 tennis with a slice back in. I guess they never saw feliciano Lopez play or Ash Barty
Sorry i disagree you need to have every backhand shot to compete at a high level. Topspin is very important to get the short angles.
You have lots of weaknesses in your game with that strategy.😂
Sorry disagree i think if someone developed a great slice backhand they would dominate all the way up to a 4.5 level and that is who these videos are for... I wish Djokovic was tuning in to my channel for tennis advice but he is not
@@PeterFreemantennis how exactly would they dominate an opponent who has a good backhand slice and a good backhand topspin?
@VintageSecure, I agree in modern tennis and on rec level slices aren't near good enough to rely on. First on rec level most slices are defensive slices they slow the ball down. Since Steffi the woman's games has changed so much the power level way higher all over. The one hander in woman's tennis nearly extinct, or on its way there. Also how are the labs on the backhand side working out, I wonder....😂
@@christianthompson1473well first of all remember before Barty left she was dominating the women with her slice Backhand... So the slice absolutely can still work on the pro tour. But as I keep on stating this video is not for professional tennis players. It isn't even for players like Winston who has his own Tennis channel and plays recreational tennis. This video is for players between a 3.0 and low 4.5 level who feel insecure about not coming over the ball in matches. And I'm merely trying to point out that they can still win a ton of matches without a topspin backhand. I am not discouraging people from hitting a topspin backhand. I'm letting the players know that can't hit a topspin backhand right now that they can still win a lot of tennis matches. All these comments are cracking me up. Are you watching the full video or are you just reacting to the thumbnail
@@PeterFreemantennisok cool. So whats next, high balls and push shots? 😯🤣
Old discussion standing from the steffi graff times. No you dont need a topspin back.... if and that is a very big if you have mastered the offensive slice as well as the defensive slice. If you are just wacking a at your backhand side this isn't meant as an excuse to not learn a proper backhand. I see myself as a coach who wants to give his students a full bag of tools to choose from, to their personal preferences to choose to use what they feel good with in a match. This approach is steering a student in your personal direction in a way i wouldn't.
Steffi had a great topspin backhand FYI. She just didn't use it in a match
That's my point if you watch and listen to the entire video. I say a one-handed awesome back and it's great. But I'm also letting recreational players know that get out there and matches and are upset that they don't hit topspin that they don't have to feel insecure about hitting slice back hands. If they're slice back in is there natural strength just like Stephanie's slice back and was her natural strength. Then play your strength you can still do great. I never said not to develop a one hand topsin Backhand
Depends what level you are competing at.....No way a legit 5.0 player can win with just a slice......good luck hitting passing shots...unless you are Ken Rosewall
Would feliciano Lopez or Ash Barty be allowed to play in your 5.0 League?
@@PeterFreemantennis Are they 5.0 players?...Nope
This video hurts
Haha why do you say that
Click-bait title!
A topspin ground-stroke is absolutely essential in tennis - it is required alongside other options such as a lob, drop-shot or under-spin ground-stroke - however, bearing in mind that 95% of shots played in professional matches are topspin ground-strokes, don't be taken in by misleading titles as the one presenting the above video.
Steffi Graff played her forehand relatively late compared to many other professional players - her technique is not a good one to copy. Her father let her keep that style and didn't correct it as she was winning matches as a junior and it is unlikely that she would have overcome her habit of hitting late.
She was not confident playing a topspin backhand and felt more comfortable playing with under-spin. She had other strengths that enabled her to defeat her opponents during the 1980s - she had a strong serve and was very athletic.
Makes for scrappy desperate tennis. 😶
Did Steffi Graf play desperate Scrappy tennis
@@PeterFreemantennis its a fearful shot and it kills rallies. Useful in its place but a weakness as the sole backhand option
Don't forget Ashley Barty 😊
Exactly the woman did not know what to do with that
Ridiculous
Look, Steffi was an amazing player, but her game would not hold up against today's players, so yes, go ahead and model your backhand after hers if you want to play like it's 25-30 years ago, lol
I am not sure I agree with you…but let’s say you are right…I am sure her slice would hold up fine against anyone u play against..and that is the point of the video…the good news is we don’t have to play against Sabalenka or Alcaraz
@@PeterFreemantennis Haha, that's a fair point