Slice: Avoid Kung Fu

Slicing the ball can be great for approach shots, defensive shots, or a change in pace in a rally. Slice can be great for a lot of reasons but lets make sure you have a “license” for it first. A lot of people when they slice try to put way too much action or movement on the ball. While you might have a boat load of spin on the ball because of your exuberant Kung Fu Panda motion, this can actually backfire. Let’s go through a list of priorities first about the slice and then if your ninja skills still want to reveal themselves well….we will see.

The 1st priority of a slice is to locate it. I don’t care how much spin or junk you put on the ball, if you hang a slice up in the middle of the court nothing else will matter afterward. Locating a slice deep in the court or away from your opponent is key.

The 2nd priority is to keep the ball low. Just by keeping the ball low you are making your opponent work to lift the ball up. If you and/or your partner are at the net when your opponent is hitting one of your low shots you might have an opportunity to put the point away. Have you ever heard the expression in doubles “when it’s low you go”?

The 3rd priority is ball movement. After you are able to locate and keep your slice low then you can emphasize the amount of spin. Just remember the backspin you put on ball is going to be extra credit for your low/located shot because the rotation of the ball on a slice is going to keep the ball down where as topspin is the opposite.

Slice Checklist:
1. Locate
2. Low
3. Ball Movement