Master the Tennis Slice
The slice is the most versatile and underrated shot in the game. Hit low and skidding, it stays below your opponent's strike zone, forcing awkward, rising balls at an uncomfortable height. Defensively, a deep slice buys you time to recover position. Offensively, a sharp slice pulls opponents wide or sets up a drop shot that wins outright. At the net, the slice volley and stop volley are essential finishing tools. Every complete player — from club level to Grand Slam champion — relies on a dependable slice as part of their game.
Key Fundamentals
Continental Grip
The slice is hit with a Continental grip — the same grip you use for serves and volleys. The flat, slightly open racquet face at contact is what imparts backspin on the ball. A semi-western or eastern grip makes it nearly impossible to get the right angle.
High-to-Low Swing Path
Unlike topspin groundstrokes, the slice swings from high to low through the ball. The racquet should start above the ball and drive downward and forward through contact, imparting backspin that causes the ball to skid low and stay below your opponent's strike zone after the bounce.
Contact Point
Strike the ball in front of your body and slightly to the side. At contact, the racquet face should be slightly open — tilted back toward the sky — enough to create backspin but not so open that the ball floats high. A slightly open face at a firm contact point is the target.
Drive Through the Ball
The slice is not a chop. Many players stab at the ball, producing a high, weak floater that their opponent attacks. Instead, drive forward through contact with a long, low follow-through that stays parallel to the ground. Depth comes from forward drive, not downward force.
Use It With Purpose
The slice is most effective as a change of pace, height, and spin from your previous shot. Deploy it when you're on the run and need time, when approaching the net, when setting up a drop shot, or when your opponent is struggling with low balls. Used randomly, it's predictable; used strategically, it's a weapon.
Top Video Tutorials
Curated from the best tennis coaches on YouTube.
Perfect Backhand Slice in 3 Steps
A clean, efficient breakdown of the three core elements of a reliable slice — ideal for players building the shot from scratch.
How to Slice Like Federer in 3 Steps
Breaks down what makes Federer's slice so effective — depth, disguise, and the subtle grip and swing path details that set it apart.
Transform Your Slice in 5 Minutes
Addresses the most common slice problem — the floating ball — and explains exactly which adjustments fix it quickly.
How to Hit Incredible Slice Backhands
A technical deep-dive into what separates an average slice from a genuinely threatening, low-skidding weapon.
Common Mistakes
Slices that land too short
A slice that lands in the middle of the court at mid-height is an invitation for your opponent to attack. Aim deep — past the service line — and low. Depth turns a defensive shot into a neutral one; short turns it into a gift.
Chopping instead of slicing
A stabbing, downward chop creates a high-bouncing floater rather than a low skidder. The difference is the follow-through — a chop stops at contact, a slice drives forward through the ball. Extend your arm toward the net after contact.
Wrong grip
Using a semi-western or eastern grip on the slice forces an awkward, closed racquet face at contact. You'll either hit the ball into the net or produce a weak, loopy ball. The Continental grip is not optional here — switch to it before anything else.
See your spin in action
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