Need Backhand Skid Slice Help

[doctorhl]

Being on the receiving end of a very effective one hand backhanded slice, I notice that often the opponent's ball will skid( I can even read the print sometimes!). The skid slice stays very low and the bounce timing is different. Previous threads have talked about the Rosewall drive and Federer knife. I know it takes a certain spin/speed ratio to get it to skid, but I am not sure if I need a steeper swing plane or will just have to get more velocity, even if the spin is acceptable. I have noticed, for many at the club level, that their footwork and/or stroke mechanics are usually not adequate enough to consistently use topspin as an offensive one handed backhand shot. Their normal slice shot does not skid and is not an offensive weapon. However, it seems that a club level player may find it easier to try and develop a backhand skid slice rather than topspin as an offensive weapon. Can anyone point to video that is zoomed in enough and slow enough to capture this skid? I can only get the ball to skid on 1 out of 4 tries, so I am at a crossroads on whether to stay with it as an offensive shot, or put more time on the topspin. Hip issues, in my case, seem to make it easier to maneuver for a skid slice, than maneuver for the topspin. Soft courts, while biting even better on the skid, require more effort to maneuver and avoid slicing high bouncing balls from the opponent.

[nytennisaddict]

Being on the receiving end of a very effective one hand backhanded slice, I notice that often the opponent's ball will skid( I can even read the print sometimes!). The skid slice stays very low and the bounce timing is different. Previous threads have talked about the Rosewall drive and Federer knife. I know it takes a certain spin/speed ratio to get it to skid, but I am not sure if I need a steeper swing plane or will just have to get more velocity, even if the spin is acceptable. I have noticed, for many at the club level, that their footwork and/or stroke mechanics are usually not adequate enough to consistently use topspin as an offensive one handed backhand shot. Their normal slice shot does not skid and is not an offensive weapon. However, it seems that a club level player may find it easier to try and develop a backhand skid slice rather than topspin as an offensive weapon. Can anyone point to video that is zoomed in enough and slow enough to capture this skid? I can only get the ball to skid on 1 out of 4 tries, so I am at a crossroads on whether to stay with it as an offensive shot, or put more time on the topspin. Hip issues, in my case, seem to make it easier to maneuver for a skid slice, than maneuver for the topspin. Soft courts, while biting even better on the skid, require more effort to maneuver and avoid slicing high bouncing balls from the opponent.

for me, it's easiest to hit a heavy skidding slice against a hard hit (but landing short) chest high topspin. because then i don't need to generate pace, and can focus on just imparting underspin.
when i'm both generating pace and skidding underspin, i start losing control because i need to put more energy into the shot.
regarding a skidding slice as an offensive weapon... i think it's a good tool to have in the arsenal, for specific situations... personally the slice, even the heavy skidding variety, is more of a setup shot until i can get a fh. while in match i can occasionally hit the heavy skidding variety... i think it's more an accident (ie i'm in perfect position)... since my mentallity is more about hitting a deep slice that stays low (even if it doesn't skid, it's "offensive" because (a) it's placed well (b) it stays low (eg. vs. a 2hbh) (c) forces opponent to supply pace (and takes away their rhythm), hopefully illiciting a middle of the court floater that i can then attack. to me, the very heavy skidding slice, is analagous to hitting a cc shot, that "misses" my target (eg 4-5ft from the lines), and ends up landing short and near/on the line.

if often do drills like "cc bh where 1 person only hits slice, and 1 person only drives topspin"... the smart topspinner will basically hit high heavy topspin (almost moonballs), making it really hard to slice consistently (and definitley impossible for me to get it to stay low and skid). even a slow moving moonball negates my ability to hit skidding slice - mainly because i'm not good at hitting slice on the rise (racquet path is "parallel" to the incoming ball path - making it harder to make clean contact consistently)... therefore i can't rely on just slice on bh.

you mentioned hip issues... IMO very offensive skidding slice requires the same amount of precise footwork that a topspin shot does... else it just becomes a "normal" neutralizing variety of slice.

anywho, my $.02.

[johnyandell]

Dr
I would chime in if I could see some good video.

[doctorhl]

I’ll try with local pro to see if I can capture it.