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The Main Uses of the Slice: To HandIe Shots that catch you out of Position Navigation   Browse Other Pages Homepage A Viewpoint on the Game How It Began A Viewpoint on the Game 2 A Viewpoint on the Game 3 Concentration; Practice Condition, Physical and Mental Keep Your Eye on the Ball Footwork and Weight Control Women's Tennis The Grips The Service The Drive The Chop and the Slice The Volley The Subtle Shots Courage Your Opponent's Weaknesses General Tactics Outside Conditions Pressure on Your Opponent Doubles and Mixed Doubles The Coaching Job Legendary Tennis Players Olympic Tennis Does Youth Rule Tennis Hall of Fame Amateurism to Open Tennis Some Defects in Tennis Doping Olympic Review Technology and Sport The Slice Service Flat Serve The American Twist The Drive The Backhand Drive Drive - The Main Uses The Volley Net Position The Volley Position The Overhead Smash The Half-Volley The Drop Shot The Mechanics of the Slice The Main Uses of a Slice The Grips Doubles and Mixed Doubles To Open the Court Doubles In Europe and US Legendary Tennis Players (1940's) Questions in Australian Tennis History of Australian Tennis History of Australian Tennis 2 History of Australian Tennis Players Women's Tennis in Australia Australian Tennis: Nature Ages of Tennis Players The Careers of Women Players In starting to move the wrong way for a shot, all players get caught on the wrong foot a reasonably large number of times each set. In the case of the player who attempts to drive, the result is usually an error because he has not time (1) to get his feet in position, (2) to get his racquet head down and back, (3) to get his body out of his way. This is where the chop comes into play, with its short, high backswing and use of the wrist in the curtailed swing. The slice or chop can be played, even if the feet are wrong and the body in the way of a full swing, simply by lifting the racquet head and flicking it with the wrist against the ball. It is purely defensive, almost a reflex action to save being hit by the ball at times, but it can and will get the racquet head against the ball more quickly than any other shot, and it will at least keep the ball in play. Since the grip used need not be changed from forehand to backhand, this defence is equally easy on either side. Players are often caught in "no-man's-land" inside the backline by a high-bounding shot that they must return at a shoulder-high level. A few can hit a forehand drive there, but practically none a backhand drive. Any drive at that level is awkward and uncertain. This is another case where the chop, by its very nature-high racquet head and general downward swing -is ideal to handle the situation. It is the only sound answer to high-bounding American twist or kick service on the backhand, which causes so many players trouble. To hit that high bound, be sure your body is sideways, your rear end away from the ball, and that you are not crowding it. Then lift your racquet head, lean into the ball, meeting it on the upper left surface, and chop down and through it, being sure to follow through to the end of your swing. 1. To vary pace on your opponent, mixing it in with a drive, and to take pace out of great speed and slow up the tempo of a point (defence). 2. To return great speed on service (defence). 3. To handle shots that catch you out of position, particularly shots that bound too high to drive (defence). 4. As an advancing shot behind which to go to the net (attack).  Next Page:  The Net Game: The Volley; The Overhead Smash