Take Your Tennis Game to the NEXT LEVEL with These Two Shots

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

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[@doosrajawad]

Years ago I watched a video from you analyzing Ash Barty's slice. Since then I have done a lot of damage with that shot. My favorite combo is to keep slicing crosscourt till I get an easy ball that I can slice down the line.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, I love that one too! Especially if you have an opponent with extreme forehand grip

[@johndunn3492]

I love the slicebackhand. The key is not to open up your rocket face and have it float. You have to knife it low. Many players find it incredibly annoying. For some reason, I also find it easier to take the ball on the rise and redirect it with a slice as compared to my top spin, one-handed backhand.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I agree on the being annoying part :-) I know that a lot of players found my style of play annoying. :-)

[@ql3670]

The MEP player wins a lot of matches by slicing. :)

[@docimir]

Brilliant tips Meike. Effective. Well explained too.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Glad you found it useful!

[@zeroelus]

Love this content, as someone who struggled for long with the serve and that, while mostly better now, still has some issues from time to time and for me THESE TIPS ARE VITAL. And I remember hearing a concerning amount of YT coaches insist on varying the placement of the toss, which struck me as something bad at anything other than a very basic level, happy you make sense for me on that. Also have been working a lot on my slince bh, and what you and my real life coach mention line up so nicely.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I love to hear that! Glad I can help.

[@albertcamus5970]

Cool video. I want to be a skilled player so I try to hit all the shots - even forehand slice on occasion. This might boost some players levels. But some low intermediate men hit nothing but slice backhands. 😂 As far as slice serve goes when I started hitting with continental all my serves were slice. I have some trouble flattening it out. Variety helps but IMHO the most important thing is having good biomechanics so you can generate solid pace and still play smooth.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, good biomechanics is essential for all shots.

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

It's not a matter of figuring out just how much of a slice I shall deliver --- it is a matter of getting it over the net and in.

[@carlbook2051]

I'm with you. I've gone back to flat serving just to get it in.

[@lowellwalters]

Great tips, as usual! I, respectfully, disagree with the 12:30 toss goal on the slice. You and many others cite it as important as disguise the slice, but I'd say that disg uise like that is probably only helpful at the 5.0+ level. I play with 4.0 and maybe a 4.5 player. They all k ow I hit slice serves. If I hit it well, they struggle; if I don't, they tee off. So I try to toss it at 1/1:30 to make it easier to hit well. Also, I find that when I try to toss at 12:30, it will sometimes drift to 12:15/12, and if I swing at too many of those, my shoulder starts to hurt. So 1/1:30 is safer and just as effective.. I also like the adv products. Good grips and great wristbands! They have bamboo wristbands that are just as absorbent as the double thick, double length terry-type from the major brands, but they are 1/2 the size

[@Viralwebus]

That's the best tip !

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I'm glad you like it!

[@t2dev]

🎾 Federer, Sampras, Edberg(!), Agassi and Justine Henin had beautiful backhands that neutralized lefty slices. The rest of us mortals hate those slice and kick to the backhand.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Haha, yes, I agree

[@shaunacole1]

Nice video.

[@triduytran]

Meike - try putting on the overgrip with the "fat" end first. Be open minded and do it a few times. You'll be amazed how much easier it is to put on a grip with a nice tapered end, at the end of the process!

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I will give it a try!

[@carolinedavidson2250]

Great video! Thanks! Tips for slice if player is used to a 2-handed backhand? Slice with 2 hands or use one handed just for slice? I am learning to slice now and having more success with my forehand so far. On a normal drive or topspin shot, I am much more comfortable with my backhand normally, but my backhand slice is rather ugly. Lowly 3.0 over here. Any wisdom much appreciated!

[@jusacoach]

Hitting slice off with the 2hbh takes time to learn. I use it to put additional pressure my opponent. One hand backhand slice allows for more range especially when the shot is out of reach.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I'd say stick with the one handed slice backhand. In the long run you'll have more success.

[@eclecticmakerspace]

Continued great content Meike! I'm absolutely loving my Titan ball machine and ADV overwrap. Your channel has definitely accelerated my "return to the game!"

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

That’s awesome! I love hearing that

[@aammssaamm]

Thank you. Video you mentioned at the end is missing.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

I just checked, I did put it up there now.

[@aammssaamm]

True, thanks, but it’s missing from mobile view on ipad.

[@Dasato123]

I completely agree with everything you said. Unfortunately the successful implementation of both strokes requires the use of the Continental Grip. For a 2HBH player (majority of players) the Continental grip is a critical grip for every tennis stroke except the topspin forehand ground stroke. Yet it is the least likely grip to be used by those 3.5 NTRP and below. This is why 3.5 and lower is the largest segment of league ranked players. Basically a 3.5 ceiling/barrier exists because of how low the usage rate of the Continental grip is at this level. Yes there are a some 4.0 non Continental grip players out there.. Most of these players have 4.5 potential but will never get there because they’re wasting heaps of athleticism just to overcome technical deficits stemming from using improper grips. I know this is nothing new to any Coach. All KZbin coach’s should have at least one “Continental Rant” video in which they don’t hold back and complain about how shortsighted (dumb) it is to be using a Semiwestern /Eastern forehand grip for everything except it’s intended use, a forehand ground stroke. 😂

[@spooky1304]

I use a mild Eastern to serve and I've aced county players.

[@darunia484]

Is backhand slice useful for doubles?

[@albertcamus5970]

It easy to hit angles with slice - so I think its useful to punish dink serves. Also block return is a kinda flatish slice.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, you can also use it to keep the ball really low and "dump" it in front of an attacking player so they have to lift it.

[@MKMD11]

Do you have video on pounding these flat low-intermediate serves?

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, try this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3zdaJt9bManZ9E

[@davelee6002]

Doesnt the righty slice serve come back to the right, because its lateral spin direction is actually the same as with a kick serve? I think its more about its mid flight curve where it tails away from your opponent before it bounces.

[@laurastone6578]

@7:53 In both serving pics, your left hand is down by your side and your head is down. I thought your tossing arm should be mostly still up and your head should be up at contact? 🤔

[@Buddy-C7]

What is the advantage of using karioka footwork on slice? Thanks

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

You stay side-on a little longer

[@王米-s8x]

讚👍！

[@alexandermayer2026]

The reason that players use a forehand grip and have a flat serve is the incompetence of the coaching community. 80% of the kids in clinics are allowed to serve with a forehand grip. When I pick up a kid who has had lessons and has a forehand grip, I advise him to have the mother get all the money back from the former pro. Shame on idiot coaches. The first continental grip serve to teach is the topspin serve. The slice serve is a ticket to doom as your level increases. The slice serve moves to the forehand of a righty returner which invites attacking returns. 70% of the woman pros cannot hit a topspin serve and give opponents a clean shot at a forehand in the pocket. It is the single biggest failing of women’s tennis vs men’s tennis. You absolutely do cut a slice serve, the issue being how much cut. If a played is gifted at larger amounts of side movement from the cut, they can give fits to their opponent. Since more than half the women pros cannot hit even a decent slice, how do you call it a weapon? The most important spin on both groundstrokes is hook spin. Hook both causes the the ball to drop while hitting in the target line and enables the advancing player to learn to create more real estate on the court by creating angle. Slice serves and slice backhands are what 3.0 players have, and it is at that level where they shall stay.

[@spooky1304]

No. I've got a serve with varying degrees of slice and my coach - once lost 4 and 4 to a slam winner - can't attack my first serve. And I'm talking about someone with elite hand skills.

[@alexandermayer2026]

@ if your first serve is attackable you couldn’t stand on the court with a slam winner. Lots of first serves can have a slice shape; the power and placement are the first serve issues. Obviously, it is the second serve that matters more. If a righty cant can only right slice serves, they almost assuredly can have it run around and attacked by a right forehand. That is the major flaw in most pro women’s games compared to men. If you can’t keep your second serve to the backhand of a righty, you are severely limited. Mentioning a score against former tour player, presumably a practice match, doesn’t mean anything. You might have been broken six times.

[@spooky1304]

@@alexandermayer2026 'The slice serve is a ticket to doom as your level increases. ' Thats what you said. Its incorrect. As I told you my coach can't attack my first serve - my coach has elite skills and plays national seniors. I'm right handed.

[@alexandermayer2026]

@ my two Grand Slam doubles titles, Wimbledon singles semi-finals, 12 ATP singles titles, 24 doubles titles, 13 years on tour, Wimbledon senior doubles title, and US Open senior singles and doubles titles, with wins from Laver to Edberg, give me enough experience to have seen the effect of a SECOND serve that slices to have a viable opinion. Who your unnamed coach is and the practice loss you had don’t really amount to much. Do you know how many of mg students I encourage by not killing them in practice? Your entire evidence is based on a practice match with a coach you are paying.

[@spooky1304]

@@alexandermayer2026 Or I could just have a really decent first serve..? Whats so hard to believe about that..? I stand with my feet pretty much parallel to the baseline with my chest pointing away from the court at about 45 degrees so I get loads of rotation. I also hit it relatively low so it stays very low. If you don't believe me thats up to you.