When should I use slice or backspin on my backhand?

Question: When should I use slice or backspin on my backhand?

Answer: Slice has come to used as a synonym for backspin, but it originally meant sidespin, which it still does on the serve. On backhands, most sidespin slices are hit with considerable backspin as well, so we can treat them similarly here, and we'll call them both slice.

Slice makes the ball float farther in the air, so it's not a good choice when you want to hit hard and clear the net generously. That floating effect can help you get more depth when you can't hit as hard, though, such as when you're a little late on your stroke, and this makes it a good defensive spin. Slice also makes low shots skid lower on the bounce, which enhances approach shots, and it makes short shots bounce shorter, which enhances drop shots.

You can hit slice with a one-handed backhand on a ball at any height you can reach. Slice is much easier to hit than topspin on balls below the knees or above the top of the belly.

While it's possible to hit a two-handed slice, it's too awkward for all but a few players. The one-hander is the stronger option for slicing at any height, and especially so on low, wide, or very high balls.

Index of 12 Backhand Questions