Federer backhand slice common threads with Haas, Wawrinka &Youzny.

[xstf]

Yeah the forehand slice is not a common shot among the pros, not a very "sexy" shot ! I once asked my good friend Ivan Lendl to help me contribute on a forehand slice video and he told me " Why do you want to do a video for a shot that does not exist" but i just might if i can capture enough footage! Thanks for watching Christophe.

[freddym223]

this is great stuff ! thankyou so much . i'm an old guy who's had to rely on the backhand slice for many years due to nerve damage to my right arm. i never took my racquet back far enough like roger and didn't get that cock in my arm .i also followed through straight out to the target contacting the ball almost vertical . swinging from left to right works way better like this . i notice henin hardin also hits like this .

[xstf]

@freddym223 Thank you for your nice words. I am glad the video was able to help your backhand slice. Keep watching.

[freddym223]

@xstf i'm wrong . justine doesn't get that angle in her right arm to get that release . i wish you would do a lesson on the forehand slice although it's probably not very popular , but i love it . thx for all your lessons my master ! (grass hopper freddy)

[zenyricardo]

I apologise if you have mentioned it in the video, but what is the grip employed?

[xstf]

@zenyricardo The continental grip is a must!/ Thanks for watching. Christophe.

[quemba88]

thank you for show this video,its very good to learn

[xstf]

@quemba88 You are welcome thank you for watching. Christophe.

[arvindshakya]

awesome mane thanks

[xstf]

@arvindshakya You are welcome thank you for watching. Christophe.

[Geometrikalz]

Tomic's slice is excellent as well, he adds wicked sidespin like Dolgopolov. He seems connected to hit racquet with excellent feel and touch of the ball.



[sarasmilepiano]

Dogopolov has some of wicked sidespin on his slice and would be a great addition to these videos.

[xstf]

@sarasmilepiano Yes you are correct, i do have some footage of Dolgopolov and he violently comes across the ball!Maybe when i redo this video i will definitely use him. Thanks for watching. Christophe.

[Vhsmith37]

Great video, thanks! I have a question, how do I hit slices deeper and closer to the net? When I hit a slice, my shot always is a drop shot, and it floats WAY above the net, like a lob, and drop in front of the net. So is there any tip to help me hit the ball deeper and closer to the net? Thanks!

[jebzino]

I tried Fed's slice technique for months without getting the desired effect. I was hitting too many floaters and not enough drive/skid on the ball. What I finally figured out was that I was coming down across the ball too much and not driving through it. Either Fed doesn't have the best technique or he masks it really well. You can see it clearly from your assistant Raj's technique how he flattens the racquet out, the strings point towards the sky at this point before he drives through the ball.

[xstf]

@jebzino You have to remember that as much as you have to come across like Fed and the others you must go through the ball as well but not as much, i would say maybe less than a foot of forward momentum and then let your arm take its natural course across the body. Fed and the other do it the right way applying just enough forward momentum while coming across their body. Thanks for watching let me know if you need help with your backhand slice.

[tynivinnie]

@jebzino I think the difference is that federer is returning some hard heavy spin shots, so his slice already has good pace from there.

[Chipinjack]

Awesome analysis..I'm doing as you instruct (left to right swing path / across ball) and I'm getting some funky spin that causes the ball to bounce low and wide on the deuce court. Is this normal ??

[xstf]

@Chipinjack Yes it makes the ball kick away from your opponent making it more difficult to return. Thanks for watching. Christophe.

[Veneratio10]

@xstf no it doesn't kick, kick implies a greater bounce in height. the backhand slice induces a lower bounce than usual. think about it physically. topspin = greater bounce, backhand slice (essentially backspin) means lower bounce ..

[xstf]

@Veneratio10 Oh it's you again making idiotic comments, obviously you have never hit a proper backhand slice to experience the side spin that kicks away from your opponent for your information topspin decreases the flight of the ball (distance) while under spin increase the flight (distance) that is a fact. So before you go on and post comments about tennis make sure you know what you are talking about. Do me a favor and stay off my channel and let others learn form my unsolicited advice.

[durich1000]

Two things I would add to this video. 1) right elbow going from bent to straight position right before swinging arm down to hit the ball. HUGE tip!!!! 2) Foreharm and racquet angle at contact point not less than 110 degrees about, and NEVER after hitting racquet head should push that angle down to less than 110 aprox. Two big tips these ones. Excellent Video!!

[xstf]

@durich1000 two great points. Thank you for your contribution and and compliment. Christophe.

[MeAkouTube]

Okay, just to be really clear...Ros is your assistant right? hehe J/k

Great great video, excited to try it tomorrow. Superb use of technology, am a big fan!!! Will go through all your videos.

[xstf]

@MeAkouTube Raz actually thank you for watching and thank you for your compliment. Christophe.

[fghrere]

very good video ... and i am a good tennis player...

[xstf]

@fghrere I thank you for your compliment. Christophe.

[lebarosky]

Regarding the "forehand slice" hadn't heard that Lendl-ism before. Would you say that the forehand approach is as close to a forehand slice as one gets in tennis? Very good instruction. You have a gift for handling the video technology.

[xstf]

@lebarosky Thank you for your compliments, yes the forehand approach or the chip and charge forehand would qualify as a forehand slice.Thanks for watching. Christophe

[jpralston]

I don't Know if you can help me, but whenever I try to slice it hits the frame of the racquet, and is it flies out,and it happens to my backhand volleys/ (hits frame)is it the grip that i use? making contact to late? or the motion of the slice.

-THANKS

[xstf]

@jpralston Send me a video of your backhand and I will take a look at it free of charge. Send me a clip of no more than 3 backhands. Christophe.

[jpralston]

@xstf Really? thank you so much, can you also help with my friends backhand too?

[parkbros]

any tips on forehand slice? the same principles as backhand or slightly different?

[xstf]

@parkbros As my good friend Ivan Lendl once told me there is no such thing as a forehand slice! Having said that you will have to swing through and across the body but not as drastically as the backhand. Thanks for watching. Christophe.

[ronipu]

what is the name of you asistant, full name. i dont understand in the video.

[whoguess2a]

Hi !

Thanks for such explainations of backhand.

Concerning the sliced one, what grip should you recommend ?

Thank you for your answer

[xstf]

@whoguess2a The CONTINENTAL GRIP is a must and the only grip to use in order to correctly hit a one-handed-backhand-slice. Thanks for watching. Christophe

[talesara74]

super, just right stuff no nonsence. I had seen many but this is best.

[xstf]

@talesara74 I thank you for your compliments, Thanks for watching. Christophe

[lolitsmatt]

you have the best explanations and tutorials on youtube

[xstf]

@lolitsmatt Thanks for the compliment and thanks for watching. Christophe.

[xstf]

@lolitsmatt I thank you for your compliments, Thanks for watching. Christophe

[evilmunki54]

thanks very informative, subscribed

[lrts2006]

great video, one of the best on youtube!!!!!

[tennismusclememory]

Hi I'm JL - inventor of the the Topspin Memory Board. from tennismusclememory . I just wanted to say that I love the way you explain the slice backhand. It is by far one of the best explanations I have come across. The one thing that you forgot to mention is that you are talking about the MODERN slice backhand. Congrats on your great explantion, I have forward your site to all my friends. I hope they join - lets keep growing the game we love so much.

[xstf]

@tennismusclememory Thank you very much for your compliments and support. I actually video taped Ivan Lendl a few months ago while practicing with him getting him ready for his comeback against Mats Wilander and told him about flight path of the racquet on the slice. As much as we both thought it was the modern way to slice the ball we both discovered that he made the exact same move. I would love to get hold of some old footage to see how Rod Laver it his backhand slice. Thanks for watching. C.

[stefancalin97]

Esti roman?

Daca da bv tie!Asa antrnori sa tot avem!!!

[stefancalin97]

Esti roman?DACA DA,BV tie asa antrenori sa tot avem!!

[wongtim12]

Question: Ive been told by my coach that the amount of backswing needs to be adjusted depending on the pace of the coming ball. Often I find if Im too "big" with it the ball floats too much and lands long. Any thots/suggestions?

[wongtim12]

Question: Ive been told by my coach that the amount of backswing needs to be adjusted depending on the pace of the coming ball. Often I find if Im too "big" with it the ball floats too much and lands long. Any thots/suggestions?

[atiquemalik]

Wonderful. Very helpful and good commentary. I am an intermediate level player and I will try this out!

[KanonLee8]

great informative video, this has helped my backhand slice alot, but one main problem i have with my backhand slice is that when i slice the ball, the ball tends to pop up alot. What should I be fixing? and also, my school coach says to slice through the ball instead of brushing against the ball but when i look at the pros it doesn't seem like they slice through the ball at all like right here.

[Volleymaster2]

excellent videos man

[FairwayJack]

I enjoyed that...I esp. like how Fed transfers his weight into the ball on his slice BH

[tommyenglish1]

Hope my response video worked, i gave you a shout-out, this video helped Emira, thanks mate, talk soon.

[galaxyscope]

Nice video. But I think that you should mention a key point, the true secret for a good slice, is that the racket face needs to be nearly square at the contact.  Most recreational players hit the slice with a racket face too open at contact, resulting in a weak sitter.

[mishraero]

you have explained it so well. Thanks a lot :)

[xstf]

@mishraero

You are welcome, thx for the compliment. Christophe

[xstf]

@mishraero

Thank you, keep watching!

[flutiste94]

@xstf good job!!!i'm working on backhand slice to get it much better almost like roger's!

[sagrocket]

@mishraero thanx bitch

[trai4okostov]

great,thanks.

[sculptoro]

Thank you Christophe! This is such a good video.

[roslee7]

your video and instruction is very good. u show some example from few players , their repeated stroke...well done.. i learn a lot from u

[ribcat]

poly also slices better.

[ribcat]

what i have noticed is that string gauge/tension affects backhand slices quite a bit. a gauge of 18 and tension of 52 or lower helps.

[godeluX3]

we have to make advertisement for your videos, they r so good

[xstf]

Thank you, I am thinking about it but i spend too much time on the court teaching to do anything else. The videos are really just a hobby for me, i enjoy doing them and like the feedback i get. Christophe.

[federerbestclass]

great Roger

[40734447]

Thanks again Christophe. I'll give it a go and keep you posted. Will try to put some footage together. Will continue to follow you in cyberspace in the meantime... Tom.

[tickettoread]

great analysis ! regarding software, have you ever tried dartfish? im in the process of buying a motion software but undecided whether dartfish or v1 sports. will be using it for my kid. thanks!

[xstf]

I have only used V1 so i can't comment on Dartfish. V1 is really geared for golf pros but works well for tennis. The only thing V1 is missing is pro models. I had to personally video tape all the pro models myself. I think the Dartfish software comes loaded with pro models. Let me know if i can help you if you decide to get V1. C.

[Yankeefan6192]

The higher the ball bounces, the harder it is for me to slice it, I can slice it pretty easily if the ball is hit low... Any sugestions or practice tips?

[xstf]

Try to take the ball early before it bounces too high. If the ball is already high then either lob the ball back or choose top spin as the spin of choice. Slicing high balls is difficult for everyone.

[vincentbadminton]

Knife it down before it get up too high >: )

[40734447]

Again, brilliant video! Could you perhaps elaborate on movement of the wrist during the slice. It appears that most pro players start with wrist extension in the backswing and end in slight ulnar deviation in the follow through. How much wrist movement should the club/tournament player add versus the pro player? Also, I tend to float my slice too much and it often goes long, sometimes I knife it beautifully but only when I time the ball right. How do I knife it all the time?

Many thanks

Tom

[xstf]

Tom ill answer your question in depth later on this week. Chrsitophe.

[xstf]

Tom, If you tend to float the ball and miss deep check your grip first, make sure that you have a true continental grip. Most of my students hit their slice backhands with an eastern backhand grip resulting into a lazy slice. Then make sure you swing more from outside in or across like Federer does and less from high to low. If you can send me a video of your backhand slice and i will analyze it for you. Let me know if i can help.

[farood5]

christophe, thank you, i will do that this year at some point when i get a decent camera.

pls keep up the freebies on you tube

[farood5]

hey, you are amazing analyzer, ill be putting this into practice tomorrow.

if can ou email me on you tube id like to know more how you can help me, im in the uk

[xstf]

Send me a video of your strokes and i will do an analysis for you. Use your you tube channel i should be able to retrieve them that way, use any video camera but not a camera phone.

[xstf]

It should be up now for some reason i had trouble loading videos this morning.

[farood5]

really looking forward to this video once working, great work