Guides · Tennis
How to hit a slice in tennis: backhand and forehand
What is a slice in tennis? A slice is a shot hit with backspin (underspin). The racket moves from high to low and forward, under the back of the ball, with a slightly open face. The ball stays low, skids and bounces less. Players use it to defend, to approach the net, to set up drop shots and to change the pace of a rally.
The slice is the shot that buys you time on defense, stays low on an approach and breaks up a rhythm your opponent likes. A good slice is a long stroke: the racket travels high to low and then forward through the ball, and the ball skids and stays low. A bad slice is a chop straight down, and it floats up and sits there waiting to be hit.
Looking for the slice serve? It's a different shot. See how to serve in tennis (slice serve).
What the slice is for
Defense. On a wide or fast ball, a slice needs less preparation than a topspin drive and floats deep with backspin, which gives you time to get back into position.
Approach shots. A low, skidding slice down the line forces the opponent to hit up, which is exactly what you want when you're coming to the net.
Changing pace. Rally players who love a steady diet of topspin often struggle with a low ball with no pace. A few slices in a row can break a rhythm that a long topspin exchange couldn't.
Setting up the drop shot. The drop shot uses the same preparation as the slice. If they've seen a few deep slices, the drop shot from the same shape is much harder to read.
Returning big serves and low balls. A short slice swing gets a fast serve back, and a slice is the natural answer to a ball that stays below the knees.
Slice vs topspin: when to use each
Topspin is a common rally shot at club level because it clears the net with margin and dips into the court. The slice does a different job. It stays low, it slows the rally down or speeds it up without much effort, and it works off balls that are awkward to drive. The two shots work best together: a player who can only hit topspin is predictable, and a player who only slices hands the opponent a lot of balls at a comfortable height.
A simple way to choose is to look at the ball before you look at the target.
| Situation | Usually slice | Usually topspin |
|---|---|---|
| Ball height | Below the knees, or very high on the backhand | Between knee and shoulder |
| Your position | Stretched wide or pushed back | Balanced, inside or on the baseline |
| Goal | Buy time, approach, change pace, drop shot | Pressure, depth with margin, finish the point |
| Opponent | Likes pace and rhythm, or hits with big topspin | Struggles with high, heavy balls |
These are general patterns, not rules. Plenty of players slice from a comfortable ball to change the rhythm.
What a good slice looks like
Preparation high, with the racket head above the hands. A swing that goes down and forward, finishing out in front toward the target. An open face, but not a flat plate. The body stays sideways and low through contact. The ball clears the net by a small margin, lands deep, and stays low after the bounce. If your slice bounces up to the opponent's waist, the swing went down more than it went forward.
Cue: finish with the racket pointing at the target, not the ground.
Grip: continental
Slice with a continental grip, the base knuckle of the index finger on bevel 2. Some one-handed players edge slightly toward an eastern backhand for more stability on the backhand side. A two-handed player slices with one hand: the dominant hand in continental, with the other hand only helping during the backswing. The continental is also the volley grip, which is why a player with a good slice usually has a good backhand volley, and the other way around.
The backhand slice, step by step
1. Turn and take the racket up
Turn the shoulders fully sideways with the non-hitting hand on the throat of the racket. Take the racket back high, roughly at shoulder height, head above the hands, with the face slightly open. The elbow is bent at this stage and the racket sits near the back shoulder.
2. Step in
Step forward and across with the front foot (the right foot for a right-hander). Bend the knees to get down to the ball. The slice is hit from a low, stable base, and players who stand up through it pull the ball up with them.
3. Swing high to low, then forward
Down and forward, finish toward the target. The racket travels down and forward on a gentle slope, not a steep one, and the arm straightens toward contact. Some coaches cue a path of roughly 45 degrees, with the face only slightly open (a cue you'll also hear as about 10 to 15 degrees). Treat both as coaching cues and rough pictures, not measured specs. Contact is in front of the front foot, at the side of the body. The strings brush under the back of the ball to put backspin on it, but the main direction of the swing is forward.
Chop vs drive slice. A chop goes mostly down. It ends near the knees, the ball floats or dies in the net, and it sits up for the opponent. A drive slice goes mostly forward. It ends out in front at about contact height, and the ball stays low and keeps going after the bounce. If you're unsure which one you hit, look at where the racket finished.
4. Long follow-through
After contact the racket keeps traveling toward the target and finishes out in front at roughly the height of contact or a little higher, with the arm extended and the face still open. At the same time, the non-hitting arm goes back behind you, so the arms spread like wings. That counter-movement keeps the shoulders sideways. The chest faces the side fence at the finish.
Adjusting it for the job
Defensive slice: more open face, a higher trajectory over the net, aimed deep through the middle. It's there to buy time.
Approach slice: face less open, a flatter and faster swing, aimed down the line, and keep moving forward through the shot.
Change of pace: the standard rally slice, cross-court, deep and low.
Drop shot: the same preparation, then a softer, shorter swing with a more open face, aimed just over the net.
The forehand slice
The forehand slice is mostly a defensive and touch shot. Use it when you're stretched wide and can't set up a topspin drive, for drop shots, and for the occasional low approach. The technique mirrors the backhand: continental grip, racket taken back high with an open face, a high-to-low swing that goes forward through the ball, and a finish out in front. The backswing is shorter, and the non-hitting hand points out in front for balance. Don't make it your main rally shot. A forehand slice at club level tends to float, and the forehand is usually the side you want to attack with.
Common slice mistakes and how to fix them
Your slice floats
The ball pops up and sits there. Usually the face is too open, or the swing goes only down instead of down and forward. Close the face a little (tilted, not facing the sky), start the racket just above the height of the ball, and drive the finish toward the target.
Your slice goes into the net
The swing is too steep, or contact is behind you. A steep chop that ends at the knees sends the ball down. Make the swing longer and flatter, forward more than down, and step in so you meet the ball in front of the front foot.
Your slice curves sideways
The racket is swinging across the ball instead of through it, often because the shoulders open. The chest turns to the net during the swing and the ball goes cross-court whatever you intended. Let the non-hitting arm go back to hold the shoulders sideways, and finish with the racket pointing at the target.
Other common faults
Wrist flick. Inconsistent direction and depth. Keep the wrist firm and let the shoulder drive the swing.
Standing up. Straight legs lift the swing path and the ball floats. Stay down through contact.
Contact too close or too late. Jammed, weak slices. Step in and meet the ball in front of the front foot.
Slice drills without a court
The slice is a shape drill as much as anything, which suits practicing at home. More in tennis practice at home (no court) and shadow swing drills, and whether they work.
Shadow slices, 3 × 12. Step in, swing and hold the finish for two seconds, racket pointing at the target, non-hitting arm back.
Slide along a line, 15. Put a strip of tape along the edge of a table or on a wall at about net height. Stand beside it and swing so the racket face slides along the line through the contact zone, finishing past it toward the target. It's a good check that the swing goes forward and doesn't just drop.
Floor line, 15. Lay a strip of tape or a racket cover on the floor pointing at a target. Swing so the racket travels along the line through contact rather than down across it.
Low base holds, 5 × 10 seconds. Hold the contact position with bent knees. Slices get worse as legs get tired, so build the legs.
Wall slice rally. Five meters from a wall, backhand slices only, aiming just above a net-height line. A good slice comes back low; a chop comes back high.
For other options, see the best tennis training apps.
Slice drills on court
Slice-only rally. Both players slice backhand to backhand, cross-court, and only balls past the service line count. Then one player slices while the other hits topspin.
Low target. Hang a string or use a partner's racket a meter above the net; slices have to pass under it and still land deep.
Approach and volley. A short feed, a slice approach down the line, split step, volley. Twenty repetitions.
Defense on the run. A partner feeds wide balls to the backhand; slice them deep and recover to the middle before the next feed.
Slice, then drop. Three deep slices, then a drop shot from the same preparation. The partner calls out when they could read it.
No partner? See practicing your slice alone against a wall.
Questions
What is a slice in tennis?
A slice is a shot hit with backspin. The racket swings from high to low and forward with a slightly open face, brushing under the back of the ball. The ball stays low and skids after the bounce, which makes it useful for defending, approaching the net and changing the pace of a rally.
What grip should I use for a backhand slice?
The continental grip, with the base knuckle of the index finger on the second bevel. It's the same grip as the volley and serve, so a good slice and a good backhand volley tend to go together.
Why does my slice float?
Usually the racket face is too open, or the swing goes mostly down instead of down and forward. Close the face slightly, start the racket just above the ball's height, and drive the follow-through toward your target rather than cutting under the ball.
Is a slice backhand easier than a topspin backhand?
It needs less preparation and is easier to hit on the run or against low balls, which is why it's a useful defensive shot. Hitting it low and deep consistently takes as much practice as a topspin backhand.
When should you use a slice in tennis?
On defense when you're stretched, on approach shots, to change the pace of a rally, against low balls and to set up a drop shot.
How do you hit a forehand slice?
Continental grip, a short backswing with the racket high and the face open, then a high-to-low swing forward through the ball, finishing out in front. Use it mainly for defense and drop shots.
Should beginners learn the slice?
Yes, once a basic topspin forehand and backhand are in place. The slice uses the continental grip, the same as the serve and volley, and gives you a safe reply to low, wide or fast balls. Start with the backhand slice, which most players find the more useful side.
Is the slice serve the same shot?
No. The slice serve is a serve hit with sidespin, and it has its own technique. See how to serve in tennis.