The slice in tennis
The underspin stroke that changes a rally's height and pace — how slice keeps the ball low, when it is defensive and when it is an attack, and what it does on different surfaces.
Overview
A slice is hit with backspin, produced by a high-to-low swing path that brushes down and through the back of the ball. It floats rather than dips, stays low after the bounce, and arrives slower than a drive.
It is routinely dismissed as defensive, which is only half true. A slice changes the height and rhythm of a rally, and changing rhythm is an attacking idea as much as hitting hard is.
Why it stays low
Backspin makes the ball skid rather than grip when it lands, so it stays closer to the ground after the bounce than a flat or topspin ball. A returner therefore has to hit upwards on it, which removes their ability to hit down through the ball.
The effect is strongest on low-bouncing surfaces. On grass, where the ball already stays low, a well-struck slice can barely rise at all — which is why slice has historically been a grass-court weapon.
The defensive slice
On a ball that has pushed a player wide or deep, a slice buys time in two ways: it is played with a shorter swing, so it can be produced when there is no time for a full stroke, and it travels more slowly, so the player has longer to recover position.
Used this way it is genuinely defensive, and it is the correct choice — a slice that lands deep resets a rally a player was losing.
The attacking slice
The approach slice is the attacking use: a low, penetrating slice hit down the line while moving forward, which must be answered from below net height. That forces the opponent to hit up, and hitting up to a player at the net is the worst position in tennis.
The drop shot is also a slice. Heavy backspin kills the ball's forward momentum on the bounce, which is what allows it to land short and stay short. Both uses are the same stroke with different pace and length.
How to do it
- 1Take the racket back high with the face slightly open.
- 2Step forward into the shot rather than hitting off the back foot where possible.
- 3Swing from high to low, brushing down and through the back of the ball.
- 4Keep the wrist firm through contact so the face does not open further.
- 5Follow through forwards, not just downwards — that is what gives the ball depth.
- 6For an approach slice, hit it down the line and move in behind it.
Key points
- Backspin makes the ball skid and stay low, forcing the opponent to hit upwards.
- A defensive slice buys time through both a shorter swing and a slower ball.
- An approach slice down the line is an attacking shot, not a retreat.
- A drop shot is a slice — the backspin is what kills the bounce.
- The effect is strongest on low-bouncing surfaces.
Where it’s used
Sports that use the slice in tennis:
Related techniques
Topspin Forehand
A forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
One-Handed Backhand
A backhand groundstroke struck with a single hand on the grip, driving through the ball with a full extension of the hitting arm.
Tennis Serve
The overhead stroke that starts every point, hit from behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box.
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Tactics
- Approaching the netHow a point is moved forward — which balls justify an approach, why the approach is hit down the line, and the transition volley that has to be played from no-man's land.
- Crosscourt and down the lineThe geometry that makes crosscourt the default tennis shot — the net is lower in the middle and the court is longer on the diagonal — and when down the line is worth its extra risk.
- Serve and third ballTable tennis's most-rehearsed tactical pattern — using a serve to force a predictable return so the third ball of the rally can be attacked from a known position.
- Risk–reward shot selectionWeighing the gain from an aggressive shot against the cost of the miss before choosing which shot to play.
- Placement and tempo in table tennisWhy where and when you hit the ball beats how hard — the playing elbow, the wide angles, and how taking the ball earlier removes an opponent's time without adding any power.
Playing surfaces
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Facilities
Skills
- DiggingThe volleyball skill of controlling a hard-driven ball low to keep it in play.
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- BlockingThe skill of using the hands or body to stop or slow an opponent’s attack.
- SettingThe volleyball skill of accurately placing the ball for a teammate to attack.
- Returning serveThe skill of reading and playing back an opponent’s serve to stay in the rally.
Positions
- LiberoThe libero is a defensive volleyball specialist who wears a contrasting shirt, plays only in the back row, and cannot attack the ball above the height of the net.
- Ice hockey positionsThe six players on the ice and what each does — centre, two wings, two defence and the goaltender — plus why hockey substitutes in lines rather than individually.
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- 2026-09-01
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