Adapt and Win: The Slice

by Tom March

Once the prototype backhand, modern players can still learn from the Rosewell model.

At the top levels of our sport, everyone recognizes the game has gotten bigger. Bigger, stronger athletes hitting bigger serves and groundstrokes. On the women’s side of the tour, Mary Carillo, always adept at fashioning a phrase, calls it “Big Babe Tennis.” On the men’s side, she calls it “First Strike” tennis. How does it work? Hit a big first serve which sets up a weak reply. Then run around your backhand (a la Bollettieri), and crush a winning forehand.

First, let me say I’m not criticizing or finding fault with these tactics. Look around at the Williams sisters or what Andy Roddick has been doing this year, you can see this style of play obviously works. On the other hand, I’ve been watching players at the professional level and top junior levels for 15 years, and I do think there is something missing in the arsenal of many aspiring players: the slice. The irony is the bigger and more aggressive the game, the more the slice shot becomes important.

No, I’m not calling for a return to a nostalgic past, where Ken Rosewall’s slice backhand was the model for every player. Although players can still learn from the Rosewell model. In fact, the slice shot has never gone away. It’s just hidden beneath the dust kicked up by the Monster Game. It wasn’t that long ago that John McEnroe’s (Mac the Knife) slice helped make him the number one player in the world.

Roll forward a bit, and you can see Matts Wilander beating Ivan Lendl in the US Open final utilizing his slice backhand. Now move into the current era and see how Andre Agassi has improved his defensive skills utilizing the slice. Even the current reigning champion of First Strike tennis, Andy Roddick, utilizes the slice off both the backhand and forehand sides.

How to Hit the Slice

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Tom March has been coaching world ranked players on both the ATP and WTA circuits for over 16 years in Europe. Tom has worked with over 60 world ranked tennis professionals as a personal coach (some of whom were in the top 100). Tom has coached professional players at all of the Grand Slams (Wimbledon, French Open, US Open, and Australian Open), ATP and WTA events, Davis Cup and Federation Cup events. Tom developed and coached three national junior champions and has worked for the German Tennis Association as a High Performance Coach.

Tom is presently the Head Tennis Professional at the Almaden Valley Athletic Club in San Jose. Tom is also a member of the Men's 5.5 team that will represent Northern California at the Nationals in 2003.

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