topspin/slice service with forehand grip?

[african tiger]

Dear german tennis budies,
I tried the top spin slice service for a while without much succes. Desperate, I moved the grip to a rather fore hand one (V slightly to the right) and managed promptly to get some spin/ slice and the ball in. (They used to go to the net). Now, serving with forehand grip is highly forbiden is´n it? So what should I do now. Who can tell me more about that. My african instructor is not likely to say much about it. Advices in german are welcome.
Thanhks

[Benedikt]

kann einer das per PM für mich richtig übersetzen und die Antwort auch, wäre nett, kann zwar viel verstehen, aber eher schlecht schreiben. Ist heutzutage besser der Englischunterricht

[Bomberman]

i think there are players who change their grip for different kinds of services but you can reach the spin without changing grip as well. have you tried to vary your throw of the ball? usually this is the most important difference between slice, straight and kick service. do you know about that or shall we explain?
by the way, my brother does change his grip for service a little bit. but instead of having a middle or forehand grip, he tries it with a little backhand grip (not completely of course). i can't imagine how to get kick or even slice with a forehand grip, but i have not tried on court yet

[howy]

I think that best thing to vary is the way you throw the ball. Acting this way you will put mor slice or spin on the ball. Use the grip which suits the best to you for your serve.
If you throw the ball slightly to the right (if you are right handed) then you should get more slice on the ball.
If you throw the slightly to the left the you should get more top spin on the ball.
Hope this helps.

[african tiger]

thanks bomberman,
exactly that is what confuses me. service has to be done with the middle grip (semicontinental)or slightly backhand (continental), due to my instructor. but holding the racket that way, i just hit the ball without spin. what i managed to get is a bit slice and the ball goes deep into the net. now, with the grip moved a bit to forehand (just a bit) so that the face of the racket opens just a few, the hitting, wich´s supposed to be from the center of the ball to 1.30, works pretty well and spin comes in and the ball goes in a higher loop over. how can one explain this?

thanks!


by the way, if i hold the racket in the middle and do the pronation, than the ball also goes over, with out the spin of couse.
that means in term of net clearance: middle grip + pronation= slightly forehand grip. is that correct?

[african tiger]

howy!

right! consider the toss to be fine. than the spin is that what i do not get. the slice is there. but i want them both. remember? the service is called top spin slice. and i only get it right with the grip moving slightly to the forehand one. should i be just happy with it and continue?

gruss

[eumel]

mal kurz auf deutsch, hab den letzten post net ganz verstanden, will er nen sliceaufschlag mit kick haben? xD

[Victorious]

@ African Tiger

Nice to have you here!
It's noch the grip at all. You should try not to move your feed while throwing the ball. Then you should try to turn you hip/your upper body to the right!
In the moment you are hitting the ball you let your body come back fast in the "normal" position.

It helped me, to get more spin.

[tennis-teufel]

OT

Ist heutzutage besser der Englischunterricht

Auf jeden Fall aber nicht die Rechtschreibung.

[african tiger]

dear all, dear victorious

u are right. the rapid movement of the body seems to be one of those secrets of getting the spin. what grip do u have by the way? (my concern is stil whether the toss and the body swing can replace the importance of the grip)

gruss again

[Hawkeye2]

@African Tiger

Hi,

I never understood how to serve with a backhand grip, it just don't feels "natural"...(for flat first serve)

By the way, Boris Becker served nearly all of his serves with a slight forehand grip, and they didn't call him "Boom Boom Becker" for nothing !

And look at Roddick, Ljubicic and some other great servers I can't see a noticeable backhand grip there when they are using a flat first serve.

I would recommend that you should use the grip you're comfortable with.

But when it comes to a slice or twist (topspin) serve a slight backhand grip will indeed support your service.

That is because you don't want to hit the ball straight in the center, you want to hit it either at the side (about 3 o'clock for slice) or over the top (about 11 o'clock for topspin). That's why it is helpfull that your racket face ist a little bit tilted towards the ball.

You want to get "over" the ball for a kick serve or "around" the ball for a slice.

This is just what a slight backhand grip can do for you.

Bye

[Victorious]

This is my grip on second service. On first service, I use a normal backhand grip. On second service I turn the racket 20-30° to the right -> photo!

[A-Rod]

african tiger you said a service with a vorehand grip is verbidden?
I also do my services with this grip and i'm able to do all sorts of services.
So try how you mean it works and not how others tell you.

[african tiger]

thank u a-rod for the the encouraging commend. that´s it what i need and also thank hawkeye2 for great clearance!!!!!!!
hawkeye2 is absolutely right in saying that BH grip is required for the kick and slice serve. the one at which i am so doubtful is the top spin slice (my instructor insists that this serve is the very common 1. serve).
the idea behind moving the grip to the FH is that in doing so, the racket opens a bit and the ball could be met from the center toward 1.30 causing the spin. because that works so well i start feeling insecure (am i that good?).

now, i follow your advises and take it easy and play that very serve with the grip slightly FH, like mr. boom boom becker. indeed i heard of him (but not of the other guys, sorry)

one thing came across my mind: i can maintain the semicontinental grip for the top spin slice serve, but wait for the ball to drop a bit futher down (like the pure top spin). i may get the spin that way. would try this weekend.
thanks folk

hawkeye2: are u saying that the flat serve should be performed with FH grip?

[Bomberman]

sorry, but what do you mean by "top spin slice serve"? top spin OR slice serve? or is that one? and how should this one work?

mal auf deutsch...wisst ihr was das heissen soll, top spin slice serve? gibts denn sowas?