Master Class: Chip and Charge. TENNIS Magazine instruction editor and former tour player Katrina Admas shows how to execute the perfect Chip and Charge.

So I play tennis competitively and I used to have a slice serve. However I stopped taking lessons because of the cost and I started playing with one of my friends who is way better than me. But now I have lost that serve but my shots are all great and my speed ws way better than before, why did this happen, is it possible to fix without a coach?

This video shows how to hit and use the topspin serve more effectively.  The spin serve gives more margin for error and also causes the ball to bounce higher above the returners comfort level.   Learn about the contact point and finish point.   

The Slice serve is called just that because of what it does - it 'slices' away from you as it hits the ground. The reason for this is because of the sideways spin dynamic on the ball. This is very basic. The sideways spin on the ball is caused by the string bed on the face of the tennis racket hitting the tennis ball slightly to the right of center relative to the front of the ball, and hitting it from a horizontal bias

One of the highest capabilities in life is feel. You might have been sold a bill of goods when you were told that thinking is paramount in tennis. Most top tennis pros won't admit, perhaps under the idea that they would be considered "stupid", that they don't think much when they are playing.

There is a misconception that top players play flat on hard courts. The latest research, which was done during tournaments on hard court surfaces, which you can see in www.advancedtennis.com, a non-profit endeavor, will show you that top players included on that study, such as Agassi and Pete Sampras, Venus Williams, hit their groundstrokes with plenty of topspin, well above the 1,500 RPM.

Without any question the slice backhand is still alive!, we do see, especially in men's tennis, more and more the use of this beautiful shot to watch, when executing well. Players like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, David Nalbandian, Rafa Nadal, among many others; have brought us this shot used in many different situations during their matches.  Following I would like to share with you some of the most important elements, in order to posses a very solid slice backhand, I will break it down, in three components:

Second serves are not just a backup for a missed first serve. A player’s second serve should be a different shot altogether. For first serves, ATP pro tour players generally use a flat serve with little spin; for the second serve, the same players use either slice or topspin. Competitive and recreational players should use the same format when hitting their first and second serve.

This articles is a must for players who are within their first several months of playing tennis or for players at any level who have never taken a lesson.  This article lays out the fundamentals of the stroke and is an absolute must.

There are two types of spin to add to your second serve. The first is slice (learn more here); the second is topspin. Slice causes the ball to hit the ground, stay low, and curve (kick) to the left. Topspin serves tend to hit the ground, bounce high, and kick to the right (opposite for lefty players).