The biggest misconception? That slice comes from the wrist.

It doesn't. Not from the backhand side, not from the forehand side. Nowhere.

Backspin is generated by two things: a slightly open paddle face and hitting through the ball. That's it. Your wrist stays locked. You're not flicking or rolling or snapping anything. You're cutting through the ball with a steady hand and an open face.

You can technically produce spin by whipping your wrist, and yes, the ball will spin backwards. 

But that's not a controlled shot. That's a gamble. What Mari does is different. She hits through the ball with a firm wrist and lets the paddle angle do the work.

Want more slice? Open the paddle face a little more. Want a flatter ball? Close it slightly. The wrist never changes. Only the angle does.

One warning: if you open the face too much, the ball goes too high. Find your range and stay in it.

Find your contact sweet spot

Here's the second thing players get wrong. They slice too far out in front of their body or too close in, and neither works well.

You want that middle zone where your shoulder and elbow feel comfortable and organized. For Mari, that's slightly in front of her body. Not extended out like a topspin shot, and not cramped tight against her side.

This is going to be slightly different for everyone. The key is finding where your arm feels relaxed and in control, then making contact there consistently.

Grip: close, but not exact

Mari holds a near-continental grip for almost all her slices, with a slight turn toward eastern. Why? Because paddle face angle is everything with this shot, and the continental family of grips makes it easier to get that face open naturally.

That said, she's the first to tell you it doesn't have to be exactly what she does. If someone tells you a grip has to be a specific way, that's usually not true. Find what lets you get that face open comfortably and go from there.

The four slice shots, broken down

Slice serve

The serve is the one shot you have full control over, which makes it a great place to practice your slice. Mari hits it close to her body and tosses the ball directly to her slice contact zone. No guessing, no adjusting mid-swing. Toss to where you want to make contact, and cut through it.

Slice return

Unlike a topspin return, there's no big backswing here. You're coming into the ball and pushing forward. The benefit? Your body weight transfers forward naturally, which makes it easier to get up to the kitchen line right after contact. Give yourself space to come into the ball, make contact slightly out in front, and let that momentum carry you up.

Slice reset

This is one of Mari's favorite reset options. Elbow tucked, shoulders organized, wrist locked. She's not swinging. She's pushing the ball forward with that open face, and it lands soft in the kitchen. Hold the paddle firm, push out in front of you, and trust that a little contact is enough. No wrist needed.

Slice dink

This is the one Mari loves most. The wrist is completely locked. The swing is compact. And she can be aggressive with it, going down the line or crosscourt, all with that same controlled cut.

If you're missing into the net, open the paddle face a bit more. If the ball is floating too high, you've opened it too much. Adjust the angle, not the swing.

You don't have to slice everything

Mari loves to slice, but you do not have to slice everything. 

The point isn't to copy her shot selection. The point is to have the option. Some players hate playing against slice. Some love it. Either way, if you can't produce it reliably, you're missing a tool. Add it to your game, get comfortable with it, and then decide when to use it.

Give it a try. Your opponents might not love it, but that's kind of the point.

Ready to test your slice in a rated match? Find a DUPR-rated event near you and see how it holds up.

Want to learn more from Mari? Subscribe to Mari on YouTube for more lessons, strategy breakdowns, and on-court tips.