I've coached a lot of adult rec players stuck at the same level for years, and it's almost never about power or fitness. It's the slice backhand.

Most players treat slice as a "defensive shot I'll figure out later." That's backwards. The slice is what lets you reset a point, approach the net, and handle low, awkward balls that flat/topspin backhands can't touch. If yours is weak, you're playing every rally on your opponent's terms.

The #1 fix I give: stop trying to swing low-to-high. A slice isn't a lift — it's a controlled push through the ball with the racquet face slightly open, contact out in front, and your weight moving forward, not up. Most rec players scoop upward out of fear of the ball going into the net, which kills the underspin and turns it into a weak floater that sits up begging to be attacked.

Drill that fixes it fast: stand at the service line, feed yourself balls, and practice hitting slices that land inside the service box with heavy backspin — you'll know it's right when the ball skids low after the bounce instead of sitting up. Once you can do that for 10 in a row, back up to the baseline.

I started Slice of Life because most "tennis tips" content online is generic. If you're an adult player who's been stuck at the same NTRP level for a while, this is built for you — drills, video breakdowns, and a community that actually plays and pushes each other. Would love to see you in there.