How to Hit a Tennis Kick Serve aka Topspin Serve
In this video we will cover the three key steps for achieving a great kick serve, plus some other useful points. The kick serve AKA the topspin serve should be a weapon used by all players that want to progress from intermediate to advanced level. Not only will the kick serve allow for a reliable second serve but it can also be used strategically to place your opponent under pressure on their return.
Step 1: The Toss
When it comes to hitting any good serve in tennis, the ball toss is always a crucial element.
For hitting the kick serve we want to ensure that the ball toss is straight up and not too far in front. This makes it easier to brush up the back for the ball to get topspin for that kick. If we throw it too far in front of us, we will end up hitting a flat or slice serve.
Step 2: The Swing
After throwing the perfect toss, we want to have our elbow pointing towards the sky right before we swing at the ball. This allows us to create more leverage and racket head speed in our swing path towards the ball. Be sure to swing in an outwards direction and brush the ball rather than slap it. Imagine trying to shave the yellow fur off the ball in order to generate spin.
Step 3: Putting The Two Steps Into Your Standard Serve Routine
Now that we got the toss and swing in place, we can incorporate them into our usual serve routine. You will proceed to hit your serve but with more emphasis on tossing the ball straight up and brushing it. Adding spin to your serve will allow you to swing faster at the ball and keep it dipping into the service box. Think of spin as a form of control.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Rush It
A common mistake when players are first trying to hit the kick serve is that they rush to swing at the ball. If you swing too early, your serve may end up being a slice serve rather than a topspin kick serve. In order to generate more topspin on our serves we need to strike the ball as it’s dropping down rather than at its highest point. This means we need to wait just another fraction of a second longer before swinging at the ball.
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About The Author
Darren Teo is the founder of Play! Tennis, the most Google reviewed tennis academy in Singapore. His passion for making tennis accessible to everyone regardless of their age, experience and ability continues to drive his work at the school. He is a thought leader in LinkedIn with 14,000 followers.