Kick Serve

[Miura Tiger]

Please--Basic tips on a kick serve--height of toss, how far into court with toss, grip, etc.

[LeeD]

Grip, more backhand than your flat serve grip, so you can pronate up and outwards.
Toss, more behind your head, or atop the back of your head.
Strikezone, lower than for a slice serve or flat serve, so you can swing upwards and outwards at the ball.
Body, arched back, so you present your chest to the sky, allowing you to swing up and out.
Toss height matters less, because what counts is your strikezone, which is lower than for a flat or slice serve.
Stay sideways, swing up and out to your right, if you're right handed.
Aim to clear the net by 3', the slow speed and spin forcing the ball IN to the service court.

[guitarplayer]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Grip, more backhand than your flat serve grip, so you can pronate up and outwards.
Toss, more behind your head, or atop the back of your head.
Strikezone, lower than for a slice serve or flat serve, so you can swing upwards and outwards at the ball.
Body, arched back, so you present your chest to the sky, allowing you to swing up and out.
Toss height matters less, because what counts is your strikezone, which is lower than for a flat or slice serve.
Stay sideways, swing up and out to your right, if you're right handed.
Aim to clear the net by 3', the slow speed and spin forcing the ball IN to the service court.

This is spot on!

[LeeD]

Unfortunately, age and injuries is catching up.
I can usually twist one about chin to eye heights, one out of 5. The rest land short, and only kick outwards a bit.
Just two years ago, at a young 61, I could twist it top of the head, but swingspeeds up that awkward direction is slowing faster than my feeble mind can compensate.

[Headshotterer]

i have always had trouble learning a good kicker, it will take quite some time until you get a lethal one that goes 7 feet up start modest then hit as hard as you can for that 7 fetter

[LeeD]

Nobody can bounce the kick serve 7' high.
I used to play with a former #1 for Cal Poly, at 6'6" tall and around 220 lbs., and he couldn't bounce it that high.
Highest average bounce, not including hitting a rock or crack, is around 6'3" high at the baseline.

[ramos77]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j34COa_LFKg

[sundaypunch]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Grip, more backhand than your flat serve grip, so you can pronate up and outwards.
Toss, more behind your head, or atop the back of your head.
Strikezone, lower than for a slice serve or flat serve, so you can swing upwards and outwards at the ball.
Body, arched back, so you present your chest to the sky, allowing you to swing up and out.
Toss height matters less, because what counts is your strikezone, which is lower than for a flat or slice serve.
Stay sideways, swing up and out to your right, if you're right handed.
Aim to clear the net by 3', the slow speed and spin forcing the ball IN to the service court.

Good advice.

I will add one - don't hit the ball at the apex of the toss. Let it start to drop down a bit.

[Rjtennis]

You also want to make that youre getting plenty of shoulder turn so you can cork up and explode into the ball. Also, take a look at where your racket is making contact with the ball. You should be catching the ball (if RH) with the right side of racket then brushing up. The kick serve is great as you can create angle and get the ball off the court, while allowing margin over the net. Also, once you get it down it's a easy, low risk serve that can give opponents trouble.

Try to find some videos on-line and mimic what they are doing. One you get the hang of it, it's not a hard serve to hit.

[sansaephanh]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Nobody can bounce the kick serve 7' high.
I used to play with a former #1 for Cal Poly, at 6'6" tall and around 220 lbs., and he couldn't bounce it that high.
Highest average bounce, not including hitting a rock or crack, is around 6'3" high at the baseline.

I believe a kick can bounce up somewhere in the mid/high six feet marks, but whether or not a serve will be at that height when it reaches your opponent is a completely different story lol. I think it just takes the right ball, the right surface and a crapload of spin. There is also the difference between the slow kick and the fast kick. The difference between 100% rpm and a ratio in between rpm and drive. I tend to just make sure i put 99% into rpm since i don't have great technique.

I personally hit a slow kick since i play at the lower level of rec tennis anyways. That way i have control and %. Usually i miss cause i'm framing lol.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Nobody can bounce the kick serve 7' high.
I used to play with a former #1 for Cal Poly, at 6'6" tall and around 220 lbs., and he couldn't bounce it that high.
Highest average bounce, not including hitting a rock or crack, is around 6'3" high at the baseline.

So when Isner serves it over the back fence at tournaments it is only 6'-3"? Right...

[The*King]

Originally Posted by ramos77

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j34COa_LFKg

I was just watching that on you tube last night. I have been practicing that move from my knees in the living room. I can't wait to try that out on the court.

[charliefedererer]

Here's a good tip from Coach Mauro. Although the toss is more over your head, it is still INTO THE COURT!
Tennis Tips: Serve: Correct Toss For Kick Or Topspin Serves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHY8PwZTe24

Will Hamilton from Fuzzy Yellow balls give advice on swing direction, and at the end of the video a note that your contact point is lower than your first serve.
Kick Serve Swing Direction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5GFVdEFxSs

Great suggestion from Brent Abel to start practice trying to see how incredibly how far above the net you can spin your kick serve to get that feeling of really spinning it.
Tennis Topspin Serve Practice Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gWAww8FSes


For a complete step by step progression on how to hit the kick serve, it is hard to beat Will Hamilton's instruction on Fuzzy Yellow Balls:
Kick Serve http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vide...ve/kick-serve/

And be sure to look at Will's suggestions that will improve your kick serve as well as your first serve at
Advanced Serve Technique http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vide...rve-technique/

[LeeD]

Mikeler...abberation.
Sure, there are vids of Fed twisting one for an ace up the middle around a foot higher than head high.
There is a vid of a amateur twisting one about 8' high, got returned with a lob, and lost the point.
But those serves are abberations. Hit something on the court.
You cannot depend on a twist serve going 7' high at the baseline of your opponent because any short serve bounces lower, while anything slightly long get's called OUT. The landing spot is merely 9" for the highest bounce, and you can't serve there every time....as you well know.

[3fees]

Kick serve uses reverse wrist - pronation