Ad Court Kick Serve Videos

[ChimpChimp]

Please comment. Balls bounced high (though not much) but didn't kick sideways. As my hitting partner said, "the height is just good to backhand slice the ball back". I've already done the 7 to 1 o'clock swing.

The far side line of this football court was 6 feet farther than from my baseline to the opponent's service line in tennis. I put twigs to mark the tennis distance but they aren't visible in the video. Where the arc met the end line was about 2-3 feet shorter than the tennis distance. Net clearance couldn't be told.

0:00 Side view
2:19 Rear view
Total 4:34

 

[Curious]

Impossible to create kick with contact point that high. It's the end of your racket's reach at contact ie no upward motion through contact ( no upward brushing ). Lower it by 10-15 cm and see what happens.

 

[Dragy]

The issue with your kick serve is it's not kick serve, but slice serve. You need racquet head to move up before, through and right after contact.

 

[Dragy]

Lower it by 10-15 cm and see what happens.

This, and @ChimpChimp go with feeling that you make contact with your racquet almost horizontal, 90 deg angle with your forearm. Something like this will actually happen, but imagine overdoing it:

 

[johnmccabe]

Please comment. Balls bounced high (though not much) but didn't kick sideways. As my hitting partner said, "the height is just good to backhand slice the ball back". I've already done the 7 to 1 o'clock swing.

The far side line of this football court was 6 feet farther than from my baseline to the opponent's service line in tennis. I put twigs to mark the tennis distance but they aren't visible in the video. Where the arc met the end line was about 2-3 feet shorter than the tennis distance. Net clearance couldn't be told.

0:00 Side view
2:19 Rear view
Total 4:34

That's top slice. Not kick.

 

[ChimpChimp]

Impossible to create kick with contact point that high. It's the end of your racket's reach at contact ie no upward motion through contact ( no upward brushing ). Lower it by 10-15 cm and see what happens.

I also tried (my version of) slice serves that day (not recorded) and they didn't go well. If I do what was recorded, keeping the contact point height, while tossing a bit to the right, and brushing 8 to 2 instead of 7 to 1, will I make a good slice serve?

 

[ChimpChimp]

This, and @ChimpChimp go with feeling that you make contact with your racquet almost horizontal, 90 deg angle with your forearm. Something like this will actually happen, but imagine overdoing it:

Good screenshots. I understand the ball should go beyond the back of the head, but where should the contact point be on a top view clock?

Chest 12 shoulders 3 & 9, viewed from an extension of the axis of the torso, which isn't necessarily at the top of the head as the head may tilt. The axis of the torso isn't perpendicular to the ground either.

 

[Dragy]

Chest 12 shoulders 3 & 9

Aren’t chest and shoulder all on the same line more or less?

 

[Dragy]

For horizontal watch looked at from above:

Pull the handle from 8 to 2 to produce heavy spin kick serve. Let racquet head lag a bit and grab the ball as it it’s pivoting up and over to the side.

You need to let the ball drop a tad to do it (don’t get too focused on tossing over to the left), but still reach with your hand as high as possible. Hand - not racquet tip.

 

[Jonesy]

When i want to get super kick i just toss at 11 and behind. Your toss is basically the opposite, so of course you'd get a slice.

 

[Jonesy]

 

[ratherlosethanpush]

Stay more side on see draggy pic. That's not been mentioned yet as far as I can see. Your shoulders are too open at contact.

As has been said

Hit it lower so u can brush up and across

Toss it a bit more left

 

[ChimpChimp]

Aren’t chest and shoulder all on the same line more or less?

 

[Dragy]

If it's from toss and coil orientation, you'll be aiming to send the ball towards 8 or possibly 9, if you don't coil too much. Or 7, if you show your back to the enemy a lot.

To send the ball towards 8 with kick-serve swing, you'll be using 4-to-10 swing, or 3-to-9 if more penetrating top-slice.

But I wonder if you actually see it this way. I'd imagine clock with 12 being the target direction, and hence using 8-to-2 swing for high-RPM kick.

 

[Hit 'em clean]

As everyone else has said...

Ball toss has to be more to your left... contact can't be over your right shoulder
Keep shoulder line closed for longer, you open way to soon
Ball contact has to be lower... experiment to the side of being too low

A kick serve needs arc/height over the net. You should have the sense that the ball is going up even higher off your strings after contact. You don't need to swing fast to hit a kick serve. Start slow and just work on hitting slow, high arcing shots. I usually recommend people start at service line and try and get in service box... then work your way back... but still keep it slow. Once you get a feel for contact and the brush motion while swinging slow, then you can then start to pick up the racquet head speed.

Some people even recommend hitting over a fence onto the court as it really emphasizes the idea that you have to hit up and get height on the ball. The spin is what brings it down into the court... the height allows for a descent angle where the spin then allows the ball to kick out wide. I always like the feeling at contact with feeling out of control... like the ball might go over the fence... but I know the spin will keep that from happening. You have to let go, relax your arm and grip... really let the spin bring it back down. Don't 'try' to control it, let it happen. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. Trust in physics.