Confused about serves...

[ajspurs]

Recently I have learned how to use a slice serve and am using it with my second serve as i hit my 1st flat, but i read that you dont take power off of your second serve, you just add spin, thats what i've been doing but sometimes on my 1st serve i think, actually i want to hit with spin, then if i miss i think, whats stopping me from missing on my 2nd serve as well, and i was watching Henin the other day and she hit a 1st serve slice serve, and missed but then hit a 2nd serve slice serve, and got it in, so whats the difference between the 1st serve slice serve, and the 2nd serve slice serve? sorry if thats a little confusing.

 

[Jonny S&V]

Recently I have learned how to use a slice serve and am using it with my second serve as i hit my 1st flat, but i read that you dont take power off of your second serve, you just add spin, thats what i've been doing but sometimes on my 1st serve i think, actually i want to hit with spin, then if i miss i think, whats stopping me from missing on my 2nd serve as well, and i was watching Henin the other day and she hit a 1st serve slice serve, and missed but then hit a 2nd serve slice serve, and got it in, so whats the difference between the 1st serve slice serve, and the 2nd serve slice serve? sorry if thats a little confusing.

What she is hitting is a kick serve, not a slice serve. The kick differs in that there is topspin with sidespin so the ball will drop and hook at the same time. It's kind've hard to see this difference on TV.

 

[ajspurs]

What she is hitting is a kick serve, not a slice serve. The kick differs in that there is topspin with sidespin so the ball will drop and hook at the same time. It's kind've hard to see this difference on TV.

Cheers for the reply. oh right ok, thats understandable, so basically should i be learning a kick serve for second serves rather than a slice?

 

[Jonny S&V]

Cheers for the reply. oh right ok, thats understandable, so basically should i be learning a kick serve for second serves rather than a slice?

Most defenitely. The slice serves path has to be a couple inches over the net in order for it to go in. The kicks path can be as much as a foot or 2. If you need to know how to hit a kick serve, just do a search.

 

[ajspurs]

ok, thanks a lot for that. I knew the kick serve was more efficient but it just sounded a lot harder to learn so i opted to use the slice serve, but hopefully i can hit the courts 2moro and try it out. cheers again.

 

[Jonny S&V]

ok, thanks a lot for that. I knew the kick serve was more efficient but it just sounded a lot harder to learn so i opted to use the slice serve, but hopefully i can hit the courts 2moro and try it out. cheers again.

It takes a while, but once you learn it, swinging as hard as you can is a lot more fun then just dinking your second serve.

 

[Off The Wall]

Flat Serves

Flat serves are typically lower percentage serves. You're probably missing a significant percentage of them. Spin helps control your serve. Add more spin to your first serves for a higher percentage. Spot your flat first serves.

 

[fgbowen33]

great slice serve

Was Mcenroe's slice serve to Borg's backhand in the ad court " called the can opener" cuz he sliced it so much on grass it jus skidded away not alowing Borg to hit it and get back in position to hit the return cuz he was so far out of cout and Mac was on top of the net to put it away

 

[ajspurs]

Flat serves are typically lower percentage serves. You're probably missing a significant percentage of them. Spin helps control your serve. Add more spin to your first serves for a higher percentage. Spot your flat first serves.

Yea i would like to do that, but its a bit of a dilemma, because i recently changed the way i serve, and changed my grip and im serving 1st serve bombs, and am now hitting a phew aces but i would most probably get more in if i add slice, i think ill just mix it up a bit, im struggling to hit powerful slice serves but again I think its just something i need to practice.

 

[caraecorcho]

On a second serve the speed is always gonna go down a bit. When you hit a flat serve you can put more speed and power into the serve because you are hiting through the ball and that will keep you from gettign injured and will transfer the power straight to where you want it. When you hit a spin server (slice, tospin or whatever) you need to slow down because you are not hitting through the ball and you need to concentrate in giving the ball a spin. You may have the same speed on the swing but not the same power behind it.
I hope this helps you

 

[Jonny S&V]

Yea i would like to do that, but its a bit of a dilemma, because i recently changed the way i serve, and changed my grip and im serving 1st serve bombs, and am now hitting a phew aces but i would most probably get more in if i add slice, i think ill just mix it up a bit, im struggling to hit powerful slice serves but again I think its just something i need to practice.

Slice serves don't have to be powerful, just well directed. I had the same problem about 6 months after I started playing, with the whole changing my grip and being able to hit a few slices.

 

[warneck]

Slice serves are rarely a winner, altho if your opponent is thrown off by guessing the wrong way, or reacting a bit slow it may become an ace.

A slice serve is a very good first serve to open the court when you're serving from the deuce side. (right side of the court) The placement of it should be wide into the left.

The most important thing of your first serves is to vary them.

And remember, your first serve should be called good 50-70% of the times, and your seconds should be 99% Meaning you could allow yourself 0-2 double faults per set.

And don't try to dink your serves in, 1st and 2nd's should be hit with the same racquet head speed. Just with different spin and net clearance - thus pace.