What serve do you hit most?

[kevhen]

What serve (first or second) do you hit most?

I played with a lady last night who only knew how to hit slice serves from her high school days. Know only a couple of other people who primarily hit slice serves and was curious to know what serve people use most. I used to hit everything flat but now hit over 50% slice serves.

My guess from many opponents would be like 50% topspin, 40% flat, and 10% slice.

 

[theace21]

I hit with a lot of spin, get a high percentage in and put pressure on your opponent...

 

[joe sch]

I actually like to hit the kick serve most often unless the returner is getting smacking them for winner, then I will try to cannonball aces

 

[Phil Daddario]

I primarily hit flat. On second serves, I attempt topspin, and it works okay most of the time. But I've always been most comfortable hitting flat, and occasionally let a flat cannon out even on second serves, just for variety.

 

[ambro]

I'd say 70% topspin, 30% flat, and 10% slice. Always give 110%

 

[ffrpg]

I rarely ever use a slice serve. If I do, it'll use it as a second serve.

 

[Kaptain Karl]

In order, Slice, Kick, Flat. Stopped hitting Topspin altogether about 30 years ago.

- KK

 

[SageOfDeath]

Well flat, and slice because currently I can't do topspin

 

[FedererUberAlles]

I don't know how to do slice, I usually go flat DTL (I go for aces) and kicker on second serve.

 

[TennsDog]

I probably use 60% topspin (both first and second serves), 20% half slice/half topspin, 12% slice, 6% flat, and 2% twist.

 

[x Southpaw x]

You forgot to add twist serve as one of the options =( I use mainly topspin and twist. Even my flatest serves have some topspin.

 

[Junkball]

I'm shoot left-so naturally...slice.

 

[TheRed]

KK, what's the difference btn topspin and kick?

 

[joe sch]

KK, what's the difference btn topspin and kick?

kick and slice have opposite deflections, topspin is really worthless since it just bounces up for the returner. Im really surprised all these posters are claiming they hit topspin, do they really mean kick ? Kick aka american twist should have been an option in the poll, I just chose slice even though kick is more effective most of the time and my first choice unless heat is required

 

[Baseline Basher]

99% of my serves are topspin- always top on the second serve. THe other 1% is slice, down the middle in the ad court. (Yes, I'm right-handed.) I would hit kick serves, but my kick serves don't really kick.

 

[Andres]

50% Topspin, 40% flat and 10% slice

 

[Ken.Knight]

Baseline Basher, I dunno if you saw my other post, but if you're getting successful topspin just do the same thing...except with the toss landing further to the left, at about 8'o'clock (or 7:30, whatever works for you).

I hit primarily flat serves. I use a serve with slight kick for second serves, and am working on developing the kick more. It's coming along pretty fast since I got the toss down. I also use a slice serve occasionally for second serves, and rarely one as a first serve for drawing someone wide.

So is this first serve or altogether? First serve is 90% flat, 5% slice, and 5% kick. Second serve is 80% kick, 15% slice, and 5% flat for the occasional cannon to keep people off guard.

 

[kevhen]

I consider topspin and american twist pretty similar because if you don't hit the twist serve just right you end up with a topspin serve. I probably should have added twist but didn't think anyone used that as the serve they used most since most people only use it for second serves.

Overall I used to hit 90% flat and 10% slice on both serves when I was 3.5, but now it's like 60% slice, 20% flat, and 20% topspin. Last night I served the second set, each game a different serve for the entire game, starting with flat then slice then topspin and won all 3 against a strong 3.5 player who I beat 6-0, 6-1, very clean tennis last night.

The numbers are coming in pretty close to what I expected 50/40/10 46/36/18 so more people use slice than what I see around here, although if the twisters consider their serve to be slice since it's like reverse slice then that would account for the difference.

 

[x Southpaw x]

I consider topspin and american twist pretty similar because if you don't hit the twist serve just right you end up with a topspin serve.

The second part is true, but they are very very different. One bounces left, one bounces right. Topspin is easier to execute and return. Twist is harder to execute and return. A huge number of people can do the topspin but not twist. I took quite a while to learn twist too.

 

[kevhen]

Topspin bounces straight ahead and up. Oh, yeah, I remembered one other kind of serve that is like the American twist in how in that it bounces to the server's right. You use a western or semi-western grip and put reverse spin on the ball. I know of one for sure but maybe I have seen 2 players hit this kind of serve. It's like a lefty's slice staying left and curving away from the backhand.

 

[TennsDog]

A twist serve is not the same thing as a lefty slice. The lefty slice curves to the server's right the whole time, including after it bounces. A righty twist serve moves a little to the server's left in the air and then bounces to the right off the bounce. This is what makes it so hard to read and react to.

 

[cervelo]

Lefty slice is my most effective against the majority of my opponents because it stays low and forces them to hit up.

 

[x Southpaw x]

Topspin bounces straight ahead and up. Oh, yeah, I remembered one other kind of serve that is like the American twist in how in that it bounces to the server's right. You use a western or semi-western grip and put reverse spin on the ball. I know of one for sure but maybe I have seen 2 players hit this kind of serve. It's like a lefty's slice staying left and curving away from the backhand.

Oh dear... western or SW grip and put reverse spin? I think you've mistaken one of your serves for the American twist kick... the American twist (assuming right-handed) curves left in the air, and bounces to the server's right. It may seem to define the laws of physics, but it doesn't, it's just really hard to explain why it curves left and bounces right. Meanwhile the topspin kick serve (again assuming right-handed) no matter how straight you try... it will always bounce slightly to the left.

Meanwhile I've seen the western grip reverse spin serve you were mentioning. It's a fun shot that only works on someone who saw it for the first time. There's a low limit to the amount of pace you can put on it.

 

[kevhen]

Yes of course American twist is not like a lefty slice. Kicks higher and curves in air opposite way. But the serve I am talking about is a righty using a western grip and putting reverse slice spin on the ball so it is like a lefty slice. So those are the 5 serves I have seen with plenty of variations of each (like my slice is more like a flat since I don't toss out to the right like most people and you can mix the slice and topspin together): Flat, topspin, slice, twist, and reverse slice.

Any other serves out there? Oh, yeah I hit one overhead dropshot serve last night for grins and I have seen one guy hit sidearm groundstroke topspin serves that were pretty decent for not being overhead.

 

[eagle]

Spin on first and 2nd. Sometimes flat or slice.
Less swing speed on 2nd serve to ensure it lands in the box

Serves are 90% to the opponent's backhand

r,
eagle

 

[TwistServe]

1st serve: 70% flat or very little spin, 15% hard fast slice, 15% hard kicker
2nd serve: 50% american twist, 30% topspin, 15% topspin-slice, 5% slice

 

[joe sch]

Topspin bounces straight ahead and up. Oh, yeah, I remembered one other kind of serve that is like the American twist in how in that it bounces to the server's right. You use a western or semi-western grip and put reverse spin on the ball. I know of one for sure but maybe I have seen 2 players hit this kind of serve. It's like a lefty's slice staying left and curving away from the backhand.

Now you are starting to understand But its not the grip but the location on the ball and your follow thru that create the different spins. BTW, most advance players will use a continental or eastern grip for serving. This would be a post for somebody like BB since it would require alot of description ...

 

[kevhen]

The grip can help to create more spin on all shots groundstrokes and serves. Western will create most spin for forehands. Eastern backhand will create most spin on serves. Eastern forehand will create the least on serves and continental and eastern will create least on groundstrokes. Swing path helps to add more spin too but grip plays a major part as well.

 

[Kaptain Karl]

Ahhh! The "Reverse Slice."

Oh, yeah, I remembered one other kind of serve that is like the American twist in how in that it bounces to the server's right. You use a western or semi-western grip and put reverse spin on the ball.

kevhen - I'm gonna guess you play on clay a lot. Right? (I rarely see the Reverse Slice servers on hard courts.) When I played clay a lot, I saw a lot of people who used the Reverse Slice. About 20% of people who practice it (My figure.) actually become pretty good at it.

- KK

 

[kevhen]

No I play on hard court and have only played on clay once. The captain of my 3.5 team from a couple years ago hit that reverse slice with a western grip. It was tricky to deal with when playing against him as I needed to start out in the doubles alley it would bend so far to my left and stay very low and made it easy for his quick doubles partner to pick off any weak returns that needed to be sharp crosscourt or DTL. If only he would have taught himself a hard flat serve down the T, he would easily be 4.0 on his serve alone despite limited mobility.

 

[joe sch]

The grip can help to create more spin on all shots groundstrokes and serves. Western will create most spin for forehands. Eastern backhand will create most spin on serves. Eastern forehand will create the least on serves and continental and eastern will create least on groundstrokes. Swing path helps to add more spin too but grip plays a major part as well.

True, but this discussion is about serving, correct ?

 

[kevhen]

You made it one about spin and you said the grip doesn't affect spin, but that is not true. When I volley with a continental grip and no swing, the ball comes off with backspin. When I volley with an eastern grip and no swing, the ball comes off flat. So do you agree now that grip alone can affect spin? It changes the angle that you are striking the ball at.

 

[joe sch]

You made it one about spin and you said the grip doesn't affect spin, but that is not true. When I volley with a continental grip and no swing, the ball comes off with backspin. When I volley with an eastern grip and no swing, the ball comes off flat. So do you agree now that grip alone can affect spin? It changes the angle that you are striking the ball at.

Yes, I agree, but my comments were all regarding serving, Not vollies or groundies