Winning Pretty: Keys to the Kick

In this final part of the series, we break down the key mechanics behind the kick serve—how the hand and racquet work together to generate spin—and define the three primary variations: true topspin, slice topspin, and the twist. We also provide a practical progression of drills to build these fundamentals into a reliable second serve.

Three Variations

The next technical point is how the hand “closes” to set the racket on edge at the start of the movement upward to the ball. As the racket moves up to the ball, the knuckles of the hand should point basically toward the sky, and the palm should face partially downward toward the court. This is critical to develop spin. Many students swing upward toward the ball with the palm facing upwards, which makes it impossible to create the spin you need to hit a kick. From this position the racket moves upward and, in the last few microseconds before the contact, snaps forward and out to the right. Slight differences in the path of the racket and the angle of the racket head are what create the three different spin variations.

In learning the differences in how to hit the variations, it…