Kick Serve Fundamentals: Building a Reliable Second Serve

The kick serve is the second serve of virtually every professional and high-level player. It clears the net by a wide margin, dives down into the box, and bounces up and away from the returner. Learning to hit one is the single biggest upgrade most club players can make to their game.

Grip

Continental, edging slightly toward eastern backhand. The racquet face should feel like it is on edge relative to the ball at contact — not facing the target.

Toss

The toss for a kick is different than for a flat serve. Two things change:

1. Position: toss slightly further to your left (for right-handers) — over your left shoulder rather than in front of you. Some coaches say "at 11 o'clock" if 12 is straight up and forward.
2. Height: slightly lower than a flat serve toss, so you catch it on the way up or at peak.

Practice tossing without swinging. If the ball would land behind your head or on your left shoulder, the toss is correct for a kick.

Swing path

This is where kick serves are made or missed. On a flat serve, the racquet swings from behind the head straight up through the ball. On a kick serve, the racquet swings from low-left to high-right across the back of the ball — brushing up and out.

Think of the ball as a clock face. On a flat serve, you hit 6 to 12. On a kick serve, you brush from 7 to 1.

The critical feeling

At contact, the arm is fully extended, the wrist snaps up and around, and the racquet finishes on the right side of the body for a right-hander — not across it. That across-the-body finish is what pronates the racquet face and produces the kick.

Progression

1. Shadow swings — no ball, no toss. Get the swing path grooved.
2. Slow-motion kicks at half speed into the deuce box.
3. Full speed but focus on spin, not power. Kick serves are rated by RPM, not MPH.
4. Match-simulation — first serve flat or slice, second serve kick.

When it clicks

You will feel the ball roll off the strings, hear a distinct "brush" sound, and see the ball arc high above the net before diving into the box. Once you feel that once, you can find it again.

A reliable kick serve turns your second serve from a liability into a weapon. It is worth every hour.