The kick serve is one of the most useful serves in tennis because it combines spin, control, and a high bounce. Instead of travelling straight through the court like a flat serve, the ball dips into the service box and then jumps upward after the bounce.
This makes the kick serve particularly effective as a second serve. The topspin provides greater clearance over the net, while the high bounce can push the returner backward or force them to contact the ball above their preferred hitting zone.
Learning how to serve in tennis with kick requires patience. The motion depends on the correct grip, a controlled ball toss, upward racket acceleration, body rotation, and a brushing contact rather than a direct strike through the ball.
Use the Continental Grip
The correct grip for a kick serve is the Continental grip. This is the same grip used for the flat serve, slice serve, volleys, overheads, and many touch shots.
To find the Continental grip, hold the racket as though you were shaking hands with it or using it like a hammer. The base knuckle of the index finger should rest on bevel two for a right-handed player, with the position mirrored for a left-handed player.
Some advanced players move slightly toward an Eastern backhand grip to increase spin, but beginners should first develop the kick serve with a standard Continental grip.
Avoid using a forehand grip. It may feel easier to place the strings behind the ball, but it limits racket-head speed, pronation, spin production, and disguise.
Start From a Balanced Stance
Begin behind the baseline with your body turned sideways toward the net. Right-handed players place the left foot closer to the baseline, while left-handed players place the right foot forward.
You can use either a platform or pinpoint stance. In a platform stance, the feet remain separated throughout the loading phase. In a pinpoint stance, the back foot moves closer to the front foot before the player drives upward.
The platform stance is often easier for beginners because it provides greater balance. Whichever stance you choose, keep the knees relaxed and avoid facing the net too early.
The kick serve requires strong upward movement, so your starting position should allow you to bend the knees, rotate the shoulders, and push against the court without losing balance.
Kick Serve Ball Toss
The ball toss for a kick serve is usually placed slightly farther over the head than the toss for a flat or slice serve. For a right-handed player, the ball may be released slightly toward the left side of the head. A left-handed player uses the mirrored position.
The adjustment should remain small. Tossing the ball too far behind the body forces the player to arch excessively, reduces balance, and may place unnecessary stress on the lower back and shoulder.
The ball should still be high enough to allow full extension and slightly inside the baseline. You should be able to drive upward toward it rather than falling backward while attempting to brush underneath it.
Advanced players often use very similar tosses for different serve types. This makes it more difficult for the returner to recognize whether a flat, slice, or kick serve is coming.
Move Into the Trophy Position
As the tossing arm rises, rotate the shoulders and allow the racket arm to move into the trophy position. The tossing arm should extend upward, the hitting elbow should be raised, and the front shoulder should sit higher than the back shoulder.
Bend the knees comfortably and keep the upper body turned. The body should feel loaded and ready to drive upward.
The trophy position should be part of one continuous service motion. Avoid stopping for too long or forcing the racket into a fixed pose.
Shoulder tilt is particularly important on the kick serve because it helps direct the racket upward. If the shoulders become level too early, the swing may move forward before enough spin has been created.
Use the Legs to Drive Upward
A kick serve should feel as though the body is moving upward toward the ball. Bend the knees during the loading phase and push against the court as the racket begins accelerating.
The legs do not create spin directly, but they help raise the contact point and support a faster upward swing. Without leg drive, players often compensate by forcing the shoulder or wrist, which reduces control and can increase physical stress.
Keep your head up and your chest controlled as you extend. Avoid collapsing the upper body or leaning dramatically backward.
The movement should be upward first, followed by forward rotation into the court. Driving forward too early can flatten the racket path and reduce the amount of kick produced.
Allow the Racket to Drop
As the legs begin extending, the racket head drops behind the back. This creates the distance required to accelerate upward toward contact.
Keep the arm and wrist relaxed during the racket drop. A tense serving arm limits racket-head speed and makes the motion feel forced.
From the drop, the racket travels upward on edge. The forearm then rotates naturally as the strings approach the ball.
Do not try to place the racket as low as possible behind your back. The depth of the drop depends on shoulder mobility, rhythm, and relaxation. Focus on a smooth throwing motion rather than forcing an extreme position.
Kick Serve Contact Point
The contact point should be high and slightly over the head. It is normally less far in front than the contact point used for a flat serve.
Imagine the ball as a clock face. A right-handed player generally brushes from approximately 7 or 8 o’clock toward 1 or 2 o’clock. A left-handed player uses the mirrored direction.
This racket path creates a combination of topspin and sidespin. The topspin helps the ball dip into the service box and bounce higher, while the sidespin creates sideways movement after the bounce.
The exact contact area depends on your toss, grip, swing path, and intended direction. Do not become so focused on the clock-face description that the motion turns into a slow brushing action.
A successful kick serve still requires racket-head speed. The racket must accelerate aggressively upward and across the ball.
Brush Up the Back of the Ball
The main difference between a kick serve and a flat serve is the direction of the racket path. A flat serve sends more energy directly through the back of the ball, while a kick serve brushes upward and across it.
The racket should move from low to high with enough forward movement to send the ball deep into the service box. Swinging only upward may create spin, but the serve can become slow and land short.
Do not attempt to create kick by snapping the wrist. The wrist should remain relaxed, while spin comes from the upward swing, shoulder rotation, forearm movement, and racket-head acceleration.
The goal is to create heavy spin without sacrificing all forward pace. A good kick serve should clear the net safely, dip into the box, and rise sharply after the bounce.
Pronation on the Kick Serve
Pronation still occurs on a kick serve. It is the natural rotation of the forearm that allows the racket to move from an edge-first position into contact and continue through the follow-through.
Some players avoid pronation because they believe the racket face must remain turned sideways to brush the ball. This creates a weak chopping motion and limits racket speed.
Allow the forearm to rotate naturally while maintaining the upward and diagonal racket path. The racket will finish differently from a flat serve, but pronation remains part of the motion.
Kick Serve Follow-Through
After contact, allow the racket to continue upward, forward, and across the body. The finish may initially appear more toward the hitting side than on a flat serve because of the upward brushing path.
Do not force the racket to finish in a particular position. A natural follow-through is the result of the swing that occurred before and during contact.
Land in a balanced position inside or near the baseline. Bring the racket back in front of your body and prepare for the return.
The point is not over after the serve. A kick serve often creates a high or defensive return, so be ready to move forward and attack the next ball.
Where to Aim the Kick Serve
A kick serve is particularly effective when directed toward the returner’s backhand. The high bounce can force the opponent to contact the ball around shoulder height, making it difficult to attack.
A right-handed player can use a kick serve from the ad court to move the ball high and away from a right-handed opponent’s backhand. Left-handed players can create a similar pattern from the deuce court.
The body serve is another effective option. A high-bouncing ball directed toward the returner can restrict their movement and make it difficult to create space for a full swing.
You can also serve down the T or wide, but placement should be developed after you can create consistent spin and depth.
How to Practise the Kick Serve
Begin close to the service line and practise brushing upward on the ball using a shortened motion. Focus on creating visible spin and a higher bounce rather than speed.
Move gradually toward the baseline as your control improves. Use the full Continental grip and maintain the same upward racket acceleration.
A useful drill is to serve over a higher visual target above the net. This encourages greater clearance and helps you trust the spin to pull the ball down into the service box.
You can also practise from your knees or from a seated position to isolate the upward brushing action. However, return to the full standing motion quickly so the serve remains connected to the legs and body.
Place targets deep in the service box and aim for height, depth, and movement. A kick serve that lands short may sit up for the returner, even if it has plenty of spin.
When to Use the Kick Serve
The kick serve is most commonly used as a second serve because it provides a larger margin over the net and greater control than a flat serve. The spin helps bring the ball down even when the server swings aggressively.
It can also be used as a first serve to push an opponent away from the baseline or expose a weak high backhand. Mixing kick serves with slice serves and flat serves makes your service pattern more difficult to predict.
Avoid using the same placement every time. Even a strong kick serve becomes easier to return when the opponent knows where it will bounce.
Final Thoughts
The kick serve is one of the safest and most effective ways to begin a point. Its heavy spin creates greater net clearance, helps the ball dip into the service box, and produces a high bounce that can trouble the returner.
Use a Continental grip, place the toss slightly over the head, drive upward with the legs, and accelerate the racket from low to high. Brush upward and across the ball while allowing natural pronation and a relaxed follow-through.
Focus on racket-head speed, spin, and depth before trying to add maximum power. With regular practice, the kick serve can become a dependable second serve and an effective attacking option.
For a complete serve fix check out The Tennis Serve Fix.