The slice serve is a type of serve that adds sidespin to the ball, causing it to curve to the right or left after the bounce. Unlike the flat serve, the slice serve relies more on spin than on raw power. For right-handed players, the slice serve can open up the court when serving from the deuce side and apply pressure down the T when serving from the ad side. The opposite applies for left-handed players. Let’s look at how to hit an effective slice serve.
Grip for the slice serve
The grip for the slice serve is the same grip used for the flat serve: the continental grip, also known as the hammer grip. Using this grip is essential for executing a successful and aggressive slice serve, as it allows the racket face and wrist to work correctly through contact.
Ball toss
Embed from Getty ImagesThe toss for the slice serve is slightly different from the flat serve toss. In a flat serve, the toss is ideally placed in line with your body and slightly inside the court. For the slice serve, however, the ball should be tossed slightly to the right for right-handed players and slightly to the left for left-handed players. This positioning makes it easier to brush the ball and create sidespin.
Contact point
Unlike the flat serve, where you rotate the wrist to hit directly through the ball, the slice serve requires you to brush the ball. Beginners often try to brush the ball from left to right at contact. This can work at first, but as players gain power and confidence, that motion often sends the ball wide.
If you imagine the ball as a clock face, the ideal contact point for a slice serve is around 1 o’clock. This creates the desired sidespin while keeping the ball under control and inside the court.
Follow-through
Embed from Getty ImagesThe follow-through on the slice serve is the same as on the flat serve. After contact, the racket comes down toward the opposite leg, completing the motion and allowing the point to begin.