How to Do a Topspin Serve in Tennis

The topspin or "kick" serve is an advanced technique you should add to your tennis game once you have experience. More advanced players typically use the topspin serve as a second serve, creating an unexpected bounce, which is difficult for an opponent to return.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Grip your tennis racquet similar to your backhand grip. Rotate your hand counter clockwise 90 degrees from your standard grip. This grip helps you generate greater spin on the ball.

2. Toss the ball at the noon position, above or even just behind your head and slightly to the left. If the ball were to land, it would hit you on the top of your forehead. A high, well-placed toss allows you to maximize the topspin on your ball.

3. Arch your back more than usual as you toss the ball. Make sure your body faces slightly sideways to the court. Your swing path should flow sideways, parallel to the baseline, rather than toward the net.

4. Swing your racquet so its head hits up and over the back of the ball. Push your racquet through the ball. This technique creates the spin, which causes your tennis ball to loop higher over the net and then dip down into the court. After it bounces, the topspin kicks the ball high and to the left.

5. Continue to work on your form and accuracy to master this serve.

Tips & Warnings

• One key to the topspin is racquet-head speed. Swing quickly rather than putting all your muscle into it.
• Be sure your racquet head meets your ball at the apex of your toss to generate the greatest topspin.

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