56 - The Serve - From hi-techtennis.com - Lesson 6: The Kick Serve - The Angle of Approach

 Lesson 6: The Kick Serve - The Angle of Approach

Top Video

The kick serve begins with the same crucial "see-saw" motion we saw in the flat serve. The pros set up a "launching pad" for their serves by rotating their shoulders in a see saw motion, leaving their elbow collapsed. This combination of a high and collapsed elbow perfectly sets up the next move.

It is so important that you set the serve up first by using your body to rotate the shoulders up in a see-saw motion with a collpased elbow. You have to set up the serve first with the body, and only then can you swing up to the ball with your arm. It's like shooting a rocket. First you have to set it up on a launching pad, and then you can fire it.

Unfortunately most people don't understand this, so they start swinging with their arm before they have set up the serve with the body.

Middle Video

The next move is exactly like in the flat serve, only the angle of approach is different. See how Federer opens up his elbow? After rotating the shoulders with a collapsed elbow, the next move is to "open up" the elbow. The crucial part of this move is that you do nothing with your hand and wrist. Remember that the serve is a series of unfolding parts, like a swiss army knife opening up. Open up one part and leave the other collapsed. This lets you transfer energy from one link in the chain to the next.

It takes patience to "hold back" like this and let energy flow from one move to the next. The irony is that rather than swinging faster or quicker, the pros actually are masters of delay and holding back, letting one move lead to the next.

Bottom Video

Federer is going to actually stop on the ball. Hold it for a second. Then pronate and provide torque to the ball. The key here is, just like the forehand, you can't just "swing through" this kick serve. You have to stop on the ball. Hold it or grab it for a second. Then prontate and torque it out to the right.

I want you to see how the mechanics of the serve are the same until the contact point. You must rotate the shoulders with a collapsed elbow. Then "uncollapse" the elbow up to the ball. The big difference we see here is the angle of approach. Instead of coming in right behind the ball, we come in at an angle from below the ball. This will let you "grab" the ball and then prontate and torque the ball out to the right.