The demo using the topspin pro is so valuable. It’s the visual I need. Also, thank you for always explaining WHY we are doing a certain motion, technique, etc. instead of just saying, “Do this”, and ending it right there. The “Whys” are the best guide.
Ryan - Your videos on topspin serves have REALLY helped me in the last two months or so. I'm a 4.0 player and I was struggling with my serve big-time in the winter months. There were times I served 3 double-faults in a game. Yeah, that bad. Your videos helped me to be able to 1) practice well and 2) make adjustments during matches because I knew what I was supposed to be doing. I can't thank you enough. Last night I played a match and had one double-fault the whole night, along with 3 aces and many service winners. You got this!
Hi Ryan, thanks alot, you really helped with my serve, I just wanted to drop another drill you could add, incase you want to revisit the tips on how to serve. there were two drills I did: 1. the first was emulating the volley ball players and how they serve, but just the hand motion. it's exactly the same with tennis players but without a racket. the toss, the leap, scratching your partners "back", and the pronation on contact. 2. After going through the hand motion, then I involved the racket, with your lessons on the toss. so now I have a flat and slice serve...(well will add this drill to include a kick serve). With your videos, I now serve more consistently with very little double faults. Thanks again for the videos.
This is great and just what I've been looking for. Thank you so much. In concert with your lessons on involving the legs more in the serve, this will really boost my game! Off to the courts tomorrow to train! Cheers and thank you from Sydney, Aust - Dave
Hi Ryan, great video addressing the progression to learn kick serve. Thanks for it. I always want to clarify a question about kick serve. When the racket face contacts the ball during a kick serve, is the racket face open, square or closed? When I say open I mean the racket face is pointing slightly upward towards the sky. Square means it is pointing towards the opposite court. Closed means it is pointing slightly downward. Appreciate your clarification on this point.
@@2MinuteTennis have you watched the clip Mark Philippoussis teaching kick serve? It’ll blow your mind😂. ( hint: more bizarre than The Coach Patrick) 😄
The part when you explained about the highest contact point is an eye opener. I would always assume that I needed to reach for the ball and then supinate and pronate but it feels only wrist and stiff, impossible to get a good contact. Do I understand it that the arm needs to be a bit bend to iniatiate the kick?
@@diego81990 glad you liked the video. Arm should be straight at contact. But the racket is to the left of your hand (if right handed) at contact. You may need to feel like your arm is slightly bent and straightening when you hit, but that’s just the feeling and not what should actually be happening.
@Ryan, I have always tried to hit my topspin serve at the apex of the toss. Vast majority of the time, my topspin serve has very little height or kick, so not the most effective. Your tip about letting the toss drop and then spin it up as your racquet travels to its apex seems to be exactly what I might need. Do you think that might be my problem? Still recovering from a shoulder issue, but will try this for sure next time.
To get good kick, it is important to swing fast. If your swing is not fast enough, you won't produce a heavy kick serve. Make sure to swing fast and get your weight behind the ball. Use a one-hand backhand grip, toss properly (not too high and slightly to the left for a right hander), get good hip rotation. Kick serves are easier to hit in the ad court for right handers. Once you have the toss in the right position, move quickly. You need a fast swing to produce an effective kick serve. Don't worry too much if the ball doesn't kick up -- the heavy spin makes it hard to return even if the ball stays low. The worst thing you can do is to hit a kick serve that bounces high but doesn't move fast into the returner.
Thanks for asking. It simply means don’t contact “above” your hand at your highest reach, but allow the ball to drop to you can contact “next” to your hand. One of the biggest issues with topspin serves for players is they contact too high. You have to allow the ball to drop a bit so you have room to keep going up as you hit. The flat serve is contacted higher than the topspin serve.
Osaka's coach has her do a kick serve drill wherein he places a trash can in the service box. One of the other instructional channels had the former ATP 300 pro do this drill with 10 balls and he got zero in the can. Many were close though. I am just a 3.5 and have not learnt a kick serve. But I tried this today. Placed the garbage can in the Ad corner. I got it in the garbage can on the third ball. 😆🤣😄
It's dumb that I never thought to just do the quarter motion to practice hitting it correctly. It eliminates all the other factors that can get in the way of hitting the ball.
If I shadow swing (without a ball toss) with these tips in mind before serving, my success rate goes way up. One player said it wasn’t legal. My reply: show me the rule.
You’re right. That said … The contact point, string face angle and racquet Head speed together determine where the ball lands. When learning this serve, it isn’t important to put the ball in play on the first day or even the first week. A deliberate, relaxed motion works better because we can feel all the parts making the ball spin. That leisurely swing striking the ball over the head with the strings a bit open will get the ball going just fine. As we get better and swing the racquet faster, we’ll want to make contact closer to the net. The smart ones figure it out. Some of us need a little more guidance.
PlayYourCourt: playyourcourt.com/2MinuteTennis
TopspinPro link: topspinpro.com/ref/2minutetennis/
The demo using the topspin pro is so valuable. It’s the visual I need. Also, thank you for always explaining WHY we are doing a certain motion, technique, etc. instead of just saying, “Do this”, and ending it right there. The “Whys” are the best guide.
Ryan - Your videos on topspin serves have REALLY helped me in the last two months or so. I'm a 4.0 player and I was struggling with my serve big-time in the winter months. There were times I served 3 double-faults in a game. Yeah, that bad. Your videos helped me to be able to 1) practice well and 2) make adjustments during matches because I knew what I was supposed to be doing. I can't thank you enough. Last night I played a match and had one double-fault the whole night, along with 3 aces and many service winners. You got this!
Ray I’m so excited to read your comment. Thank you for trusting me to help you improve your serve. You got this!! 😊
Thanks
Hi Ryan, thanks alot, you really helped with my serve, I just wanted to drop another drill you could add, incase you want to revisit the tips on how to serve. there were two drills I did:
1. the first was emulating the volley ball players and how they serve, but just the hand motion. it's exactly the same with tennis players but without a racket. the toss, the leap, scratching your partners "back", and the pronation on contact.
2. After going through the hand motion, then I involved the racket, with your lessons on the toss. so now I have a flat and slice serve...(well will add this drill to include a kick serve).
With your videos, I now serve more consistently with very little double faults. Thanks again for the videos.
This is great and just what I've been looking for. Thank you so much. In concert with your lessons on involving the legs more in the serve, this will really boost my game! Off to the courts tomorrow to train! Cheers and thank you from Sydney, Aust - Dave
Awesome explanation. Thanks
Hey there, gave you the follow, thanks for the tips today at the courts! Really helped and instantly saw a difference.
Hey Brandon!! Haha yes nice meeting you! I filmed this video just before. Thanks for trying it and hopefully some of my videos will help you too!!
Nicely done, Ryan.
Haha thanks Ranjith!! I told you I’d make the video! I made this after our lesson together. 😊
Hi Ryan, great video addressing the progression to learn kick serve. Thanks for it. I always want to clarify a question about kick serve. When the racket face contacts the ball during a kick serve, is the racket face open, square or closed? When I say open I mean the racket face is pointing slightly upward towards the sky. Square means it is pointing towards the opposite court. Closed means it is pointing slightly downward. Appreciate your clarification on this point.
The racket will be the tiniest bit closed at contact.
@@2MinuteTennis have you watched the clip Mark Philippoussis teaching kick serve? It’ll blow your mind😂. ( hint: more bizarre than The Coach Patrick) 😄
@@2MinuteTennis I don't understand how you can hit up on the ball with a closed racket face.
@@bournejason66 hilariously awful
The part when you explained about the highest contact point is an eye opener. I would always assume that I needed to reach for the ball and then supinate and pronate but it feels only wrist and stiff, impossible to get a good contact. Do I understand it that the arm needs to be a bit bend to iniatiate the kick?
@@diego81990 glad you liked the video. Arm should be straight at contact. But the racket is to the left of your hand (if right handed) at contact. You may need to feel like your arm is slightly bent and straightening when you hit, but that’s just the feeling and not what should actually be happening.
Very good drill
@Ryan, I have always tried to hit my topspin serve at the apex of the toss. Vast majority of the time, my topspin serve has very little height or kick, so not the most effective. Your tip about letting the toss drop and then spin it up as your racquet travels to its apex seems to be exactly what I might need. Do you think that might be my problem? Still recovering from a shoulder issue, but will try this for sure next time.
To get good kick, it is important to swing fast. If your swing is not fast enough, you won't produce a heavy kick serve. Make sure to swing fast and get your weight behind the ball. Use a one-hand backhand grip, toss properly (not too high and slightly to the left for a right hander), get good hip rotation. Kick serves are easier to hit in the ad court for right handers.
Once you have the toss in the right position, move quickly. You need a fast swing to produce an effective kick serve. Don't worry too much if the ball doesn't kick up -- the heavy spin makes it hard to return even if the ball stays low. The worst thing you can do is to hit a kick serve that bounces high but doesn't move fast into the returner.
The instruction about, "the inside of my/your hand is a little unclear." At 0:22. Please elaborate.
Thanks for asking. It simply means don’t contact “above” your hand at your highest reach, but allow the ball to drop to you can contact “next” to your hand. One of the biggest issues with topspin serves for players is they contact too high. You have to allow the ball to drop a bit so you have room to keep going up as you hit. The flat serve is contacted higher than the topspin serve.
Osaka's coach has her do a kick serve drill wherein he places a trash can in the service box.
One of the other instructional channels had the former ATP 300 pro do this drill with 10 balls and he got zero in the can. Many were close though.
I am just a 3.5 and have not learnt a kick serve. But I tried this today.
Placed the garbage can in the Ad corner. I got it in the garbage can on the third ball.
😆🤣😄
It was good tip for advanced player. But i think it will be better that toss will be more frontward and lean to ball for beginner player.
The one tip that I think sticks out the most to me is allowing the ball to drop further…I'll have to practice these again.
It's dumb that I never thought to just do the quarter motion to practice hitting it correctly. It eliminates all the other factors that can get in the way of hitting the ball.
If I shadow swing (without a ball toss) with these tips in mind before serving, my success rate goes way up. One player said it wasn’t legal. My reply: show me the rule.
Why would it be illegal?
You want the toss to land in front of the baseline, otherwise you're gonna feel off balance and your kick serves will likely sail long
You’re right. That said … The contact point, string face angle and racquet Head speed together determine where the ball lands. When learning this serve, it isn’t important to put the ball in play on the first day or even the first week. A deliberate, relaxed motion works better because we can feel all the parts making the ball spin. That leisurely swing striking the ball over the head with the strings a bit open will get the ball going just fine. As we get better and swing the racquet faster, we’ll want to make contact closer to the net. The smart ones figure it out. Some of us need a little more guidance.