Flat, kick & slice: Your guide to serve spins

Using different spins can be an effective way to improve your serve effectiveness in matches. 

Spin will impact the way the ball bounces on your opponent’s side of the court, the consistency of your serve and add different layers to your overall game. 

LTA expert tennis coach Matt Smith breaks down flat, kick and slice serves, including how and when to use them in matches. 

Serving coaching tips 

For all of these serves, you want to be holding the racket in a continental or ‘chopper’ grip. 

To do this, hold the bottom of the racket in your dominant hand as if you’re trying to shake hands with someone. 

Check out our expert tips on how to hit a serve 

Flat serve 

What is a flat serve? 

A flat serve is one with little to no spin on the ball and will have a true bounce for your opponent. 

These are generally first serves where you might want to up the speed and power on the ball, making it harder to return. 

How to hit a flat serve 

For a flat serve, you’re aiming for a motion that looks like you’re throwing your arm through the ball. At the point of contact, when you’re reaching up, you want to pronate or turn out your wrist and racket to add more power to the ball.  

You want to hit the back of the ball with the racket strings facing the opposite service box where you’re aiming. 

The ball toss for a flat serve should be just in front of you, so you can hit through the ball with more speed and power. 

Slice serve 

What is a slice serve? 

A slice serve is where you hit the side of the ball, causing it to spin horizontally like a frisbee. 

This means that the ball comes down slower, has more time in the air and bounces out to the side when it lands. 

Slice serves can be particularly effective on surfaces like grass or astroturf, and the extra hang time on the ball makes it a great option on the second serve. 

How to hit a slice serve 

The aim here is that you want to hit around the side of the ball. 

Your racket should be aimed towards the side of the court or service box, and as you come through to hit the ball, you’re aiming to make contact on the side of the ball.  

If you think about the ball as a clock, you want the strings to contact the ball at three o’clock.  

You can also throw the ball up slightly to the side to help you find that contact point. 

Kick (top spin) serve 

What is a kick serve? 

On a kick serve you’re hitting the ball with top spin. This helps you get higher clearance over the net and makes the ball bounce higher in your opponent’s service box. 

This can be effective as a first or second serve – particularly hitting into the backhand at club level. 

How to hit a kick serve 

On a kick serve, the ball toss is going to be back up over your head, instead of being out in front. 

You’re aiming to brush up the back of the ball with your racket to create that top spin effect – like you would a forehand or backhand. 

Practice with the racket just behind your head and slowly toss the ball and hitting up the back of it to create the spin. Start in the service boxes and then move to the baseline before upping the speed and introducing your full service motion.