Slice Serve

In this section you’ll find video lessons on the fundamentals of the slice serve. As you’ll see in the subsequent lessons, we teach the slice serve by using the technical framework we learned in the serve fundamentals area of FYB.com. Make sure you’ve checked those videos out before approaching the lessons here!

Introduction to the Slice Serve
The slice serve is a very important serve to master if you’re interested in advancing to higher-levels of play. It can be a very effective first serve. We’ve taught the slice serve by comparing it to the flat serve.

Toss Location
When hitting a slice serve you need to toss the ball further to your side so you can swing across the ball later in the motion. This will allow you to create the sidespin that defines the slice serve.

Swing Direction and Pronation
Because you’ve tossed the ball further to your side than you do on a flat serve, you’ll have to swing differently to get to contact.

Follow Through
The follow through on the slice serve is more to your side than on a flat serve. Not a ton but still a noticeable amount.

{ 20 comments }

stephane June 26, 2009 at 3:47 pm

Hello,
Bravo for your site. I am french.
I don’t understand how to see vidéo of slice serve.
Is it possible to get some help?
Thank you Stephane

LaviathanX June 27, 2009 at 11:13 am: hello fellow tennis player,
just click one of those blue underlined words next to the number to watch the corresponding video. If you click one of them, and it does not have a video, that means you have to sign up for their mailing list; its free, so it’s no problem.

I hope this helps.

Paul July 2, 2009 at 2:14 pm

I hope we can watch Slice Serve Progressions soon since I’m still not getting it. Most of my try out for slice serve went into the net, which is pretty weird.

steve August 11, 2009 at 11:50 pm

hey try hitting the outside of the ball ie the outer or right half

Tay Wrede August 24, 2009 at 4:51 pm: or toss the ball a little further (not too much) behind your head.

JLightning December 11, 2009 at 11:16 am

A problem that I had with my slice serve too was that it kept going into the net. Someone told me that you have to hit up at the ball,(not like up, up, up at the ball like your trying to smack it into the heavens XD) and rely on the spin to bring it down. Should aim near the right of the service box when on the deuce side, and to the right as well when on the ad. side. So there is a greater chance of landing in. When you get better you can start aiming your serves at the backhand hopefully.
Hope this helps.

Luciano July 4, 2009 at 6:37 pm

Very good page.

Jack Buck July 9, 2009 at 5:43 pm

friend said very interesting videos

Jack Buck July 9, 2009 at 5:45 pm

frind said interestin videos

sammy_james July 12, 2009 at 3:51 am

a slice is sooo easy…but is it possible to do a slice servw???????

wonsikchoi from korea July 14, 2009 at 9:07 am

awesome fantastic contents !!! thanks U

MF (Holland) July 27, 2009 at 2:26 pm

thanks to this site ALL(!) my strokes are really improved. I didn’t do much wrong, but some parts were ‘missing’ in my strokes. Super videos!

steve July 29, 2009 at 7:56 pm

Will, perhaps you could have a video showing how to return the biting slice serve and the slice groundies…the shots that skid along, and are bouncing away with spin….i do know that i have trouble returning these balls, whether it be because i’m not low enough, i’m not swinging up enough on the ball, i’m not getting my racquet back quickly enough, i’m not generating enough racquet speed thru the ball….or combination of all of the above! (Too many tennis lessons are generally spent hitting flat balls)…THX for this terrific website!

El kadmiri Rabie"rafa of marocco" September 23, 2009 at 5:22 am

salut,et speciallement un grand salut à tout nos gigantesques tennismen” nadal/federer/djoko…”,tout d’abort j’ai 17 ans ,et ça fait au moins 2ans que j’ai entré dans le monde de la balle jaune et maintenant je résèrve ma place dans la case des jeunes professionnels,je m’entraine 3jours par semaine dans mon club préféré”S.T.C.O” ,moi je pense que j’ai les compétentes éssentielles pour un etre un joueurs COMPLET “slice/sevice-vollet…”,et j’espère d’avoir votre soutiens mes cher lecteurs”NE ME REJETEZ PAS C’EST UNE CHANCE EN OR”

Derek September 27, 2009 at 8:46 am

Anyway to add the QuickTime mpeg4 versions? I know that’s a long shot Woul be good for
on the court training. Great website!’

Preston November 17, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Will, do you think that you guys will add any progressions for the slice serve?

Will Hamilton November 17, 2009 at 9:32 pm: Hey Preston. It’s on our list — unfortunately, our list is very long (heh). So not 100% sure when we’ll get to this.

bukfukanbukchoidohlmarr from vietnam January 14, 2010 at 2:12 am