Talk:Serve (tennis)

Serve terminology: Should that be removed or moved to See Also?
Not sure I see the point of the terminology section. I'm considering removing it, but can anyone present a compelling reason why it should not be touched? Thanks. Katsarephat (talk) 16:12, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Kick Serve vs. Twist Serve
Could someone please clarify the difference between these two serves before I combine the two. There is no such thing as a pure topspin serve....it is impossible to generate pure topspin during the serve. The brushing action ranges from pure sidespin to something like 45 degrees. The term twist serve is older then the term Kick and I have heard of the twist serve referred to as Australian Twist and American Twist. Nowadays everybody says kick. I think these two sections should be combined.

This article confuses a Kick Serve and Topsin Serve - a Topspin serve is not a "type of Kick serve." You are right to combine the Kick and "Twist" Serve because they are one and the same (the latter using a dated term). A Topspin serve is where the ball spins forewards and bounces high and in the same direction from which it was hit. A Kick serve is hit with forewards/sideways spin (right-way spin for right-handers, left-way spin for left-handers). It generally bounces higher than a Topspin serve and changes direction once it hits the ground. The Kick serve is used by most professionals as their second serve. A Topspin serve is easier to pull off since it requires a less efficient throwing motion and less wrist pronation. Magnifico19 02:47, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

We are not going to settle the dispute about what a kick serve is here. We must live with the fact that "kick serve" means different things to different people. Most use the term "kick serve" to apply to any serve with heavy topspin on it = the topspin serve and the twist serve. The high topspinning bounce that results seems like the court "kicks" the ball up at the receiver. Those who argue that a "kick serve" is a twist serve are associating the term "kick" with the breaking bounce of the twist serve only. But they have a hard time explaining why the term "kick" has also long been used to describe the bounce of any shot (such as a drive) with heavy topspin on it. Call the twist serve a "twist serve," period. Say that it is a kick serve. But also note that most regard the topspin serve as a kick serve as well.

As for the argument that there is no such thing as a pure topspin serve, it holds no water. There is no such thing as a pure flat serve or slice serve either. These are relative terms. Ken2849 03:45, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

Intention to serve
I saw one minor flaw in this article. The author(s) mention that if you touch the ball with your racket or body it is a fault. However, this is not the case. As long as you did not intend on hitting the ball, it is not a fault. For example, you may catch the ball on your racket if you don't like your toss.

I SAW THIS AS WELL AND CHANGED IT ONCE BUT HE CHANGED IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WRONG VERSION I just changed it again, by the way. I think we'll just keep doing this until he/she gets tired of changing it back. So ignorant to not even look up to see that my change was legit before changing it back. Maybe his was the truth in The Congo Jungle Tennis Association rulebook.

Proper grip for serves
I've always thought the continental grip is somewhat less natural on serve (but not on strokes). Using the grip, the racket doesnt face squarely to the ball; many players trying to hit a twist serve for the first time often hits it on the frame. After a while the continental grip is easier to use, but novices often have trouble with it. Anyway, your text is much nicer. Cheers -Aree
 * I myself think it's much easier to use for any kind of serve, whether spin, twist, or flat. But then I use it for everything anyway.  True, when I was a kid, sometimes I would hit the frame when trying to hit an American twist serve.  But I would also hit myself on the left shin during the follow-through of a flat serve.  Ouch!


 * The continental grip is the proper grip for all types of serves, except maybe a flat serve can be hit with an Eastern.Magnifico19 03:04, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Geez, would you please join the adults and delete those stupid pix that idiot is posting into the tennis article. How can he/she/it possibly be so stupid?  Words fail me.... Double cheers! Hayford Peirce 00:50, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Serve and volley vs. Serve-volley

 * There are 4 times more Googles hits for "serve and volley" than "serve-volley". I think that the article "serve-volley" should be renamed to the other.  But I'm too lazy to go to the trouble to move it around myself. Hayford Peirce 00:01, 18 Jun 2005 (UTC)


 * Thought so as well. Serve-volley term is not used so much.

Which side of the court
Which side of the court does the receiver stand on odd and even points?


 * On Even points (Deuce), the server and receiver stand on the right side of their respective courts. On Odd points (Advantage), on the left side.

Great servers
What is Svetlana Kuznetsova doing in this list? What makes a great server? First serve speed? Winning percentage? Serve positioning? Aces? All of the above? One of the above?

What's the criteria for a "great server?" Where is McEnroe? There should be some standard for such a list.

I alphabetized the list, since it was, basically, random.

I also suggest that, if the list survives, it should be two lists -- men and women. Don't start screaming, but the best professional men server much faster than even the best professional women. JJ 00:26, 27 January 2006 (UTC)


 * None of these valid points were ever addressed, nor were they followed up on. There is only one way to go about handling this in an encyclopedic manner and that is removal. This is to be reinstated ONLY when verified and defined: what makes the best servers, and who made the call. Drmies (talk) 20:33, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

popularization of the American twist serve
I've been using it off and on since 1955 and consider myself at least a fair student of the history of tennis and I've never heard that bit about the Davis Cup in relation to it. Not saying it isn't true, but I think there ought to be some real *facts* here before it's so baldly stated. For instance: *which* Davis Cup round? Who was playing? Who used the American twist? Did it work? Etc. etc. Hayford Peirce 04:07, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

Topspin-Slice serve???
Has anyone heard of this? It seems like an oxymoron to me - how can you hit a ball with topspin and still make it dive downwards? I will remove this section if others agree.Magnifico19 03:09, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
 * "Slice" refers to "sidespin" in regard to serves. This type of serve spins with topspin but also curves to one side.--70.253.208.227 04:56, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

Topspin-slice serve vs. Twist
Perhaps I misunderstand, but what is the difference between topspin-slice and twist serves? The descriptions even make them sound the same except that they bounce differently. If they are hit the same and spin the same, why does one bounce one way, and one the other? Either the article is in error, or this point could use some clarification. I'm a beginner, and trying to learn, so thanks for your help oh tennis gurus.--Dbbenton 01:39, 17 September 2007 (UTC)


 * These two serves are hit differently. I favour the topspin-slice serve and I hit the ball usually above and to the right of my head. The twist is hit above your head or even sometimes above and behind it. The strokes are somewhat different which causes the differences. Jaewonnie (talk) 00:04, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Puff-ball Serve
I see this term used a lot in news reports but its meaning is not easily found on the web. Wikipedia could really help here. Could someone who knows more add a definition? 150.101.78.49 (talk) 23:28, 17 January 2008 (UTC)
 * if i had to guess, I think it would be a begginer's serve where the ball is tossed directly in front of you, and then "punched" over the net with the racquet only using part of your arm (ususally just the wrist or elbow down). I've never heard that term before, though, so just a stab in the dark.

Useless Information
"In the anime/manga named "Prince of Tennis", the main character; Ryoma Echizen, uses this move a lot!" That is not relevant to the article at all. It has been removed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.41.118.95 (talk) 19:46, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

Rectocentricity?
I'm a lefty and this article, with the serve description directions being right-handed, is confusing to me. I understand that writing the article over again for southpaws makes no sense, but could someone clarify directions and add a warning about those directions being for a right-handed player? Thanks in advance. MToolen (talk) 20:01, 4 May 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm also a lefty and I will take a look and see what I can do. Thanks. Katsarephat (talk) 16:10, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Legal standing position
The 'Legal Serves' paragraph doesn't say where you can serve from, exactly.

Can you serve from outside the inner tram-line?

Can you serve from outside the outer tram-line?

Trafford09 (talk) 18:08, 1 June 2010 (UTC)

'Players with great first serves' section = dubious?
IMHO, the 'Players with great first serves' section is pointless, unless the reason for a particular player's inclusion is given (which in 4 cases it is) _and_ citations are given. Otherwise, anyone could add a player in (and I guess delete a player).

Are there official statistics held - and accessible as valid [wp:RS]] - for each player's serving success? Trafford09 (talk) 18:15, 1 June 2010 (UTC)

Nobody looking after this part of Tennis, it seems, so I've been wp:Bold, and removed the 'Others players' subsection. Of course, feel free to add (or re-add) a player PROVIDED you can also supply wp:RS to back up their claim. --Trafford09 (talk) 08:29, 24 June 2010 (UTC)

Lets
Can someone who is experienced with editing in Wikipedia try to add what I was trying to add about the alternative rule to play lets. (You'll find it in history.) Currently, the way the footnotes are set up is confusing because the footnote is not a reference for what is written there but rather an exception. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Carinamc (talk • contribs) 00:55, 12 October 2011 (UTC)

Haas serve
Can somebody please use an image in which server does NOT foot fault, thanks. Splićanin (talk) 08:22, 23 March 2020 (UTC)