Sam Stosur – the best kicker in the women’s game

I had a chance to be courtside at the recent WTA tournament in Stanford California, marveling at as well as filming this incredible serve.

Following her impressive run at Roland Garros in 2010 Sam is ranked 5th on the WTA tour. A fluent all court player, previously a doubles specialist, she owns the best kick serve on the tour. Repeat, the best kick serve on the tour.

Take enough time with the videos to create this image in your mind. You could even practice this serve off court, first using your mind’s eye to see Sam serving, and then using your mind’s eye to see yourself delivering a version of this serve.

  • Stand off center to the ad court – well off center, 4 to 6 feet off the center line
  • Use your legs
  • Allow the toss to drift ever so slightly to the left
  • Throw the racquet loosely up against the ball
  • Keep your head up at contact

Tactics

Cornering – the kick serve moves the opponent out wide, to if not past the doubles alley. In most instances Wickmayer returned weakly up the line or to the middle, where Sam finished with an untouched cross court winner.  And this untouched thing will create even more pressure in the receiver’s mind.

Second serve 30-40

The biggest situation occurs at this juncture. A double fault is bad news. But if the opponent owns a weaponized forehand (and nowadays they all do) spinning this serve into the middle of the service box is really not much better. You must get this serve to bounce up and out to the opponent’s backhand return. And for this one Sam Stosur is at the head of the class.

Talking Points

  • Eastern backhand grip – first things first, and it must be loose and well past the continental
  • Check out the depth of the swinging drop – let it happen don’t force it
  • Accelerate the racquet up, up up – “throw a dart in the ceiling”

37 Comments

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 22, 2011

    Hi Jim

    is choking the racquet at the top of the head a good idea for practicing a good service action for my eastern backhand kick serve ,as so to stop the handle from locking on my wrist? I’m aiming at the smoothest action, because of the degenerated cartilage in my neck caused by getting hit in the back of the neck in 1998.

    I will get my brother to take a short movie of my serve with our camera so you can have a look at my serve

    Thanks

    Noel

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 21, 2011

    Hi Jim,

    Does the online couse of building the serve from the ground up include mastering the kick serve product.

    Thanks,

    Noel

    • Jim McLennan

      Reply Reply October 21, 2011

      Noel – sorry they are separate products, sometimes we include a bonus package that includes both, but we have nothing like that cooking at the moment
      Jim
      I did BTS first and it is much more foundational, MTKS was a second product more specifically aimed at the kicker
      BTS was my first foray into the world of ebooks – and I liked the effort
      Jim

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 20, 2011

    Thanks Jim that feels perfect, I guess trying to whip my wrist at the end to get speed, and that was causing a stiff flow but simply your suggestion has completely fixed my service speed and action, I can hardly express how grateful I am,

    I have an injured neck, got punched in the back of the neck in 1998 and I am on pain killers Oxycontin and your advice has made it easier for my neck and shoulders.

    I’ve had some tennis lessons and watched hours of videos on this serve, you have more insight and a gift for teaching than all other that I’ve seen and heard combined.

    Yours respectfully,

    Noel

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 19, 2011

    Yes the grip is the same however I have noticed I’ve been hurting my wrist and realise now that I can change to an eastern backhand and do a technique which is to cock my wrist or in other tennis terms to break my wrist to allow a smooth follow through, not literally break the wrist but cock it to a 90 degree angle and by doing this there is more of a swish at the top of my kick, does this sound right to you.

    Thanks,

    Noel

    • Jim McLennan

      Reply Reply October 19, 2011

      Noel – at some point I need to see your serve on Youtube to make sure I understand, but I am not sure one cocks the wrist at all – this serve is about swiveling or rotating the forearm not cocking or snapping the wrist – sitting at a table as you read this place your elbow and hand on the table palm up – then quickly flip it to palm down – that is in essence the secret to this serve
      Jim

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 17, 2011

    I not sure where to find Pancho gonzalez Blog site do I google the site or is the blog on your site?

    • Jim McLennan

      Reply Reply October 17, 2011

      Noel – use this site and do a search for Gonzalez and you will find it
      Jim

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 17, 2011

    I’m really a begginer in serving I’ve been using the continental with a bit of a forward flick on my kick serves.

    Thanks,

    Noel

    • Jim McLennan

      Reply Reply October 17, 2011

      Noel – does your grip create a flat or a spinning hit – and is the grip the same on the follow through as it is just before your toss
      Jim

  • Noel

    Reply Reply October 16, 2011

    Hello Jim,

    Please I would like to know why does Sam use this Semi eastern backhand grip for her kick and what advantages does it give.

    Yours respectfully,

    Noel

    • Jim McLennan

      Reply Reply October 16, 2011

      Noel – an eastern forehand grip tends to produce a flatter hit unless a player cups their wrist – which is not recommended – continental or eastern backhand grips produce more spin, and the further to the backhand grip the better if you have sufficient snap in the swing and enough racquet speed – unfortunately for many this grip feels uncomfortable and therefore few stay with it long enough to master – the best of all time Pancho gonzalez (and you can seem him on this blog use the search function) recommended the backhand grip and then said – “no matter how hard to learn, once mastered you will serve with spin speed and disguise”
      best
      Jim
      what is your grip?

  • guy w lam

    Reply Reply September 15, 2011

    Excellent analysis

  • Paul

    Reply Reply August 11, 2011

    Hi,
    Great instruction you’ve got here, so I went out to the court to try this. I usually hit with Continental Grip, but this Eastern Backhand grip felt so uncomfortable to me. I couldn’t even contact the ball, so wondering what I’m doing wrong here. I did toss the ball to the left and on top of my head. I think I’m on the right grip because if I swing the racquet directly on top of my head (stand still) the racquet is parallel to my head. One of my friend gave me a tip that actually I’ll need to hit down on the right side of the ball with this grip, which annoyed me more lol

  • green

    Reply Reply November 5, 2010

    I have been trying to hit the same serve but noticed that my back pains every time I try to do it.Please help.
    THANK YOU,
    GREEN.

    • Jim

      Reply Reply November 5, 2010

      Green – there is no mistake about this – the kick serve puts the lower back as well as the shoulder at some risk – the trick is to swing loosely, use your legs much more than normal and snap the racquet with an up and out motion – there are two more options – I offer a swing review product where you upload your serve and I make recommendations and or check out the product offered called Mastering the Kick Serve
      best
      Jim

  • tom barabas

    Reply Reply September 3, 2010

    Thank u a lot.
    I saw the video last night like 5-6 times and this morning I played
    doubles and I served almost exclusively the kick serve.
    I see if I go out and practice it could be a big weapon. A good practice is to kneel down
    at the service line and do the serve from that position.
    My partners hated me this morning.
    Tom

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 3, 2010

      Tom – thanks, and am hoping your opponents rather than your doubles partner were the ones “hating” you
      best
      Jim

  • Ann

    Reply Reply September 3, 2010

    Thanks for sending me the video of Sam Stosur’s Kick Serve. I knew how to do it from my coach, but it is really helpful to be able to see it multiple times so that I can readily visualize the racket’s movement across the ball. You have a really great tennis site.

  • MORT GOODKIN

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    SAW ALOT OF GUY START TO USE THE KICK SERVE.MOST ENDED UP WITH BACK PROBLEMS,

    THE RECEIVER HAS TO BE A BIT PATIENT AND LET THE SERVE UNRAVEL–IF HE CAN.SWING TOO EARLY AND YOU’RE FALLING INTO HIS TRAP. SWING TOO LATE AND THE BALL IS AWAY FROM YOU.
    MG

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 3, 2010

      Mort – yes this serve requires a limber back, but truly when done correctly (like Stosur) it is the legs that orient the body to lean to the left – as to the return actually if the ball has a lot of kick on it – waiting and letting it unravel as Wickmayer did just opens the court yet further – the answer is to move to this ball and hit sharply down with a one handed underspin backhand – and one of the benefits of this serve is that many of the two handed players do not truly own this shot
      best
      Jim

  • Raymond

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Great video Jim. Sam has a great racquet drop looks deeper than some of the men.
    I’m 5’6″, fifty years old can I still develop that serve.
    I have no trouble with the flat or slice but this kick is difficult. My toss for the flat and slice are relatively in the same place both forward into the court with the slice a little to the right.
    Some instructors say to toss into the court even for the kick. If the toss is somewhat into the court should the body also move in the court to get under the ball? How far under the ball should you be? I’m trying to achieve more height and pace on this one.
    Tks Ray

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Ray – exactly, if the toss is slightly into the court then yes you must move underneath it prior to the hit. Take some time with the Pancho Gonzalez footage in our blog and in one instance were he ti swing and miss the toss would hit him on his back!
      best
      Jim

  • Víctor Liendo

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Hi Jim. I’m a club player, but i like to imitate the pros. I think that the correct technique promotes an effortless tennis.

    I have ever wanted to have a decent kick serve but it’s been a difficult process. I can emphasize some things you have talked abaout:

    1) Set up your mind. What you have described at the beginning. We must imagine, visualize and then take to practice

    2) Toss the ball to the left

    3) Keeping eyes on the ball at contact

    Additionally I would like to mention something that i have used with some degree of success: I try to bend my left arm and keep my left hand close to my chest a bit of time after hitting the ball. I don’t allow my left arm to fly away after contact

    This trick has helped in keeping eyes on the ball

    I hope you understand my tip about the left arm and you cand make some suggestion or comments.

    Thanks in advance

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Victor – I like your comment about effortless, and keeping your non dominant arm tucked against your torso is similar to what a baseball pitcher does as well as what the incredible Pete Sampras did (and still does)
      best
      Jim

  • Brent Abel - WebTennis

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Hi Mac and thanks for this video – well done with your explanation of how the kicker sets up the open court for the server’s next shot.

    Wickmayer’s 2 handed bh return of serve makes Sam’s serve even tougher.

    What amazes me is why so many players with 2 handed backhands don’t add the 1 handed slice backhand to their toolbox – especially at the pro level.

    As teaching pros, we can’t give in to the quick results our juniors get from a 2 hander.

    I don’t have any problem whatsoever with the 2 hander, but we’ve got to make sure they also have the 1 hander for this type of return of serve (plus bh volleys, slice approaches, etc.).

    That 1 handed bh low skidding cross court slice against Sam’s serve would make her run around forehand a lot tougher. Not only would the return stay a lot lower but Wickmayer would be on balance and not falling outside of the alley.

    Sorry for getting off topic here, but that’s my minor rant for the morning…

    Brent

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Brent
      agreed about the one hander, and Wickmayer rarely got this ball cross court, but we have seen Federer knife this same shot and skid it low – funny how the game progresses, how coaches get players started, and how in many instances extremely good players have certain limiting techniques.
      best
      Mac

  • Francisco Barahona

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Jim, when you say that “the toss drifts to the left,” I imagine that you mean that the ball should be behind the server, and you DO NOT mean that the ball should be closer to the left shoulder (and farther from the right shoulder). Please clarify.
    Thanks.

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Francisco – yes but this just may be semantics – for the toss does arc slightly across the baseline, but it doesnt have to be behind the baseline, for in some instances the toss moves into the court it is just that the player moves forward and under the toss
      best
      Jim

  • jay jones

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Jim, Stouser’s serve looks more like a top-spin serve. The ball is really “kicking” up high on the backhand side, but I don’t see it making a sharp turn to the receiver’s left that I have seen my former teaching pro’s serve do.

    In my opinion, a right-hander’s kick serve should look like a lefty’s serve..spinning sharply to the receiver’s left on the bounce. Stouser’s serve doesn’t spin to the left. jay

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Jay – to my eye the ball jumped up and away from the server, and on this serve sometimes it is just semantics, for the American Twist (in the old days) did jump up and spin away, but the kick can be described as bouncing up and or bouncing up and away – in either regard it is about opening the court
      best
      Jim

  • Jim Fox

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Hi Jim —

    As usual, great stuff. I’m absolutely convinced that you are THE GURU on the serve!

    One comment: I know you don’t like to emphasize pronation, but I’m absolutely convinced that it’s a very powerful lever on the serve. I noticed on Sam’s kick serve, for example, when I look at it frame-by-frame, just before she strikes the ball, her racket approaches the ball ON EDGE and then she pronates dramatically as she hits up across the ball (with her elbow very high).

    I know a lot of people talk about just naturally releasing the racket to describe pronation. This terminology just doesn’t mean anything to most of my students — especially girls. But when I demonstrate and specifically teach pronation, they get it and their serves become way more powerful.

    Interestingly, it’s the same with the throwing motion. I know some high school baseball coaches who, unfortunately, teach their players to throw without pronation. And their kids, pitchers and position players alike, do not throw as powerfully as (and maybe stress their arms more than) those who throw with pronation.

    Just a thought.

    Jim Fox

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Jim – yes on leading with the edge, and yes on your comments about baseball – at some point consider borrowing or buying a long bull whip – though be careful they are dangerous – in getting the feel of cracking it (tip breaks the sound barrier) the snap occurs from the arm’s stopping action and somehow that same thing causes the “P” word on the serve – but to my mind this draws attention to the action and not to the “P’ itself
      best
      Jim

  • Jorge

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Excelent takes. Good for you

  • amanda

    Reply Reply September 2, 2010

    Many thanks, Jim, for the advice on the kick serve, which I really admire and want to emulate. Will let you know how it went. By the way, the other serve you showed me is good, but over here, my coach wants me to do it with the continental grip. I’m a bit confused.
    Anyway, Sam is a fantastic player and my favourite on the tour. I saw her playing doubles and wondered why she didn’t go in to singles! Hope she wins the US Open (or Clijsters).
    Amanda (Greece)

    • Jim

      Reply Reply September 2, 2010

      Amanda – not sure what grip you coach shows you – but an eastern backhand is just a little further than the continental – but in the opposite direction from the forehand
      best
      Jim
      note Sam’s starting position and how the racquet is angled from her hand just before she begins her toss

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