Photo Tour of the Points of Contact for Five Spin Serves

Topspin Serve Point of Contact

(C)2006 Jeff Cooper licensed to About.com, Inc.

• Grip: Use the grip closest to the Eastern backhand (moving from Continental) that still allows you to make clean contact with the ball. Moving toward Eastern backhand gives you stronger spin, toward Continental easier contact.
• Point of contact: Meet the ball slightly below the full upward extension of your reach so that the racquet can still be moving upward as it brushes against the ball. The ball should be just about directly overhead at the time of contact. Where you toss the ball will be influenced by how much you lean forward and how much you jump upward before swinging.
• Striking the ball: Try to brush straight up the back of the ball from what would be 6:00 on its face if it were a clock to 12:00. You would have to let the ball drop more than it's worth to hit an absolutely pure topspin, but the inevitable, slight left-to-right slant at higher points of contact won't produce any significant twist bounce.

• Topspin Slice Serve Point of Contact
• Topspin Serve Point of Contact
• Slice Serve Point of Contact
• Twist Serve Point of Contact
• Underhand Sidespin Serve Point of Contact