The slice serve, hit with lots of side spin, is a key serve in tennis. It's a safer serve than a flat cannonball serve, because it clears the net at a greater height; and it is a more powerful serve than the blooper that most club players use for their second serve.  Moving through the air sharply from right to left, the slice serve can be used to pull a receiver out of the court on the deuce side, or it can be used to jam a receiver by spinning it into her body.

To learn the slice serve on your own, follow this simple progression. First, let's get a feel for slice.  Using a continental or hammer grip,  bounce the ball on your strings for a few hits and then rapidly cut across the bottom of the ball from your right to left. You are slicing the bottom portion of the ball (6 o’clock on a clock face).  This is the basic slice action you will put your serve.  The only difference is the ball will be above your head and you will be slicing the side of it, not the bottom.

Next, standing sideways on the service line, lift the ball into the air a couple of feet above your head and to the right, let it drop back down to about eye level and hit the ball at about 5 o’clock, using your continental grip. Hit up slightly on the ball to get it to clear the net and land in the service box. At this point, you are hitting a soft high volley with slice. Choking up on your racquet handle will make the grip more comfortable and facilitate getting a feel for this slicing action.

While still on the service line, toss the ball like you normally do on your serve.   Keep your racquet slightly on edge and try to strike the right hand side of the ball.  Visualizing the ball as a clock face, you want to slice off the 3, 4, and 5 o’clock portion of the ball. Another way to think of this is that you are using the edge of your racquet to “karate chop” the right hand side of the ball.

Your racquet should swing out toward the right net post (whether serving from the deuce or ad side of the court). You want your racquet to brush the right side of the ball and then continue out to the right.  Don’t let the right hand edge of your racquet wrap around or cup the ball or you’ll generate too much spin and not enough forward momentum or power. 

If you are having trouble, repeat the earlier sequence, working from the high volley and hitting at 5 o’clock. You can also try choking up on your racquet handle.  

From the service line, begin adding a little pace to your swing.  Continue slicing the right side of the ball ( 3, 4, and 5 o'clock).  Increasingly, try to swing the ball out wide toward the far side of the service box, pulling a returner far off the court.    

After you can do this with some consistency, start moving back gradually toward the baseline.  Swing with the same intensity while continuing to direct your ball to the far side of the service box.  Remember to keep the right edge of your racquet moving toward the right net post as you slice the right side of the ball.  Your serve should arc from your right to your left, crossing the entire width of the service box. 

Once you can swing your slice serve out wide, try hitting it down the middle.  To do this, you should aim to the right of the T in the deuce court.  Your slice should bring the ball back into the box.  Next, practice your slice serve to the ad court.  Hit some out wide to the far line and hit some down the middle.

You can generate even more spin by adjusting your grip more toward the full eastern backhand grip (palm on the top panel).  Experiment with this grip change to see how it affects the pace and amount of slice on the ball.  The advantage of a slice serve is that you can swing hard and still have a reasonable chance of clearing the net and getting the ball in the service box.

Once you have developed a feel for the slice, start using it in your practices and matches.  Hitting a couple baskets of balls two or three times a week on a practice court will help you groove your new slice serve and will do wonders for your serve in general.

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