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Twist Serve
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Twist Serve
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Shot Type
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Serve
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Spin
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Offset Topspin
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Class
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Offensive
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Twist Serve is the first and the most shown serve in the series. It is mostly used by Ryoma. In this serve the ball is spun inside which makes the ball spins towards the opponent. A high level serve which has a violent bounce which has been shown to be able to injure the opponents face.
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Real World CounterpartEdit
In the real world, the twist serve was originally known as the "American twist" serve, and it is still sometimes referred to by that name. It is a special kind of topspin-slice serve that behaves differently after the bounce because it has much more topspin than sidespin on it. So, instead of skidding and continuing to curve leftward after the bounce like a slice serve, it "grabs" the court and breaks rightward in the direction of a right-hander's backhand. Like all spin serves, it is hit higher over the net with a larger margin of error. This along with the awkward bounce, make it a popular second service choice.
To create this action the ball needs to have a twisted axis of rotation, so that the ball's spinning is out-of-line (axis of spin rotated slightly clockwise from a top view) with its flight path. To execute this serve, a continental or, more commonly, an Eastern backhand grip is used. The ball is thrown somewhat behind and to the left of the server's head, and the racquet brushes the ball from the 8 o'clock position to the 2 'clock position (although other players can have a 7 o'clock to 1 o'clock stroke), imparting a combination of topspin and sidespin. Different angles of attack by the racquet on the ball varies the action of the kick, making it less predictable.
To perform a twist serve (or American twist serve) the ball toss needs to be a bit behind you and the ball needs to be hit above your head. You should be using the same grip you would for a slice serve, but instead of brushing the ball from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock as you would a slice serve (if you imagined the ball as a clock), you should brush it from 7 o'clock to 1 o'clock. If you want you can also vary this so that you are brushing it from 8 o'clock to 2 o'clock. The former will 'pop up' more on the court and add some surprise to the shot, whereas the latter will curve more in the air and bounce a bit further to the side making it harder to reach. You can experiment to find even better angles to brush the ball though. All that matters is which you find more effective in a match, and the one you are most comfortable using in a tight situation.
Ways To Counter ItEdit
- A method to return the Twist Serveis by using a high level of Insight as shown by Atobe Keigo.
- By using the Carioca Step, as shown by Tanishi Kei, it allows the user to move to a better position to return the serve while moving at a constant speed.
- By using both intense speed, and extremely fast reflexes shown by Tooyama Kintaro against Echizen Ryoma, being able to dodge the assault the serve brings to the face, then move into a position to return it even stronger.
- Also, by simply being able to see through all special techniques shown by Yukimura Seiichi.
VariationsEdit
