Every accomplished server has three deliveries:

1) Flat

2) Slice

3) Kick

Good singles players attack their opponents with flat and slice first serves; they regularly send second serves over with kick spin. It’s rare for an experienced server to vary from this pattern.

Good doubles servers love the kick because it gives them ample time and easy access to the net position; they volley immediately.

On off-days, when first serves refuse to go in regularly, all knowledgeable servers naturally gravitate to the kick serve. It’s the only serve that carries extra-heavy spin that curves and swerves the ball high over the net and then drives it downwards severely resulting in a huge, kicking bounce.

Kick serves have the most net clearance, the steepest drop and the highest, most-unpredictable bounce. Is it any wonder why 99 percent of all pros use the same serve 99 percent of the time when they absolutely have to get the ball in aggressively?

Take a lesson and learn the kick serve in 30 minutes. It’s one of the key strokes of the advanced, competitive game.

Gary Sherby is tennis director at Racquets and Togs Tennis Center, 115 Bradford St., just off the downtown square. His tennis tips appear Sundays.