Prince of Tennis, Ryoma's "Twist" Serve

Ryoma Echizen's “twist” serve (also known as the “American twist” or “kick” serve):

A serve with so much topspin* on it that it curves toward the opponent's right hand. However, when it hits the court, it “kicks” back directly toward the opponent's backhand on the left side. Balls coming right at the player can be tricky to return, so it's a popular serve, but difficult to learn. In the anime/manga, Ryoma serves it in such a way that the ball kicks up directly at the opponent's face.

*Topspin – When the player hits the ball with lots of topspin, the ball arches sharply downward as it goes over the net. This downward arc makes it a good second serve as the ball can be hit higher over the net without losing speed. The ball also bounces higher, often making it harder for the opponent to return.